Description
Culinary magic happens when classic Cobb salad meets fresh ingredients and bold flavors. Crisp lettuce, tender chicken, and perfectly crumbled blue cheese create a symphony of tastes you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Protein-Based Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped (grilled or rotisserie)
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese (or feta if preferred)
Fresh Vegetables and Fruits:
- 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Seasoning and Dressing:
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Dressing of choice (ranch, blue cheese, or balsamic vinaigrette)
Instructions
- Crisp the bacon in a skillet until golden and perfectly rendered, allowing each strip to develop a rich, smoky crunch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
- Hard-boil eggs in simmering water for precise timing, ensuring a tender yet firm yolk. Rapidly cool in an ice bath to halt cooking and prevent discoloration.
- Meticulously wash and thoroughly dry romaine lettuce, then slice into uniform, bite-sized ribbons that create a delicate green foundation for the salad.
- Dice cooked chicken into neat, consistent cubes, ensuring each piece is tender and seasoned with a subtle hint of salt and pepper.
- Carefully slice ripe avocado into smooth, clean wedges, preventing browning by lightly coating with fresh lemon juice.
- Chop juicy tomatoes into uniform, vibrant cubes that will add a burst of color and freshness to the composed salad.
- Crumble pungent blue cheese into delicate, irregular pieces that will melt and distribute flavor throughout the dish.
- Thinly slice red onion into translucent, delicate rings that provide a sharp, crisp accent to the salad’s complex flavor profile.
- Artfully arrange the chopped romaine as a verdant base, then methodically layer each ingredient in precise, parallel rows to create a visually stunning presentation.
- Drizzle with your preferred dressing just before serving, allowing each ingredient to shine while maintaining its individual texture and character.
Notes
- Crisp bacon adds a smoky crunch, so cook it until perfectly golden and drain on paper towels to remove excess grease.
- Ensure eggs are at room temperature before boiling to prevent cracking and achieve consistent hard-boiled texture with bright yellow yolks.
- Slice avocado just before serving to prevent browning, and consider brushing with lemon juice to maintain its fresh green color.
- For a lighter version, swap blue cheese with feta or goat cheese and use grilled chicken breast instead of traditional pan-fried chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg