The west Londoners are desperate to gain consistency to kick them up the table, and their American international hitman struck a clinical brace within the first 20 minutes to put the game beyond Bolton.
Mark Crossley returned in goal following a hamstring injury, and manager Chris Coleman reverted to a 4-4-2 formation with McBride and Collins John leading the attack.
Bolton made four changes from their UEFA Cup side in midweek, as Gary Speed, El Hadji Diouf, Kevin Davies and Radhi Jaidi all started for Sam Allardyce's side.
Jaidi did not start well - in fact his afternoon became a nightmare. Within five minutes Fulham took the lead as McBride grabbed his first of the game.
A perfectly weighted through pass from Tomasz Radzinski caught Jaidi in no-man's land, and McBride ran through to poke the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen.
The Cottagers were full of spark as they aimed to complete their third successive home victory, and Radzinski's link-up play with McBride was causing trouble for the Wanderers backline.
Kevin Nolan hit Bolton's first shot of the afternoon on 14 minutes, but his effort from outside the area was easily held by Crossley.
Moments later John almost managed to double the lead for Fulham. He latched on to a through ball from Steed Malbranque and rounded Jaaskelainen. Unfortunately for the Dutchman he pushed the ball a fraction too wide and was unable to convert his chance from a tight angle.
Bolton's back line was looking far from comfortable and another mistake by Jaidi allowed McBride to double his account for the afternoon.
The Bolton central defender did not put his head on a long goal kick by Crossley, and as the ball bounced over his head McBride hit a superb volley past Jaaskelainen and into the net.
It was McBride's sixth goal of the season, and Jaidi was substituted on 31 minutes as boss Allardyce brought his days work to an early end and introduced Bruno N'Gotty.
An eye injury to Bolton stopper Jaaskelainen brought a five-minute stop in play, and disrupted Fulham's rhythm. Bolton almost took advantage as a Gary Speed corner fell on to the head of Kevin Davies on 28 minutes, but Crossley held his attempt on goal.
Malbranque and John had further sights of goal but were unable to add a third before half-time, and Bolton emerged for the second period desperate to score an early strike to give them hope.
Their possession counted for nothing however, as they failed to break down the Fulham defence, which was being supported brilliantly by Senegal international midfielder Papa Bouba Diop.
Malbranque and Moritz Volz had further chances before the hour mark, but Jaaskelainen held on to efforts from both to give Bolton continued hope of gaining something from the game.
Davies was presented with the perfect opportunity on 75 minutes, but the striker hit his shot straight at Crossley from ten yards.
Nolan took advantage of poor communication in the Fulham defence to give Bolton a lifeline in the last minute of normal time, although Sylvain Legwinski may have got the final touch, but Wanderers could not salvage an equaliser.
After the full-time whistle Bolton striker Diouf was sent off by reffere Graham Poll after he received a second yellow card for dissent.