Description
A classic and vibrant Cobb Salad featuring tender poached chicken, crispy streaky bacon, creamy avocado, fresh tomatoes, boiled eggs, and crumbled blue cheese, all tossed with a tangy homemade dressing. This salad is perfect for a hearty lunch or light dinner, offering a delightful balance of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 400g (14 oz) chicken breast (2 pieces)
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 200g (7 oz) streaky bacon strips
- 4 eggs, boiled for 9 minutes and quartered
- 12 cups cos/romaine lettuce (1 large head or 2 small heads), chopped (or other crispy lettuce)
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges then halved (or 250g/8 oz cherry tomatoes halved)
- 2 avocados, cut into large pieces
- 200g (7 oz) gorgonzola dolce or roquefort (traditional), crumbled (or other blue cheese)
- 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 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 (shallot), very finely minced
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: Combine Dijon mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, finely minced eschallot, and white sugar in a jar. Shake well until fully emulsified and set aside.
- Poach Chicken: Poach the chicken breasts using a gentle simmering method for 20 minutes to ensure they remain juicy and tender. Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature, then cut into 2cm (0.75 inch) cubes. Toss the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing. Set aside.
- Crisp Bacon: Place the streaky bacon strips into a cold non-stick pan without adding oil. Turn the heat to medium-high; as the pan heats, the bacon fat will render. Cook the bacon for 2 minutes until golden, flip, and cook the other side for 1.5 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and when cool, chop into 1.5cm (0.6 inch) pieces.
- Assemble Salad: Spread the chopped romaine lettuce evenly on a large platter. Neatly arrange the quartered boiled eggs, chopped crispy bacon, avocado pieces, tomato wedges, and cubed chicken in signature neat rows typical of a Cobb salad. Crumble the blue cheese evenly across the top and sprinkle with finely chopped chives. Pour the remaining dressing into a jug for serving.
- Serve: Invite your guests to help themselves by drizzling the dressing over their portion of salad or dipping as preferred. Enjoy the fresh and flavorful medley of ingredients.
Notes
- Use gorgonzola dolce for a milder blue cheese flavor or roquefort for a traditional sharper taste.
- If you prefer, substitute apple cider vinegar with white wine or red wine vinegar in the dressing.
- Poaching the chicken gently ensures it stays moist and tender, making the salad more satisfying.
- For extra crispiness, bake or grill the bacon strips instead of pan frying if desired.
- The salad is best served fresh to maintain the crispness of the lettuce and bacon.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Poaching and Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Cobb Salad, Chicken Salad, Blue Cheese Salad, Healthy Salad, Classic American Salad
