Cobb Salad
The Hollywood classic invented at the Brown Derby restaurant — a stunning composed salad of crispy bacon, grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, tomatoes and blue cheese arranged in bold stripes over a bed of crisp romaine.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 200 gthick-cut bacon
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ripe avocados
- 300 gcherry tomatoes
- 120 gblue cheese
- 2 heads romaine lettuce
- 3 tbspred wine vinegar
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1 tsphoney
- 120 mlextra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tspsalt
- ½ tspblack pepper
Method
- Hard-boil eggs: place in cold water, bring to a boil, cook exactly 10 minutes, transfer to ice water. Peel and quarter. Cook bacon in a skillet until crispy, drain on paper towels and roughly chop.
- Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes per side until cooked through (internal temperature 74°C / 165°F). Rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain into strips.
- Make the red wine vinaigrette: whisk together red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey and minced garlic. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange romaine lettuce in a large, wide shallow bowl or platter as the base.
- Arrange all the toppings in neat rows across the lettuce — this is the signature presentation of a Cobb salad: chicken, bacon, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and blue cheese in separate, clearly defined stripes.
- Serve the vinaigrette on the side and toss at the table for a dramatic presentation, or drizzle over just before serving.
FAQ
The Cobb salad was created at The Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood in 1937 by owner Robert Cobb. The original and defining ingredients are: chopped romaine lettuce, watercress, endive (chicory), ripe tomatoes, cooked chicken breast, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, Roquefort (blue cheese), and chives. The salad is traditionally dressed with a red wine vinaigrette and arranged in neat rows of each ingredient across the lettuce base, then tossed tableside. In modern versions the watercress and endive are often omitted and any blue cheese may replace Roquefort. The combination of protein (chicken, egg, bacon), fat (avocado, cheese), and fresh greens is the essence of the dish — all three should be present. Corn, croutons, or other additions are not part of the original recipe.
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Comments (1)
I dress this cobb salad at the absolute last second. The moment acid touches the leaves, the clock starts on wilting. I keep components separate until everyone is seated, then toss and serve immediately.