Cobb Salad
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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
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-in (13-mm) pieces
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins, or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-in (2-cm) pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 romaine hearts, from one 22-oz (624-g) 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.
Notes
- 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.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The vinaigrette can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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.
Comments
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Oh Jenn!
What a brilliant and simple way to make chicken taste so special!! I just did the bacon then the chicken thighs cut in bite size pieces in the bacon fat, and it’s delicious!
Thank you again for these little hints that make such a difference!
Oh Jenn, bless you! I fell in love with Cobb Salad several years ago when I went to LA to visit a friend from college. I’ve been stumbling along, trying to duplicate that wonderful salad ever since. I’ve come pretty close, but your recipe seals the deal! Cooking the chicken in the bacon fat and using a simple vinaigrette made all the difference.. Thank you !
First let me say that this is an excellent recipe. Im not trying to take anything away from it. However ive eaten the cobb salad at the brown derby many times. (hollywood & vine). However the best cobb salads ive ever had didnt come from the brown derby. Has been closed for many decades. This recipe isnt the same. The derbys salad was a bit more rustic. I feel the recipe has evolved a bit from there. Can something be a ‘classic’ without being original? Idk. Is it good? Heck, Yes! Thats all that matters. When u say ‘classic egg salad’ i think you can get away with that. Egg salad wasnt invented and made famous by one restaurant. However there IS an original recipe for cobb. (just like green goddess, Caesar, etc…) This is one of the bajillion variations. Can one of these variations be the ‘classic’? I think thats a bit of a stretch. However i will say i love this ladys recipes and i think shes got an excellent palate! Great Salad!
Loved it. The dressing was sensational. Tore up the romaine with my hands and prepped everything in the AM: added some whole pitted kalamata olives that were languishing in the frig. The eggs were jammy. A warm roll, a glass of white wine, perfect dinner
Another winning recipe! The dressing along with the chicken sautéed in bacon fat really take this Cobb salad to the next level!
I seem to have an aversion to chicken breast when it it cut and then cooked. I would be inclined to flatten chicken breasts and cook and then slice. I realise your re ipe calls for tenders. It does look good and I would value your opinion.
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Hi Marjory, Your way will work just as well. Please LMK how it turns out! 🙂
breasts are not my favorite part of the chicken, but for some reason, I do like tenders
You might want to give them a try
Fantastic! The dressing is just wonderful. My husband kept nodding and saying this is great. When I see a nod, I know it’s a winner because he does that everytime he is really enjoying a meal then says great job. LOL.
REALLY good and REALLY filling. Made eggs, chicken, bacon and dressing ahead and assembly was easy. Adjusted amounts for two people.
This was delicious!!!! Perfect for a warm summer evening!!! The dressing was out of this world. Thanks for another winner, Jenn!!!! 🤗
My husband always tells me “put lots of stuff in the salad.” I do, and you are both right! Will put this one together next week for a light supper. We like those crispy onion pieces on top.