a Cookbook for Kaitlyn

Cobb Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4

A classic salad featuring tender chicken breast, tangy tomatoes, perfectly hard-boiled eggs, crispy bacon, crumbled blue cheese, and ripe avocado.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

  • 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

For the salad:

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

Preparation

  1. Make the dressing: Cover shallot rings with vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes to lightly pickle. Add mustard and olive oil and whisk to blend. Season to taste.
  2. Prepare the eggs: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently lower in eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Chill quickly under cold water, then peel and set aside.
  3. Cook the bacon: Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to cool, then coarsely chop.
  4. Cook the chicken: Drain all but 2 tablespoons bacon grease from the skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the same skillet until well browned and cooked through, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  5. Assemble the salad: Slice the eggs and shred or slice the cooled chicken. Arrange lettuce in a large serving bowl and toss with half the dressing. Place chicken in the center, with tomatoes on one side and eggs on the other. Arrange avocado next to eggs and blue cheese next to tomatoes. Sprinkle bacon in the center. Drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with chives.

Recipe Notes

  • For a more rustic presentation, chop all ingredients into bite-sized pieces and toss together.
  • The recipe halves nicely if you’re cooking for two.
  • You can prep most components ahead of time and assemble just before serving.