Cobb Salad

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle boil for the eggs. At the same time, heat a grill pan or frying pan over medium-high heat for the chicken, and a second pan over medium heat for the bacon. Pat the chicken dry and season it evenly with salt and pepper.

   2 large eggs300 g chicken breast3 g fine salt1 g black pepper
2. 2

   Cook the bacon until browned and crisp, about 6-8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the bacon fat in the pan if you like for extra flavour; otherwise discard it.

   80 g bacon
3. 3

   Rub the chicken with the olive oil, then cook for 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until lightly charred and the centre reaches 74°C. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing; resting keeps the juices in the meat.

   300 g chicken breast10 ml olive oil
4. 4

   Lower the eggs into the boiling water and cook for 9 minutes for firm but still creamy yolks. Transfer immediately to cold water to stop the cooking, then peel and quarter.

   2 large eggs
5. 5

   While the chicken rests, whisk the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper until emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning; the dressing should be sharp enough to balance the rich toppings.

   30 ml red wine vinegar10 g Dijon mustard45 ml olive oil2 g fine salt1 g black pepper
6. 6

   Wash and dry the romaine well, then chop it into bite-size pieces. Cut the tomatoes into wedges, halve or dice the avocado, crumble the blue cheese, chop the chives, and slice the rested chicken. Crumble or chop the bacon.

   200 g romaine lettuce160 g tomatoes1 medium (about 150 g flesh) avocado60 g blue cheese10 g chives300 g chicken breast80 g bacon
7. 7

   Divide the romaine between 2 plates or shallow bowls. Arrange the chicken, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, avocado, and blue cheese in neat rows over the lettuce for the classic Cobb look. Spoon over the dressing or serve it on the side, then finish with chives and a little extra black pepper if desired.

   200 g romaine lettuce300 g chicken breast80 g bacon2 large eggs160 g tomatoes1 medium (about 150 g flesh) avocado60 g blue cheese10 g chives30 ml red wine vinegar10 g Dijon mustard45 ml olive oil2 g fine salt1 g black pepper

Origin & History

Cobb Salad is a classic American composed salad said to have originated in the 1930s at the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood. It became famous for its tidy rows of chopped ingredients and its rich combination of chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, tomato, and blue cheese.