Cobb Salad with Chicken Bacon (Printer-Friendly)

Hearty layered salad with grilled chicken, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and blue cheese over crisp mixed greens.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
02 - 1 large head iceberg lettuce, chopped

→ Proteins

03 - 2 cooked chicken breasts (grilled or poached), diced
04 - 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
05 - 4 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and quartered

→ Vegetables & Cheese

06 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
07 - 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
08 - 3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - Arrange the chopped romaine and iceberg lettuces in a large salad bowl or platter as the foundation.
02 - Neatly arrange the diced chicken, crumbled bacon, quartered eggs, sliced avocado, diced tomatoes, and blue cheese in distinct rows on top of the lettuce.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until fully emulsified.
04 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad just before serving, or serve on the side. Sprinkle with fresh chives as a finishing garnish.
05 - Serve immediately, allowing guests to toss the salad tableside or enjoy the composed presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Every forkful delivers a different combination of textures and flavors from creamy avocado to crispy bacon
  • The presentation looks stunning but requires zero actual cooking skills beyond bacon and eggs
  • It keeps beautifully undressed in the refrigerator for next day lunches
02 -
  • Never dress the entire salad if you plan to have leftovers because it will become sad and soggy within hours
  • The key is cutting all ingredients to similar sizes so each forkful contains multiple components
  • Serving the dressing on the side lets guests control how much they prefer
03 -
  • Use the widest platter you own so each ingredient gets its own distinct row
  • Let the vinaigrette sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving
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