Keto Cobb Salad with Chicken, Bacon and Egg
This Keto Cobb Salad is the low-carb version of an American classic: romaine lettuce as the base, grilled chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled egg, avocado and gorgonzola, arranged in parallel rows and drizzled with a simple vinaigrette. Delivers 54 g protein and 6 g net carbs.
Key facts at a glance
- Preparation time: approx. 25 minutes, 15 minutes prep, 10 minutes cooking.
- Approx. 6 g net carbs and 52 g fat per serving.
- Ingredients: chicken breast, bacon, eggs, avocado, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, gorgonzola, olive oil, white wine vinegar.
- Suitable as a keto lunch at home; components can be prepared individually for meal prep.
Ingredients
One serving equals one large Cobb Salad, intended as a complete keto lunch for one person.
| Amount | Ingredient | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (grilled) | sliced into strips | |||
| sliced into strips | ||||
| Bacon | cooked crispy, crumbled | |||
| cooked crispy, crumbled | ||||
| Eggs (hard-boiled) | - | |||
| Avocado (flesh) | sliced | |||
| sliced | ||||
| Romaine lettuce | shredded | |||
| shredded | ||||
| Cherry tomatoes (halved) | - | |||
| Gorgonzola (crumbled) | - | |||
| Olive oil | approx. 2 tbsp | |||
| approx. 2 tbsp | ||||
| White wine vinegar | approx. 1 tbsp | |||
| approx. 1 tbsp | ||||
| Dijon mustard | - | |||
| Salt | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
| Pepper | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
Preparation
-
Cook eggs and pan-fry chicken
approx. 15 minutes180 g Chicken breast (grilled) sliced into strips 2 pcs Eggs (hard-boiled) 30 ml Olive oil approx. 2 tbsp 0.5 tsp Salt to taste 0.3 tsp Pepper to taste Place eggs (2 pcs) in boiling salted water and cook for exactly 8 minutes. Transfer immediately to ice water (a bowl with ice cubes) and cool for 5 minutes. Peel and cut in halves. Season chicken breast (180 g) with salt and pepper. Pan-fry in a pan with a little olive oil over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Let rest, then slice diagonally into strips.
-
Cook bacon and whisk vinaigrette
approx. 6 minutes60 g Bacon cooked crispy, crumbled 15 ml White wine vinegar approx. 1 tbsp 1 tsp Dijon mustard Cook the bacon (60 g) in the same pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and crumble roughly. Vinaigrette: whisk olive oil (30 ml), white wine vinegar (15 ml) and Dijon mustard (1 tsp) with salt and pepper vigorously in a small jar or bowl.
-
Plate the salad
approx. 4 minutes120 g Avocado (flesh) sliced 80 g Romaine lettuce shredded 80 g Cherry tomatoes (halved) 40 g Gorgonzola (crumbled) Lay out romaine lettuce (80 g, shredded) as the base on a large plate. Arrange all prepared ingredients in parallel rows: chicken strips, crumbled bacon, egg halves, avocado slices (drizzle immediately with lemon juice), cherry tomato halves, gorgonzola. Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the salad just before serving.
You did it! Enjoy every delicious bite.
Which tips help with keto Cobb Salad?
- Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes after cooking before slicing into strips, this keeps the juices in.
- Cook eggs for 8 minutes (medium size) in vigorously boiling water, then plunge into ice water for perfect hard-boiled eggs without a green ring.
- Always cook the bacon until crispy and only crumble it onto the salad just before serving; soft bacon quickly loses its texture.
- Wash and dry the romaine lettuce only just before serving; wet leaves cause the dressing to slide off.
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before plating; cold ingredients straight from the fridge hurt the overall result.
Why Cobb Salad fits keto well
The classic Cobb Salad contains no high-carb ingredients such as croutons, corn or sugary dressing; it is almost naturally keto-compatible. Chicken breast (180 g cooked) delivers approx. 56 g protein. Bacon (60 g crispy) brings 10 g protein and 19 g fat. Two hard-boiled eggs add 13 g protein and 10 g fat. Avocado (120 g) provides 2 g protein and 18 g fat, mainly as oleic acid. Gorgonzola (40 g) adds approx. 9 g protein and umami flavor. Cherry tomatoes (80 g) contain approx. 3.5 g net carbs, keto-compatible in this amount. Romaine lettuce (80 g) contributes less than 1 g carbs. The full serving comes to approx. 54 g protein, 52 g fat and 6 g net carbs at around 720 kcal.
Source: USDA FoodData Central, Chicken Breast, cooked , FDDB Nutrition Database
Keto dressing without hidden sugar
Many ready-made salad dressings contain sugar or corn syrup; even ranch dressings can have up to 2 g sugar per 30 ml. This vinaigrette of olive oil and white wine vinegar contains virtually no carbs and can be whisked together in 1 minute. Dijon mustard emulsifies the vinaigrette and prevents oil and vinegar from separating.
Gorgonzola as a flavor carrier in keto salads
Gorgonzola (blue cheese) has approx. 20 g protein and 30 g fat per 100 g with under 1 g carbs. The intense umami aromas of aged blue cheese need only small amounts (30 to 40 g) to contribute a lot of flavor. Good alternatives are Roquefort, Stilton or aged cheddar.
How do I serve and vary the Cobb Salad?
Plate the salad the American way, in rows, with each ingredient getting its own parallel strip on the bed of lettuce. Add the dressing only at the table so the salad does not wilt. From my own experience, I recommend slicing the avocado last and immediately drizzling it with lemon juice to keep it green.
Meal prep: prepare ingredients separately
Chicken, bacon and eggs keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and can be assembled fresh into a Cobb Salad each day. Always slice avocado fresh. The dressing keeps for 5 days in the fridge. This makes the Cobb Salad an easy quick lunch meal prep.
Variation without gorgonzola
Crumbled feta cheese is the mildest alternative, less intense but well suited. Cubed cheddar or grated parmesan also work. If you don't want blue cheese: 30 g cream cheese as a dollop on the salad adds creaminess without the moldy flavor.
Nutrition values
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Keto classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 195 kcal | approx. 720 kcal | A complete lunch; energy from protein (chicken, eggs, cheese) and fat (avocado, bacon, olive oil). |
| A complete lunch; energy from protein (chicken, eggs, cheese) and fat (avocado, bacon, olive oil). | |||
| Fat | approx. 14 g | approx. 52 g | Broad fat profile: oleic acid from avocado, saturated fats from bacon and cheese, phospholipids from eggs. |
| Broad fat profile: oleic acid from avocado, saturated fats from bacon and cheese, phospholipids from eggs. | |||
| Net carbs | approx. 1.6 g | approx. 6 g | Low; mostly from cherry tomatoes and avocado, well under the keto daily limit. |
| Low; mostly from cherry tomatoes and avocado, well under the keto daily limit. | |||
| Sugar | approx. 0.7 g | approx. 2.5 g | Natural sugar from tomatoes and avocado; no added sugar. |
| Natural sugar from tomatoes and avocado; no added sugar. | |||
| Protein | approx. 14.6 g | approx. 54 g | High; four different protein sources (chicken, bacon, egg, cheese) provide a broad amino acid profile. |
| High; four different protein sources (chicken, bacon, egg, cheese) provide a broad amino acid profile. | |||
| Salt | approx. 0.5 g | approx. 1.8 g | Moderate; mostly from bacon and gorgonzola, so salt the dressing sparingly. |
| Moderate; mostly from bacon and gorgonzola, so salt the dressing sparingly. | |||
Note: Nutrition values are estimated averages per 100 g and per serving and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, portion size, and preparation. They do not replace individual nutrition or medical advice.
FAQ
Is Cobb Salad suitable for keto?
Yes, with a few adjustments: prepare the classic Cobb Salad without croutons and corn, and watch out for sugar-free dressing. This version has only 6 g net carbs. The original recipe is already low in carbs, which makes it one of the most keto-friendly classic salads.
Which dressing is best for the keto Cobb Salad?
This vinaigrette of olive oil (30 ml), white wine vinegar (15 ml) and Dijon mustard (1 tsp) has virtually no carbs. Alternative: homemade ranch dressing from mayonnaise, sour cream, dill and garlic, also carb-free. Always check ready-made dressings for added sugar.
Can I replace cherry tomatoes with other vegetables?
Yes: avocado cubes (instead of tomatoes) make the salad even lower in carbs. Cucumber slices or diced bell pepper have similar values to tomatoes. Leaving tomatoes out entirely saves approx. 3.5 g carbs at the cost of vitamin C and lycopene.
Does this dish fit weight loss on keto?
It fits well: at 720 kcal and 54 g protein the salad is very filling. To cut calories: leave out the gorgonzola and reduce olive oil to 15 ml, giving approx. 570 kcal at 50 g protein.