Cobb Salad With The Best Dressing (VIDEO) Recipe

I put together an Easy Chicken Cobb Salad loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, chicken, avocado, and cheese, and my Cobb Salad Dressing is the little secret that has readers asking for the recipe.

I love a good Cobb salad but this one surprised me. In the video I toss juicy cooked chicken breasts with creamy ripe avocado and let the Cobb Salad Dressing steal the show.

It’s not the usual boring bowl, it’s loud, loaded and somehow simple, and every bite kept making me want to know what’s next. You think you know that dressing but wait until you see how it pulls everything together.

My friends argued over who gets the last fork, and I kept telling them no spoilers, watch the video. Try it, you might change what you think a salad can be.

Ingredients

• Romaine and iceberg give fresh crunch, vitamin K and fiber, very low calories.
• Cooked chicken packs lean protein, keeps you full and helps muscle recovery.
• Creamy avocado adds healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber and a silky texture.
• Crispy bacon gives smoky saltiness, adds flavor but it’s high in saturated fat.
• Bold blue cheese brings tangy salty punch, it’s rich so use sparingly.
• Juicy tomatoes give vitamin C, subtle sweetness and a bright acidic note.
• Olive oil and vinegar with Dijon mustard offers savory tang, healthy fats and balance.
• Hard boiled eggs add creamy yolk, extra protein and vitamin D for satiety.

Ingredient Quantities

• 6 cups mixed lettuce (romaine and iceberg), chopped or torn
• 2 cooked chicken breasts (about 2 cups), diced or shredded
• 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 2 large eggs, hard boiled and quartered
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (Roquefort or similar)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions or chopped chives
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small shallot, very finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar (optional, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or sour cream (optional for a creamier dressing)

How to Make this

1. Cook the bacon and eggs first: fry 6 bacon slices until crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble; for the eggs place 2 eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, simmer 9 minutes then cool in ice water, peel and quarter. Reserve a teaspoon of bacon fat if you want a smoky hit in the dressing.

2. Prep the salad bits: chop 6 cups mixed lettuce, dice or shred 2 cooked chicken breasts, halve 1 cup cherry tomatoes or seed and dice 2 medium tomatoes, peel and dice 1 avocado and toss it with a little of the 1 teaspoon lemon juice so it wont brown, thinly slice 1/2 cup scallions or chop chives, crumble 1 cup blue cheese.

3. Mince the aromatics: finely mince 1 small shallot (about 1 tablespoon) and 1 clove garlic, keep them ready for the dressing.

4. Make the dressing: in a bowl or a jar combine 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, the minced shallot and minced garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add 1 teaspoon honey or a pinch of sugar if you want it a touch sweet.

5. For a creamier dressing (optional) stir in 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or sour cream. To emulsify whisk vigorously while slowly adding the oil, or shake everything in a jar with a tight lid until thick and combined.

6. Taste and adjust: taste the dressing and add more salt, pepper or honey to balance. If you want extra blue cheese flavor you can stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of the crumbled blue into the dressing, but save most to scatter on the salad.

7. Assemble the Cobb: spread the chopped lettuce on a large platter or bowl, arrange rows or clusters of diced chicken, crumbled bacon, quartered eggs, diced avocado, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese and scallions on top so it looks like a classic Cobb.

8. Finish and serve: drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving or serve on the side so folks can add their own. Toss gently if you want everything coated. Eat right away for best texture, any leftovers keep dressing separate and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Large skillet or frying pan, for crisping the bacon
2. Medium saucepan, to boil the eggs
3. Large bowl of ice water, to cool and stop the eggs
4. Large platter or salad bowl, to assemble the Cobb
5. Cutting board and chef’s knife, for lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and chicken
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for the oil, vinegar, mustard etc
7. Small bowl and whisk or a jar with a tight lid, to make or shake the dressing
8. Tongs or slotted spoon plus paper towels, to drain and crumble the bacon

FAQ

Cobb Salad With The Best Dressing (VIDEO) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Cooked chicken breasts: use shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted turkey, or canned chicken for a quicker fix.
• Bacon: try prosciutto or pancetta for a similar salty hit, turkey bacon to cut fat, or crispy roasted chickpeas if you want it vegetarian.
• Crumbled blue cheese: swap with feta or goat cheese if blue is too strong, or use shaved Parmesan for a milder, salty note.
• Extra virgin olive oil (dressing): use avocado oil or light olive oil for a neutral flavor, or walnut oil for a nutty twist; if you prefer creamy, use 2 tbsp Greek yogurt mixed with a little milk instead of oil plus mayo.

Pro Tips

1. Save a teaspoon of the bacon fat and stir a tiny bit into the dressing for a smoky boost, dont add too much though or it will overpower everything.

2. Stop avocado browning by tossing the diced pieces in a little lemon juice right after you cut them, or better yet cut the avocado last and only add it when youre about to serve.

3. Want a thicker, creamier dressing? Whisk in two tablespoons of mayo or sour cream and add the oil very slowly while whisking to help it emulsify, or put everything in a jar and shake hard. Taste and tweak salt, vinegar or honey at the end, cheeses and tomatoes change things.

4. Keep textures clean: arrange ingredients in rows or clusters so folks can see and pick, and serve the dressing on the side if anyone might want leftovers, salads go soggy fast otherwise.