Crispy Chicken Cobb Jar (Printable Version)

Vibrant layered salad with crispy chicken, egg, bacon, and blue cheese in mason jars for easy portable lunches.

# What You Need:

→ Crispy Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - Olive oil spray

→ Salad

10 - 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
13 - 2 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and quartered
14 - 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
15 - 1 avocado, diced
16 - 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
17 - 1/2 small red onion, finely sliced

→ Dressing

18 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
19 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
20 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
21 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
22 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
23 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
24 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
03 - In a bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk, dredge thoroughly in breadcrumb mixture, and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray with olive oil.
04 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before assembly.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and chives until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - In each of four 16-ounce mason jars, layer in order: 2 tablespoons dressing, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bacon, blue cheese, hard-boiled egg, crispy chicken, and romaine lettuce. Top with avocado immediately before serving.
07 - Seal jars and refrigerate until ready to consume. Shake jar or transfer contents to a plate to combine ingredients before eating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crispy chicken stays golden even after sitting in the fridge because of how you layer it strategically.
  • You can prep these on Sunday and eat them for four straight days without anyone knowing they were made days apart.
  • Shaking the jar before eating feels playful and somehow makes the whole salad taste better than if you just dumped it in a bowl.
02 -
  • The layering order isn't just for looks—dressing at the bottom acts as a moisture barrier, keeping that crispy coating from getting soggy even after three days in the fridge.
  • Never add avocado more than a few minutes before eating unless you enjoy watching it turn gray and sad, which nobody does.
03 -
  • Bake your eggs and bacon ahead of time on the same day you plan to assemble jars so you're not jumping between three different cooking tasks.
  • If you notice the chicken coating starting to darken too quickly, tent the baking sheet loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
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