Cobb Salad

Name: Cobb Salad
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 small shallot, thinly sliced into rings; 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar; Kosher salt and ground pepper; 1 tablespoon whole grain or Dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed; 4 large eggs; 10 ounces thick-cut bacon (about 8 strips); 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 medium breasts); 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces or coarsely chopped; 6 ounces small to medium tomatoes (about 6), sliced or quartered; 1 avocado, thinly sliced or chopped; 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled; 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

By Alison Roman

Updated Oct. 17, 2023

Total Time: 50 minutes
Rating: 5(1,973)
Comments: Read comments

While the origins of a Cobb salad are still up for debate, what goes into one is fairly absolute: tender chicken breast, tangy tomatoes, perfectly hard-boiled egg and, perhaps most important, crispy bacon. This classic version relies on crumbled blue cheese and ripe avocado for creaminess, rather than a cheese or buttermilk-based dressing, making way for a mustardy shallot vinaigrette. The way each of the ingredients is prepared will depend on personal preference: Are you a chunky, chopped salad kind of person? Or do you prefer your lettuce torn and tomatoes sliced? Here, the torn and sliced approach is taken for a more elegant visual, but feel free to make it your own. It also halves nicely if you're cooking for two.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

For the Dressing

1small shallot, thinly sliced into rings
3tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1tablespoon whole grain or Dijon mustard
3tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

For the Salad and Assembly

4large eggs
10ounces thick-cut bacon (about 8 strips)
12ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 medium breasts)
1head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces or coarsely chopped
6ounces small to medium tomatoes (about 6), sliced or quartered
1avocado, thinly sliced or chopped
4ounces blue cheese, crumbled
3tablespoons finely chopped chives

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Make the recipe with us

Step 1
Make the dressing: Cover shallot rings with vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes to lightly pickle the shallots and infuse the vinegar. Add mustard and 3 tablespoons olive oil and, using a fork, whisk to blend. Season with salt and more pepper, if needed.
Step 2
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently lower in 4 large eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and run cold water over to quickly chill. (You could throw a few ice cubes into the bowl as well.) Once the eggs are properly chilled, peel them and set them aside until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, coarsely chop bacon and set aside.
Step 4
Drain all but roughly 2 tablespoons bacon grease from the skillet. (Toss the drained grease or reserve for another purpose.) Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the same skillet over medium–high heat until well browned on both sides and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate or cutting board.
Step 5
Transfer any drippings (you should have at least 2 tablespoons) from the skillet to the bowl with the vinaigrette and whisk to blend, adding more olive oil if desired.
Step 6
Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces. (Alternatively, chop or slice it into bite-sized pieces.) Slice or chop the hard-boiled eggs.
Step 7
Arrange lettuce in your largest serving bowl or platter. Drizzle about half the dressing over the lettuce and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper.
Step 8
Arrange the chicken in the center of the bowl or platter in a straight line. Place the tomatoes on one side and the eggs on the other. Place the avocado next to the eggs, and the blue cheese next to the tomatoes. Sprinkle bacon in the center of the bowl. Spoon remaining dressing over the top and sprinkle with chives.

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,973 user ratings

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Comments

sundevilpeg7 years ago

It's far easier and less messy to bake the bacon on a foil-lined half-sheet pan, fitted with a rectangular cooling rack. Bake the bacon at 375 for about half an hour, or longer if you like it crispier. Freeze the unused pieces in zip-lock freezer bags. It's far less greasy, and the pieces are flatter and more uniform - plus no bacon grease film all over the kitchen.

Patricia7 years ago

Put eggs in pot with water 1" above level of eggs. Bring to a boil. Turn burner off, cover pot and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and peel. Not tough whites when done this way.

Syl7 years ago

As an old Hollywood senior who had the joy of eating many times at the old Brown Derby in question, I can say this recipe is not only inaccurate in ingredients but in plated presentation. Attached is the Cobb Salad I had brought to table dozens of time and have continued to serve throughout the intervening decades. Yours is nice but.....sorry...but I can't call yours a Brown Derby Cobb Salad. http://lostrecipesfound.com/brown-derby-cobb-salad/

Corday Thomas Goddard1 week ago

This was fantastic! I wasn't sure about a salad as dinner, but it waw great and very filling.

Roni Jordan1 week ago

My son and I adore Cobb salads - tossed with the dressing so that every forkful has the combination of ingredients. For us, Alison’s ingredient list serves two. Making this for our weekly lunch tomorrow using TJs grilled chili-lime chicken breast strips, Societe Roquefort and blend of Little Gems and spring mix, Niman Ranch applewood smoked bacon (already cooked and refrigerated) Campari tomatoes and so forth. Will make my own recipe for shallot vinaigrette using cider vinegar.

Great without meat too3 weeks ago

Made with tempeh bacon and skipped the chicken. Added sprouts. Delicious! Dressing is my go to for other salads too.

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