Cobb salad – colorful salad with chicken and avocado Recipe
Cobb salad is a popular American salad that supposedly came about by accident in a Hollywood restaurant, when the owner mixed kitchen leftovers for a late-night dinner. Today it’s a lunch-menu classic – packed with chicken, eggs, bacon, cheese, and vegetables, it’s more like a light dinner than a “diet salad.” The ingredients are usually arranged in rows on a platter, which makes a big impression on the table.
Cobb salad combines everything that’s satisfying: chicken, bacon, eggs, blue cheese, and creamy avocado, while looking like a colorful mosaic on a platter. Its hallmark is the neat rows of ingredients arranged on crisp romaine lettuce, so everyone can immediately see what ends up on their plate. A dish born from “leftovers” has become an icon of American lunches because it delivers the feeling of a complete meal in salad form.
Chef's tips
Don’t cook the chicken over too high a heat – it should brown nicely but stay juicy inside; after cooking, let it rest for a few minutes before slicing so the juices don’t run out. Cut the avocado just before serving and drizzle it lightly with olive oil or a bit of the dressing so it doesn’t turn brown. Emulsify the dressing thoroughly (whisk vigorously) until it slightly thickens – if it’s too thin, it will sink to the bottom and won’t coat the ingredients properly.
How to serve
Serve on a large platter in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves to their favorite ingredients – it works perfectly as a “salad buffet” during a summer get-together on the balcony. Cobb salad pairs well with a glass of dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, or homemade cucumber lemonade. If you want to turn it into an even more substantial dinner, add slices of toasted sourdough bread or serve it with roasted potatoes.
Ingredients
- chicken breast about 150 g each - 2 pieces
- bacon cut into strips or cubes - 80 g
- egg hard-boiled - 3 pieces
- romaine lettuce washed, dried, torn into pieces - 1 head
- tomato diced - 2 pieces
- avocado ripe, diced - 1 piece
- blue cheese crumbled - 60 g
- chives chopped, for sprinkling - 2 tablespoons
- olive oil for the dressing - 3 tablespoons
- wine vinegar e.g. red or white - 1.5 tablespoons
- Dijon mustard for the dressing - 1 teaspoon
- honey for the dressing - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the chicken for 6–8 minutes on each side, until well browned on the outside and fully cooked through. Set aside for a few minutes, then cut into cubes or strips.
- In the same pan, fry the bacon over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess fat.
- Peel the eggs and cut them into quarters or thick slices.
- Spread the lettuce leaves evenly on a large serving platter to form the base of the salad.
- On top of the lettuce, arrange in separate rows: pieces of chicken, bacon, sliced eggs, tomatoes, avocado, and crumbled blue cheese. This way the salad will look colorful and impressive.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously with a fork or small whisk until the dressing slightly thickens and becomes smooth.
- Just before serving, drizzle the salad with the dressing and sprinkle with chopped chives. You can also serve the dressing on the side so everyone can add as much as they like.
Storage
Sałatkę najlepiej zjeść od razu po przygotowaniu, bo sałata więdnie, a awokado ciemnieje. Jeśli coś zostanie, przechowuj w lodówce, ale sos trzymaj osobno, żeby nie rozmoczyć składników.
