Cobb Salad with Juicy Chicken, Crispy Bacon, and Blue Cheese Recipe
A classic and colorful Cobb Salad featuring poached chicken, crispy bacon, boiled eggs, ripe avocado, fresh tomatoes, and crumbled blue cheese, all arranged in neat rows over a bed of crunchy romaine lettuce and dressed with a tangy Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 400g/14 oz chicken breast (2 pieces)
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Bacon
- 200g/7oz streaky bacon strips
Eggs
- 4 large eggs, boiled for 9 minutes and quartered
Salad Base
- 12 cups cos/romaine lettuce (1 large head, 2 small), chopped (or other crispy lettuce)
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges then halved (or 250g/8oz cherry tomatoes halved)
- 2 avocados, cut into large pieces
Cheese & Garnish
- 200g/7oz gorgonzola dolce or roquefort, crumbled (or other blue cheese)
- 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
Dressing
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tbsp apple cider vinegar (can substitute white wine or red wine vinegar)
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp eschallot (US: shallot), very finely minced
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Combine the Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, minced eschallot, and white sugar in a jar. Shake well until the ingredients are fully mixed to create a tangy vinaigrette.
- Poach and Prepare Chicken: Poach the chicken breasts using a foolproof method (allow approximately 20 minutes) to ensure juicy, tender meat. Once cooked, cool to room temperature. Then cut the chicken into 2cm (0.75 inch) cubes. Season with salt and pepper, and toss with 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing. Set aside.
- Crisp the Bacon: Place bacon strips in a cold non-stick pan without adding oil. Turn heat to medium-high and cook for about 2 minutes until golden, then flip and cook the other side for 1.5 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels, let cool, then chop into 1.5cm (0.6 inch) pieces.
- Assemble the Salad: Spread the chopped romaine lettuce over a large serving platter. Arrange the quartered boiled eggs, chopped bacon, avocado pieces, tomato wedges, and cubed chicken in neat, signature rows across the lettuce bed. Crumble the blue cheese evenly over the top and sprinkle with finely chopped chives. Serve the remaining dressing in a jug on the side.
- Serve: Invite everyone to help themselves to the assembled Cobb Salad and pour the dressing as desired to enjoy this refreshing and hearty meal.
Notes
- If blue cheese is not preferred, gorgonzola dolce or roquefort can be substituted with another blue cheese.
- Poaching chicken ensures it stays juicy and tender compared to grilling or frying for this salad.
- Be sure not to overcook the boiled eggs to maintain a creamy yolk center.
- You can substitute cherry tomatoes if large tomatoes are not available.
- This salad is best served fresh to maintain the crispness of the lettuce and bacon.
Keywords: Cobb Salad, Chicken Salad, Blue Cheese Salad, Healthy Salad, American Salad, Poached Chicken, Crispy Bacon, Homemade Dressing
