Parmesan Crusted Chicken Cobb Salad (Print)

Extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted chicken over a classic Cobb salad with fresh vegetables, eggs, bacon, and tangy dressing.

# Components:

→ Parmesan Crusted Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
03 - 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Salad

10 - 6 cups mixed salad greens
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1 large avocado, sliced
13 - 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
14 - 4 strips cooked bacon, chopped
15 - 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
16 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
17 - 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced

→ Dressing

18 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
19 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
20 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
21 - 1 teaspoon honey
22 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
23 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease the surface.
02 - In a shallow bowl, combine grated Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until well combined.
04 - Dip each chicken thigh into the beaten egg, ensuring full coverage, then coat thoroughly in the Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
05 - Place coated chicken thighs on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
06 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking, until the exterior is golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
07 - While chicken bakes, arrange salad greens on a large platter. Arrange cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, blue cheese, red onion, and cucumber in rows or sections in the traditional Cobb presentation.
08 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
09 - Arrange sliced Parmesan-crusted chicken over the composed salad. Drizzle dressing over the top immediately before serving.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -
  • The chicken gets impossibly crispy on the outside while staying juicy inside, and nobody suspects it came from your own oven.
  • It's a complete meal that feels fancy enough for company but practical enough for a regular Wednesday night.
  • You can prep most of it ahead, which means less stress when people are actually coming over.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period for the baked chicken because it's the difference between juicy and dry, and five minutes is nothing in the grand scheme of a meal.
  • Dress the salad at the last possible moment or the greens will wilt and the avocado will turn brown, which I learned the expensive way.
  • The chicken can be baked up to two days ahead and stored in the refrigerator, then sliced and warmed gently just before serving if you need to get organized ahead of time.
03 -
  • If your breadcrumb coating isn't sticking well to the chicken, let the coated pieces sit on the baking sheet for five minutes before drizzling the oil and baking, which helps everything adhere better.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to check the chicken's internal temperature because relying on color alone sometimes leaves you guessing, and 165°F is the magic number that means it's safe and still juicy.
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