Cobb Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Salad for dinner? Absolutely! This flavor-packed Cobb salad recipe covers all the bases with savory chicken, crisp bacon, creamy avocado, and a tangy homemade vinaigrette.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
I love salads with a lot of “stuff” in them, and this classic Cobb salad definitely fits the bill. It’s got everything you could want—lettuce, chicken, bacon, avocados, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and blue cheese, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette.
But what makes this version especially good is that, instead of using plain grilled chicken or poached chicken, which can be a bit boring, the chicken is cooked in the bacon drippings—a trick I borrowed from a New York Times recipe by Alison Roman. It adds a ton of flavor and makes the most of every ingredient.
Like most great dishes, the Cobb salad has a bit of lore behind it. The most widely told story dates back to 1937, when Robert Cobb of the Brown Derby in Hollywood tossed together a mix of kitchen leftovers—and ended up with a signature dish that’s now a classic.
“Loved it. The dressing was sensational…A warm roll, a glass of white wine, perfect dinner.”
What You’ll Need To Make A Classic Cobb Salad
- Romaine Lettuce: A crisp, refreshing base that holds up well to all the bold, hearty toppings.
- Chicken & Bacon: Chicken tenderloins or breasts make up the hearty protein base—tenderloins cook quickly and stay juicy, but breasts work well too. Thick-cut bacon adds smoky, salty crunch, and the rendered fat is perfect for cooking the chicken for extra flavor.
- Avocados, Tomatoes & Eggs: Creamy avocado, juicy grape or cherry tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs give the salad richness, sweetness, and satisfying texture. (Tip: Save a step by grabbing packaged hard-boiled eggs at the store—they’re usually near the fresh eggs.)
- Crumbled Blue Cheese (Optional): Adds a sharp, tangy bite that pairs beautifully with the bacon and avocado. The classic recipe is made with Roquefort, a bold, tangy blue cheese from France. However, you can use a milder blue like Maytag, Danish blue, or Gorgonzola dolce. Not a fan of blue cheese? Try shredded Cheddar cheese or just leave it out.
- Shallots, Vinegar, Mustard, Oil & Sugar (for the vinaigrette): Minced shallots, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and just a pinch of sugar create a balanced, tangy dressing that cuts through the richness. A mix of vegetable oil gives the vinaigrette a smooth, neutral base.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the dressing. Add the shallot, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and sugar to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to combine. (Or whisk everything together in a bowl.) The dressing can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated.
Step 2: Cook the bacon. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
Step 3: Cook the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and add it to the skillet in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
Step 4: Assemble and dress the salad. In a large bowl, combine the romaine, chicken, and tomatoes. Give the dressing a shake to re-emulsify, then pour in about three-quarters of it. Toss gently and add more if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Step 5: Plate and serve. Transfer the salad to a large platter or plates. Top with the eggs, avocado, blue cheese (if using), and bacon. Pass the pepper mill at the table and enjoy!
More Salad Recipes You May Like
Classic Cobb
When you’re in the mood for a salad that truly satisfies, this Cobb has you covered—with all the good stuff and plenty of flavor.
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots (from 1 medium shallot)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
For the Salad
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins (or boneless skinless chicken breasts), cut into ¾-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 romaine hearts, (from one 22-ounce bag), roughly chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved if desired
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, diced
- 2 avocados, pitted and diced
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette: Combine the shallot, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and sugar in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid; screw on the lid and shake vigorously to emulsify. (Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.)
- Make the salad: In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the pan. Season the chicken with the salt and add to the bacon fat in a single layer; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.
- Put the romaine, chicken, and the tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Give the dressing a shake to re-emulsify, then add three-quarters of it to the bowl; toss gently to combine. Add more dressing, little by little, until the greens are dressed to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Arrange the salad mixture on a serving platter or plates.
- Sprinkle the hard-boiled eggs, avocado, blue cheese (if using), and reserved bacon over the salad. Pass the pepper mill at the table.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The vinaigrette can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Note: You can save yourself a step by purchasing packaged hard-boiled eggs at the grocery store (usually found near the fresh eggs). If you’d like to cook the eggs at home, this is how I cook hard-boiled eggs.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 425
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Sodium: 614 mg
- Cholesterol: 118 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This is epic! We loved it and will make again BUT Jenn – vegetable oil?? NO! Extra Virgin Olive Oil – please!
Another perfect recipe! Even my healthy food averse 16 year old son liked this!
So when do you cook the chicken breast? I assume you don’t use it raw, do you? I don’t see that in the instructions….
Hi Dan, you cook the chicken right after cooking the bacon. See step two of the instructions. Hope that clarifies!
This is a great meal salad, we’ve been eating it all summer! As a general comment, I find your recipes tasty and easy to make. You write so clearly. Whenever I need inspiration, I always check out your cookbook and/or this website first before looking anywhere else. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
I made this salad for supper last night and, as always, it was a hit – delicious, filling and a perfect meal on a smouldering hot evening!
Jenn you are the BEST! Thank you for all your awesome recipes.
Though it decided to rain today we are still having this Cobb salad for dinner. I like the fact that the dressing is light and not creamy. We are using turkey breast chunks as it’s ready to go. I do like the idea of the chicken tenders. Next time.
This was fantastic! I used feta because despite my best efforts, I am not a blue cheese fan. Sadly, I had forgotten to buy shallots, so I used scallions in the dressing instead. The salad was still phenomenal – my entire meat-loving family devoured and heartily enjoyed it (much to their surprise!). Can’t wait to make this again. Thank you!
I’m a big fan of your recipes and have both cookbooks. I always follow the directions closely and am never disappointed. This Cobb salad is one of our favorites, however, we are trying our best to stay away from seed oils. If I use olive oil or avocado oil in the dressing, should I make any adjustments?
Thanks for your nice words about the recipes and support of the cookbook! I’d use avocado oil as it’s more neutral in flavor and no other modifications are necessary. Enjoy!
I’m hoping to make this ahead of time for a girls weekend. When I assemble my salad should I heat up the chicken and bacon, or serve it cold? Not familiar with Cobb salads.
Love all your recipes and always look forward to trying something new!
Hi Eda, Glad you like the recipes! I don’t think you need to reheat the chicken and bacon, but I’d bring them to room temperature. Have a fun girls weekend!