Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salad

This Mason Jar Salad With Chicken is a delicious, nutrition-packed lunch that will fill you up and make lunch a whole lot more interesting! It’s time to think outside the box and prepare this delicious Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salad with a clean ranch dressing.

this RECIPE

For as long as I can remember, chicken cobb salads have been my favorite salad.  There's just something so much deliciousness about all the different types of flavors, textures, and colors that goes well together.

I also have always been a huge fan of ranch dressing.

Like...ranch for president.

Like...as a kid, I would smother my veggies with ranch dressing and devour them by the plate-full. Or as of now, by the mason jar full, like my Mason Jar Salad for Meal Prep.

Can we be real for a sec?

Okay, here it goes...

I've also always been kinda annoyed at how chicken cobbs are prepared -- how they're usually either chopped up beyond recognition or all the stuff is layered on the very top, making it difficult to get a bite of everything all at one.

Now, I know these are normal ways to prepare cobbs and they look super cool and all...but still.

Heck, I've even been guilty of doing it, too.

BUT, personally, I like mine all mixed up, with even amounts of salad dressing on every bite.

But, that's just me.

And that's not all...

Another issue I have with making salads for myself is they usually go bad pretty quickly if all mixed together.

I mean...I hate wasting left-overs, but I will NOT eat a left-over salad.  Nuuupe.

That's why I LOVE mason jar salads.  All my problems are solved.

Hooray!

Well, for enjoying my salads, at least.

How To Make Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salad

This Mason jar salad with chicken recipe is so simple and easy to make. The trick to making a good mason jar cobb salad is preparation and layering. You wanna prepare your veggies in advance—so chop up those cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and leafy greens. And have your drained can of garbanzo beans and crumbled cheese ready, so you can quickly arrange everything in your mason jar when you’ve got your diced chicken ready.

How to Layer Mason Jar Salads

To keep all the contents of your mason jar salad with chicken as fresh and delicious as possible, I would recommend using this layering technique:

Layer 1 – Add the ranch dressing first (1-2 tablespoons should be enough)
Layer 2 – Then layer the harder ingredients like your grape tomatoes and diced chicken
Layer 3 – Add garbanzo beans. FYI, if you’re planning to add any carbs or grains, like pastas or quinoa, I would suggest you leave those for the third layer too
Layer 4 – Add softer vegetables like your cucumbers
Layer 5 – Reserve your cheeses and other proteins for this layer
Layer 6 – Then top it all off with some baby greens like lettuce or spinach

How To Make Clean Ranch Dressing for Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salads

For a low-calorie, unrefined ranch dressing alternative, I swapped the mayo and buttermilk typically used in store bought ranch dressings with plain Greek yogurt and almond milk, which still gives it that delicious, creamy texture. Then, I added dill weed, garlic powder, coconut sugar, and sea salt to give it a good tasty "ranch" kick and depth of flavor.

Once you’ve got all those ingredients ready, just whisk them together in a bowl, then set aside to use when you’re ready. This equally satisfying and tasty ranch dressing is my go-to clean ranch dressing recipe for sure!

What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salad?

Wanting to make a chicken cobb, but not sure what ingredients to use?  I've got ya covered!

Aside from the clean ranch dressing, when it comes to the actual mason jar cobb salad ingredients, I go for the following:

• garbanzo beans
• crumbled gorgonzola
• grape tomatoes
• mixed baby greens
• diced chicken.

For some extra creaminess, I like adding a halved avocado into the mix or a hard boiled egg for some added protein. That way, you’ve got a perfectly balanced lunch made with in-season vegetables, leafy greens, and a little protein, along with a creamy-tangy note from the ranch dressing to round out the flavors.

Check out how to make homemade croutons for a great crunch for this salad.

These chicken cobb mason jar salads solve ALL the following problems:

• delicious, crisp salad that's waiting for you any day of the week
• easy to prepare ahead so no need to assemble each time you're hungry
• clean ranch salad dressing
• I repeat: CLEAN ranch salad dressing!
• All the tasty, fresh veggies and proteins are evenly coated with the delicious salad dressing when it's time to enjoy, but not a moment sooner
• complete and utter cobby goodness

So, if you feel my pain and you've suffered, alone, all these years with your chopped up chicken cobbs and wishing you could enjoy ranch dressing without the guilt, I hope this new solution will make your life and tastebuds as happy as it's made mine.

What Size Mason Jar to Use for Mason Jar Salads

Ok, so the big question is what size mason jar should you use, right?  Been there.  I used a quart sized (32-ounce) mason jar for this mason jar cobb salad but you could use any sized jar - the idea is that you want to get the portion you're looking to eat. Just adjust the serving size of your salad according to the size of your jar. Whatever size you choose, make sure it comes with a lid and has a wide mouth so you can easily layer and add the ingredients to make your mason jar cobb salad as filling and as satisfying as it should be!

Come lunchtime, when you’re ready to eat, you just shake up the mason jar and pour out the cobb salad contents in a bowl. The result will be a perfectly coated salad with crisp greens on the bottom and delicious homemade ranch dressing on the top to give it that burst of flavor.

Can You Eat Cobb Salads Out of the Jar?

Depending on how full you’ve packed your Mason jar salad, there's no reason not to eat your mason jar salads directly out of the jar! Just make sure you shake all the contents inside as vigorously as possible, to make sure all the ingredients are well coated.

How Long Can You Keep Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salads in the Fridge?

Depending on your ingredients, you can keep mason jar salads for up to 4-5 days in the fridge and they will still taste good and fresh. If you’re using chicken or another cooked protein as in this mason jar salad with chicken recipe, make sure you consume it within 5 days to be on the safe side.

Always make sure you store your mason jar salads properly with their lid on and sealed tightly. It’s also best to fill the ingredients to the brim and keep the dressing at the bottom, to avoid the leafy greens from wilting.  To make sure the avocado is as fresh as possible, I wait until it's time to eat the salad to add the avocado.

Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salad

Lacey Baier

Looking for some make ahead recipe inspiration? It’s time to think outside the box and prepare this delicious Chicken Cobb Mason Jar Salad with a clean ranch dressing. This is a delicious, nutrition-packed lunch that will fill you up and make those mid-day meals a whole lot more interesting!

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Meal Prep

Cuisine American

Servings 2 salads

Calories 364 kcal

Equipment

• Glass Mason Jars

*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.

Ingredients

  

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For The Chicken Cobb:

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for dressing, see below
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, plus more for dressing, see below
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• ▢ 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• ▢ 1 cup grape tomatoes, whole
• ▢ ¼ cup garbanzo beans, drained
• ▢ 2 tablespoon gorgonzola crumbles
• ▢ 3 cups mixed baby greens, slightly packed
• ▢ optional avocado (prepare day of)

For the Clean Ranch Dressing:

• ▢ ½ cup plain full fat greek yogurt
• ▢ ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon coconut sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

 

• Season the chicken breast with sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Once hot, add the chicken and cook until well-browned on all sides and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side.
• Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pan. Dice into bite-size pieces and allow to completely cool.
• To make the clean ranch salad dressing, whisk together the plain greek yogurt, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, dill weed, remaining garlic powder, coconut sugar, and ¼ tsp. sea salt. Then, set aside.
• Using a quart size mason jar, layer about 2-4 tbsp. of our salad dressing, followed by the grape tomatoes, diced chicken, garbanzo beans, diced cucumber, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, and baby spring mix lettuce.
• When you’re ready to serve, you can also add an avocado or hard-boiled egg, too!
• Can be sealed in mason jar and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 quart saladCalories: 364 kcalCarbohydrates: 20 gProtein: 34.2 gFat: 15.7 gSaturated Fat: 4.4 gCholesterol: 84.9 mgSodium: 402 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 6 g

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This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.