Air Fryer Smoky BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad Boxes

AF-200 Crew BBQ Recipe

Air Fryer Smoky BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad Boxes

This isn't one of those sad little salads pretending to be dinner. This is proper smokehouse food. Smoky BBQ chicken, crispy bacon, roasted sweetcorn, avocado, boiled eggs, tomatoes, mature cheddar and crisp lettuce all piled into one loaded bowl with a rich BBQ ranch dressing. Fresh enough for summer, filling enough to stand proudly beside any barbecue feast.

Air Fryer Smoky BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad Boxes
Air Fryer Smoky BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad Boxes preparation stage

You’ll Need

For the Chicken
2 chicken breasts, diced, 1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt, ½ tsp cracked black pepper, 3 tbsp smoky BBQ sauce

For the Salad
1 large romaine lettuce, chopped
6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
2 boiled eggs, quartered
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, diced
100g sweetcorn, 80g mature cheddar, diced, 2 spring onions, sliced

BBQ Ranch Dressing
4 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp smoky BBQ sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
Freshly cracked black pepper

Optional but dangerous
Crispy fried onions
Jalapeño slices
Pickled gherkins
Hot honey drizzle
Extra BBQ sauce

Method

Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.

Toss the chicken with the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and cracked black

pepper.

Air fry for 10–12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until lightly charred and cooked through.

Toss the hot chicken with the BBQ sauce and allow it to cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic

powder, smoked paprika and cracked black pepper until smooth.

Arrange the chopped lettuce into a large serving bowl or platter.

Neatly arrange the BBQ chicken, bacon, boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocado, sweetcorn, cheddar and spring onions

over the lettuce.

Drizzle the BBQ ranch dressing over the top, or serve it alongside for people to help themselves.

Finish with crispy onions, jalapeños, pickled gherkins or a drizzle of hot honey if using.

Serve immediately while the chicken is still slightly warm and the salad stays crisp.

Lad Tip: Keep the dressing separate until the last minute. Crisp lettuce, warm smoky chicken and crunchy bacon are what make this a proper smokehouse Cobb salad instead of a soggy bowl of leftovers.

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