Cobb Salad

A vibrant and hearty dish, the Cobb Salad stands out with its colorful array of fresh ingredients arranged in orderly rows. Blue cheese, a defining element, imparts a signature richness that elevates this classic American favorite beyond the realm of ordinary chicken salads. Serve with the dressing on the side to preserve the crisp textures until the moment of enjoyment.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Ingredients

Chicken
400 g 14 oz chicken breast, about 2 pieces
1/4 tsp cooking or kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Cobb Salad
200 g 7 oz streaky bacon strips
2 avocados chopped into large chunks
4 boiled eggs cooked for 9 minutes and quartered
200 g 7 oz gorgonzola dolce or roquefort, crumbled
12 cups romaine or cos lettuce chopped (1 large or 2 small heads)
2 large tomatoes each cut into 8 wedges and halved, or 250g (8 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
Dressing
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp white sugar
2 tbsp finely minced eschallot shallot
1 tbsp dijon mustard
5 tbsp apple cider vinegar or substitute with white/red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp cooking or kosher salt

Instructions

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously until emulsified.
Poach chicken breasts using a reliable method for juicy results, then allow to cool to room temperature. Dice into 2 cm cubes and toss with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing. Set aside.
Place bacon strips into a cold non-stick skillet and set over medium-high heat. As the fat renders, cook until golden on one side (about 2 minutes), flip, and cook the other side for approximately 1.5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then chop into small pieces once cooled.
On a large serving platter, scatter the chopped lettuce as a base. Neatly arrange the eggs, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, and chicken in organized rows across the top. Finish by crumbling the blue cheese over everything and sprinkling with chives. Transfer the dressing to a jug.
Allow guests to serve themselves, dressing the salad to their liking at the table.

Notes

For an authentic Cobb Salad, blue cheese is essential. Creamy gorgonzola integrates seamlessly, almost melting into the other ingredients and enhancing the overall dressing experience. If you prefer a milder flavor, consider Blue Castello. For those avoiding blue cheese altogether, feta or goat cheese are suitable alternatives—add an extra tablespoon of oil to the dressing to counterbalance the tang.