Insalata Cobb Classica
A Cobb salad is the rare main-course salad that eats like a full dinner: crisp romaine lined with rows of seared chicken, smoky bacon, jammy-centered eggs, creamy avocado, sweet tomatoes, and pungent blue cheese. Every component is cooked and seasoned on its own — the chicken seared and rested, the bacon rendered until shattering-crisp, the eggs cooled fast in ice water — so nothing goes soggy or bland before it hits the plate. A sharp red wine–Dijon vinaigrette ties the rich toppings together without drowning them.
Season two chicken breasts with salt and pepper, sear them in a skillet over medium heat about 6 minutes per side to 165 F (74 C), then rest and dice. Meanwhile, cook 6 slices of bacon until crisp and hard-boil 4 eggs (10 minutes in boiling water, then straight into ice water) before peeling and quartering them. Whisk a dressing of 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon honey, salt, and pepper, then stream in 1/2 cup olive oil. Toss 1 large head of chopped romaine with a few spoonfuls of dressing, spread it on a platter, and arrange the chicken, crumbled bacon, eggs, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, and crumbled blue cheese in neat rows on top. Scatter with chives and serve with the remaining vinaigrette on the side.
- Shock the eggs in ice water the moment the 10 minutes are up — they peel cleanly and the yolks stay golden instead of turning gray.
- Lightly dress the lettuce alone before arranging the rows; toppings stay distinct and nothing turns soggy.
- Rest the chicken 5 minutes before dicing so the juices stay in the meat, not on the cutting board.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Medium saucepan
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Small jar or bowl for the dressing
- Large platter or wide shallow bowl
- Instant-read thermometer (optional)
Ingredienti
Salad
- 450 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
- 15 ml olive oil, for the pan
- 170 g thick-cut bacon
- large eggs
- 400 g romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-size pieces; add a handful of watercress if you like
- 300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- ripe avocados, diced just before serving
- 115 g blue cheese, Roquefort is traditional; Gorgonzola works
- 8 g fresh chives, thinly sliced
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 60 ml red wine vinegar
- 10 g Dijon mustard
- garlic clove, finely grated
- 7 g honey
- 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
Preparazione
- PASSO01
Pat the chicken breasts dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken about 6 minutes per side, until deeply golden and an instant-read thermometer reads 165 F (74 C) in the thickest part. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) dice.
- PASSO02
While the chicken cooks, lay the bacon in a second skillet (or cook it after the chicken in the same pan) over medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then chop or crumble into bite-size pieces.
- PASSO03
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Lower in the eggs with a spoon and cook exactly 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water and chill 5 minutes — this stops the cooking so the yolks stay bright and makes peeling easy. Peel and cut into quarters.
- PASSO04
In a jar or small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, Dijon, grated garlic, honey, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk, then stream in the olive oil while whisking (or just shake the sealed jar hard) until the dressing looks slightly thickened and unified. Taste on a leaf of romaine and adjust salt or vinegar.
- PASSO05
Chop the romaine, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the chives, and crumble the blue cheese. Halve, pit, and dice the avocados last so they do not brown.
- PASSO06
In a large bowl, toss the romaine with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the vinaigrette until just glossy. Spread it over a large platter or shallow bowl. Arrange the chicken, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, avocado, and blue cheese in neat side-by-side rows across the top — the signature Cobb presentation, and practical too, since everyone can grab more of what they love.
- PASSO07
Scatter the chives over the whole platter and grind over some black pepper. Serve right away, passing the remaining vinaigrette at the table so each person can dress their plate to taste.
Make ahead
This salad is built for staggered prep. Up to 2 days ahead: cook and dice the chicken, crisp the bacon, hard-boil the eggs (peel just before serving), and shake together the vinaigrette. Up to 1 day ahead: wash and chop the romaine and halve the tomatoes, storing them with a paper towel to absorb moisture. On the day, all that is left is dicing the avocado and assembling — about 10 minutes.
Storage
Cobb salad is best the day it is made. If you have leftovers, store undressed components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator: chicken, bacon, and eggs keep 3 days, chopped romaine and tomatoes 2 days, and the vinaigrette up to 1 week (re-shake before using). Dressed salad and cut avocado do not keep well — the lettuce wilts and the avocado browns within hours.
Variations
Vegetarian Cobb
Swap the chicken for 400 g (one 15-oz can) of chickpeas roasted at 200 C (400 F) for 20 minutes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and leave out the bacon — the smoked paprika brings the missing smoky note. Keep the eggs and blue cheese for richness and protein.
Grilled Shrimp Cobb
Replace the chicken with 450 g (1 lb) of large shrimp tossed with oil, salt, and a pinch of cayenne, then grilled or seared 2 minutes per side. Add a squeeze of lime to the vinaigrette. Note this version adds a shellfish allergen.
Green Goddess Cobb
Trade the red wine vinaigrette for a creamy green goddess: blend 120 g (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt with 60 g (1/4 cup) mayonnaise, a handful each of parsley and chives, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and a small garlic clove. It plays especially well with the avocado and bacon.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Domande frequenti
What goes into a classic cobb salad recipe?
The traditional lineup, credited to Hollywood's Brown Derby restaurant in the 1930s, is crisp lettuce topped with chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, avocado, tomato, blue cheese, and chives, dressed with a red wine vinaigrette. This cobb salad recipe sticks to that classic set; the only common modern addition it skips is corn or cucumber, which you can add freely.
What is the best dressing for Cobb salad?
A sharp red wine vinaigrette with Dijon and a touch of honey is the classic choice because the salad itself is so rich — bacon, avocado, egg, and blue cheese need acidity, not more creaminess. That said, ranch and blue cheese dressing are popular substitutes; if you use one, go lighter on the crumbled cheese so the salad does not feel heavy.
Can I make Cobb salad ahead of time?
Yes, in parts. Cook the chicken, bacon, and eggs and make the vinaigrette up to 2 days ahead, and chop the lettuce and tomatoes the day before. Wait to dress the lettuce, dice the avocado, and assemble until just before serving — that is what keeps a make-ahead cobb salad recipe tasting freshly made rather than soggy.
How is a Cobb salad different from a chef's salad?
They are cousins, but a chef's salad typically uses sliced deli meats (ham, turkey, roast beef) and Swiss or cheddar, while a Cobb uses freshly cooked chicken and bacon plus avocado and blue cheese, all chopped and arranged in rows. The Cobb's red wine vinaigrette also sets it apart from the creamy dressings usually served on a chef's salad.
What is the best way to cook the chicken for this salad?
A simple pan-sear gives the most flavor: 6 minutes per side over medium heat until the interior hits 165 F (74 C), then a 5-minute rest before dicing. If you prefer softer, juicier meat, poach the breasts in barely simmering salted water for 12 to 15 minutes instead — or save time entirely by using about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.
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