The mighty Cobb Salad has arrived! All the essential players present – juicy bites of chicken, crispy lettuce, chunks of tomato, creamy avocado, salty bacon and creamy blue cheese, arranged in the signature rows. Served with a homemade Cobb Salad dressing. Salad was never so delicious!
Cobb Salad
I feel like I’ve done endless iterations of chicken salad, from Chinese to Vietnamese, Mexican to Thai, not to mention all the various non-Asian ones from the Avocado Ranch pasta one to Lemon Chicken to that one I copied from a trendy San Francisco bistro (<- This was is super good!).
So I was a little surprised that I hadn’t done what is probably the most classic of all chicken salads – the great Cobb Salad! Though actually, it was traditionally made with turkey rather than chicken. But these days chicken is more common, especially for homemade versions.
Though there are various tales about the origins of Cobb Salad, one thing everybody agrees on is that the ingredients should be presented in neat rows on a large bed of lettuce. The presence of blue cheese is also essential – otherwise, it’s just another chicken salad! 🙂
Cobb Salad Dressing – sharper than most
Another thing worth mentioning is that Cobb Salad Dressing is a little sharper than standard dressings, with a 50/50 oil to vinegar ratio compared to the usual 1 part vinegar to 3 or 4 parts oil. The slightly tangier dressing works really well here because it offsets the richness of the blue cheese, with the added benefit of lower calories!
Ingredients in Cobb Salad
Feel free to cut the vegetables as you wish. Some like them more chunky, to give the salad a sense of heft. Others prefer them chopped into smaller pieces. It’s entirely up to you!
Cobb Salad Vegetables
Here are the vegetables in a classic Cobb Salad.
Cos / romaine lettuce – Either 1 large or 2 small ones (“hearts”), chopped into large bite size pieces. You want around 12 cups, lightly packed, slightly heaped. I know, it’s hard to measure! It’s flexible. The recipe has plenty of dressing!
Tomatoes – Either 2 large ones cut into chunks (I prefer this) or 250g/8oz cherry tomatoes, halved.
Avocados – Two medium avocados or one really large on.
Chives – This is an optional garnish. Finely chop then sprinkled on at the end.
Cobb Salad Proteins & Blue Cheese
Not a fan of blue cheese? You’re missing out! 😂
Chicken – You can either poach your own (you will love my foolproof entirely hands-off method) or use store bought roast chicken. Though not standard, I like to toss my cooked chicken in a little salt, pepper and dressing. Just – more flavour. 🙂
Bacon – These days I tend to cook the strips whole then chop afterwards because it’s less effort. So much easier to cut crispy bacon than raw, and less effort to cook strips than a pan full of lots of tiny pieces that keep popping in my face!
Blue cheese – There might not be full consensus on exactly what type of blue cheese is the classic to use in a Cobb Salad. But for me, there’s no question: creamy is better than crumbly/drier. Creamy blue cheese smears and gets on “everything”, and everything it touches is tastier!!
My favourite blue cheese for salads is gorgonzola. Gorgonzola Dolce is my preference for a creamier, rounder blue cheese flavour – this is the more common type of Gorgonzola. Though if you like your blue cheese really sharp, then go for Gorgonzola Picante!
New to blue cheese? Try Blue Castello. It’s probably the most mild out of all the blue cheese, plus it’s better value.
Boiled eggs – I like mine soft boiled so the yolks are slightly jammy but not runny. 9 minutes in boiling water – boil the water first, lower eggs in then set the timer! (Boiled egg directions here).
Cobb Salad Dressing ingredients
As noted above, Cobb Salad Dressing is tangier than typical vinaigrettes. To help with thickening (because less oil = thinner dressing), a touch of Dijon mustard is used.
Extra virgin olive oil – Use the best you can afford! The better the olive oil, the tastier your dressings. 🙂
Apple cider vinegar – Good all rounder vinegar for dressings that’s not as sharp as white vinegar. Substitute with white wine or red wine vinegar.
Dijon mustard – Adds flavour as well as thickening the dressing which is particularly important here because this dressing uses less oil. So the dressing would be very watery without the dijon.
Eschallot (US: shallot) – The small onions which are finer than ordinary onions so the minced pieces blend into the dressing better, rather than having lots of big chunks. Also, the flavour is not as sharp as ordinary onions. This adds good value into the dressing so don’t skip it! Substitute with 1 tablespoon finely grated red onion.
Sugar – Just 1/2 a teaspoon takes a bit of the tangy edge off this dressing.
I’m using a classic Cobb Salad dressing today so there’s no garlic in it. But a finely grated garlic clove certainly wouldn’t go astray here!
How to make Cobb Salad
The presentation of Cobb Salad is one of its defining features. Traditionally, it’s served on a large platter with the ingredients artfully arranged in neat rows. I see no reason to stray from tradition when it looks so good!
Dressing – Shake everything up in a jar. It really is a quick and easy way to properly mix dressings so they become thick and creamy as they should be.
Cook bacon strips until crisp then chop. (See comment in the ingredients section about my preference to cook first then chop later these days).
Poach chicken breast using my foolproof poached chicken recipe. (plonk in boiling water, turn stove off, leave 20 minutes. Works every-single-time, and the chicken is juicy!).
Chop & toss – Cool chicken, dice into 2cm / 0.8″ cubes. Toss with salt, pepper and a slosh of Dressing.
Assemble – Pile the lettuce onto a large platter or bowl. Arrange the following across the surface in neat rows: chicken, avocado, tomato, bacon, egg. Crumble blue cheese across the surface, then scatter with chives. Serve with dressing on the side.
To eat – Let everybody help themselves to the salad, and drizzle on Dressing. Then dive in!
A note on serving Cobb Salad
I serve Cobb Salad by laying out the un-dressed salad on a big platter, then pouring the dressing into a jug. Then I leave everyone to help themselves to the salad and pour over as much or as little Dressing as they wish.
I prefer doing it this way because otherwise you have to toss each vegetable separately in Dressing before laying them out in the signature rows. Which means you end up using quite a lot of dressing, plus the lettuce dressed first ends up a little wilted from the dressing if you spend a little too long fussing with the neat rows (YES I DO!🙈).
Not sure if this is the traditional way to serve Cobb Salad, but it works for me! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Cobb Salad
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 400g/14 oz chicken breast (2 pieces)
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Cobb Salad:
- 200g/7oz streaky bacon strips
- 4 x 9 minute boiled eggs , quartered
- 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
- 200g/7oz gorgonzola dolce (my favourite) or roquefort (traditional), crumbled (or other blue cheese – Note 1)
- 2 tbsp chives , finely chopped
Dressing:
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tbsp apple cider vinegar (sub 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
- Dressing: Shake ingredients in a jar.
- Flavour chicken: Poach chicken using this method (20 minute foolproof-guaranteed-juicy). Cool to room temperature then cut into 2cm / 0.75” cubes. Toss with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of Dressing. Set aside.
- Crisp bacon: Place bacon strips in a non-stick pan (not heated, no oil). Turn heat onto medium high – as the pan heats up, the fat will begin to melt. Cook for 2 minutes until golden, turn and cook the other side for 1 1/2 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Once cool and crisp, chop into 1.5cm / 0.6" pieces.
- Assemble: Spread lettuce on a large platter. Arrange the ingredients on top in the Cobb Salad signature neat rows: egg, bacon, avocado, tomato and chicken. Crumble blue cheese across the top, sprinkle with chives. Pour dressing into a jug.
- Serving: Let everybody help themselves to the salad and Dressing!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
With all the good stuff in this salad, he can’t believe what he was offered.
Kaye says
This was delightful, I used BBQ chicken, so good.
Ron says
So I didn’t think I made enough dressing…but when I blended it with the Blu Cheese,,,,,,Oh my….Yum….:)
Char says
Awesome recipe! Love the vinaigrette 🙂 This has earned a place in the dinner rotation. Thank you!
Adam says
Lovely salad… wasn’t able to take a photo as it was devoured too quickly
Jenny says
Hi Nagi, do you think I can add some boiled pasta to make this a meal? It’s got protein and vegs already, just missing some carbs 😆
Or what should I serve this with, to make it a meal?
Thank you!
Rehoboth says
Nice recipe
Allie says
Another fabulous winner. Nagi, thank you once again for teaching valuable lessons about food preparation and enjoyment. Poaching a chicken breast is a game changer!
Katrine Wolfgang says
Great salad , Just on the dressing it says 3/4 tsp salt, way to much
Just needs a pinch .
Nagi says
Hi Katrine! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 certainly cut back on salt if you wish! That amount of salt I find is just enough across this volume of salad. Probably a wee bit on the light side for some people, actually! N xx
Tracey says
Cobb salad is definitely one of my favourites, but I have never thought of including blue cheese. Will look forward to trying yours.
Nagi says
It’s so good!! It is what “makes” it 🙂 N x
Jenny says
Navi, I just want to thank you so much for your wonderful book. I gave a few as Christmas presents, and one daughter just couldn’t stop raving about the best lamb shoulder she even videod dishing it up.
I have just done it myself and my husband just raved all the while he was eating it. And 🥹 he licked the plate😮
Meg says
I find it difficult to see 706 calories in one serve of this salad. Is your nutrition information per serve?
Meg says
I did the math boy just shows how many calories in oil and cheese for what seems to be a simple salad to be so high in calories
Morgan Pfeil Powell says
The Brown Derby (reproduction) restaurant at Disneyworld tosses the dressing into the salad tableside while telling the story of how the original owner invented the recipe for his friend who had a toothache.
Sandy says
Dream Job: Alas Wrong Location! 😑
Tempted to move for the food and Dozer alone! 😉 Haha Not kidding.
It would be my privilege to work for you Nagi!
All the best in your quest. #bigshoestofill
Sandy x
Nagi says
Aww thanks Sandy!! 🙂 N x
Terry says
You spelled Overview wrong. LOL. Yes, I would say you need an assistant. Dozer needs one too. Just for him. He doesn’t automatically look like that good when he gets out of bed, you know? Well, actually he does.
Nagi says
HA I did too!! Thanks Terry, fixing it now 🙂 Seems I need a proof reader too!! N xx
Wendy Cladman says
This salad looks yummy and I plan on using the salad dressing for other salads too. Thanks. I give my dog the lettuce spines and he loves to crunch them up. He hates the limp leaves. He’ll eat most crunchy vegetables except celery. Can’t really blame him there.
Nagi says
I need your dog to teach Dozer to appreciate lettuce spines!! 😂
SD says
I dunno, if it must be called Cob Salad, it needs to be served in a large Cob loaf that has been warmed in the oven. The guts of the Cob can be made into yummy croutons to mix into it.
Nagi says
Now THAT would be a salad, for sure!! 😇
Sharyne Mendoza says
Love the salad dressing. Will be my go-to. Can’t wait to meet you in Mudgee at the Blue Wren Long Lunch. Booked and so excited. Dozer is gorgeous as ever.
Nagi says
You’re coming?? YAAAAAY!! I’m kind of nervous about it 🙂 I know it’s silly! I should be used to these things by now but I get nervous leading up to them, but once I start chatting all nerves GONE. Mostly concerned about Dozer stealing food and drooling on people 😂
Heather says
Wish I were younger to join your wonderful team!!
Nagi says
Aww thanks Heather!! N x
Pam says
Wondering if you can suggest a substitute for the eggs in this salad?………
Nagi says
Hi Pam! I’d just leave them out 🙂 N x
Louisa Atsas says
No one in my family likes avocado. Will I substitute with something else or just leave it out?
Nagi says
Hi Louisa! I’d just leave them out 🙂 I often leave avocado out of salads when they are very pricey or not ripe 🙂 N x