Description
A classic American Cobb Salad featuring juicy poached chicken, crispy bacon, boiled eggs, creamy avocado, fresh tomatoes, and tangy blue cheese arranged in signature neat rows over crisp romaine lettuce, served with a zesty homemade Dijon and apple cider vinegar dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 400g/14 oz chicken breast (2 pieces)
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 200g/7oz streaky bacon strips
- 4 x 9 minute boiled eggs, quartered
- 12 cups cos/romaine lettuce (1 large head, 2 small), chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges then halved (or 250g/8oz cherry tomatoes halved)
- 2 avocados, cut into large pieces
- 200g/7oz gorgonzola dolce or roquefort, crumbled
- 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tbsp apple cider vinegar (substitute with 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 dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, finely minced eschallots, and white sugar in a jar. Shake well until the ingredients are fully incorporated and set aside.
- Poach the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Poach the chicken using a gentle simmer method for about 20 minutes until fully cooked and juicy (internal temperature 165°F/74°C). Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature, then cut into 2cm (0.75 inch) cubes. Toss the cubed chicken with 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing and set aside.
- Cook the Bacon: Place the bacon strips in a cold non-stick pan with no added oil. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook for 2 minutes on one side until golden, then flip and cook for another 1.5 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain the cooked bacon on paper towels to remove excess fat, allow to cool, then chop into 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) pieces.
- Assemble the Salad: Spread the chopped cos/romaine lettuce evenly across a large serving platter. Neatly arrange the quartered boiled eggs, chopped bacon, avocado pieces, tomato wedges, and chicken cubes in signature rows atop the lettuce. Crumble the blue cheese evenly across the top and sprinkle with finely chopped chives. Transfer the remaining dressing to a serving jug.
- Serve: Invite everyone to serve themselves by drizzling the dressing over their desired portion of salad. Enjoy immediately for the freshest flavors and textures.
Notes
- Poaching the chicken ensures it remains juicy and tender without drying out.
- If gorgonzola dolce or roquefort is unavailable, other blue cheeses like Danish blue can be used as alternatives.
- Using a sharp knife to cut the avocado and tomatoes into uniform pieces improves presentation.
- Boil eggs for exactly 9 minutes for a perfect slightly firm yolk.
- This salad is best served fresh to maintain crispness of lettuce and avoid avocado browning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Cobb Salad, chicken salad, blue cheese salad, bacon salad, avocado salad, healthy salad, American salad
