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Hearty Main-Course Salads
Recipe
1 hr 20 min

Classic Cobb Salad

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Classic Cobb Salad

Combining a wide variety of flavors and textures, this classic salad tastes as good as it looks.

Time

1 hr 20 min

Yield

Serves 6 to 8 as a main dish

Why This Recipe Works

We used a traditional dressing in an untraditional way to improve the flavors in our Cobb salad recipe, dressing each ingredient separately before arranging them together on a platter to ensure that the entire salad was perfectly seasoned.

Check out the lesson on Hard and Soft Cooked eggs if you want help cooking the perfect egg.

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

8 slices bacon (8 ounces), cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
1 bunch watercress (4 ounces), washed, dried, and stemmed (about 4 cups)
1 pint grape tomatoes (10 ounces), halved
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 medium avocados (8 ounces each), pitted and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients in medium bowl until well combined (alternatively, shake vigorously in tight-lidded jar); set aside. (Dressing may be refrigerated in airtight container for 1 day; bring to room temperature and shake well before using.)
  2. Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes, and drain on paper towel-lined plate.
  3. FOR THE CHICKEN: Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. Adjust oven rack to 6 inches from broiler element; heat broiler. Spray broiler-pan top or wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray; place chicken breasts on top and broil chicken until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken over and continue to broil until thickest part is no longer pink when cut into and registers about 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside.
  4. TO FINISH THE SALAD: Toss romaine and watercress with 5 tablespoons vinaigrette in large bowl until coated; arrange on very large, flat serving platter. Place chicken in now-empty bowl, add 1/4 cup vinaigrette and toss to coat; arrange in row along one edge of greens. Place tomatoes in now-empty bowl, add 1 tablespoon vinaigrette and toss gently to combine; arrange on opposite edge of greens. Arrange eggs and avocados in separate rows near center of greens and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle bacon, cheese, and chives evenly over salad and serve immediately.

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Classic Cobb Salad

Recipe By

Published on August 27, 2026

Time

1 hr 20 min

Yield

Serves 6 to 8 as a main dish

Classic Cobb Salad

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1 garlic clove, minced¼ teaspoon granulated sugar½ teaspoon table salt⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons lemon juice2 tablespoons red wine vinegar½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

8 slices bacon (8 ounces), cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fatSalt and ground black pepper1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)1 bunch watercress (4 ounces), washed, dried, and stemmed (about 4 cups)1 pint grape tomatoes (10 ounces), halved3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes2 medium avocados (8 ounces each), pitted and cut into ½-inch cubes2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Instructions

  1. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients in medium bowl until well combined (alternatively, shake vigorously in tight-lidded jar); set aside. (Dressing may be refrigerated in airtight container for 1 day; bring to room temperature and shake well before using.)
  2. Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes, and drain on paper towel-lined plate.
  3. FOR THE CHICKEN: Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. Adjust oven rack to 6 inches from broiler element; heat broiler. Spray broiler-pan top or wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray; place chicken breasts on top and broil chicken until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken over and continue to broil until thickest part is no longer pink when cut into and registers about 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside.
  4. TO FINISH THE SALAD: Toss romaine and watercress with 5 tablespoons vinaigrette in large bowl until coated; arrange on very large, flat serving platter. Place chicken in now-empty bowl, add 1/4 cup vinaigrette and toss to coat; arrange in row along one edge of greens. Place tomatoes in now-empty bowl, add 1 tablespoon vinaigrette and toss gently to combine; arrange on opposite edge of greens. Arrange eggs and avocados in separate rows near center of greens and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle bacon, cheese, and chives evenly over salad and serve immediately.
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