Classic Cobb Salad
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January 17, 2017 Updated July 22, 2019
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This gluten free Cobb Salad recipe is a great traditional salad. Add a bit more chicken, and make it a full meal all by itself.
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Image by: Thora Toft Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Makes: 4 to 6 servings Difficulty: Easy• Gluten free • Dairy free option • Egg free option • Grain free • Soy free • -
Add a bit more chicken, and make it a full meal all by itself. With a bit of planning, and some shopping at some finer stores, this easily becomes a wholesome salad.
Be sure the bacon and blue cheese are labeled gluten free. It is common for both of these to have gluten in them, so look for varieties labeled gluten free. Ensure any dried spices are labeled certified gluten free, and any packaged items (such as Dijon mustard) are labeled gluten free.
You can make your own homemade Dijon Mustard if desired.
How To Make Homemade Classic Cobb Salad - Step By Step:
Image by: Thora Toft - This dish is made with bacon, eggs, salt, chicken, lemon, Bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, shallots, Dijon Mustard, olive oil, avocados, tomatoes, lettuce and blue cheese. (image 1)
- Cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring until it's crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels. (images 2, 3 and 4)
Image by: Thora Toft - Remove the thyme leaves from the stalks, and discard stalks. In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken, lemon zest and juice, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and a generous pinch of salt. Add cold water to cover the chicken by about a 1/2 inch. Bring barely to a simmer over medium heat (do not boil) and cook the chicken until the thickest part of the chicken registers 160 degrees F, about 7 minutes (use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part). Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. (image 5)
- Cook the eggs in shells and let cool. Peel when cool and chop and season with sea salt. Dice the chicken when cool. Halve, pit and dice the avocados. Chop the tomatoes and season the tomatoes with sea salt. (image 6)
- For the dressing, whisk the vinegar, shallots, Dijon Mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl or serving dish. Whisk the olive oil into the mixture in a slow, steady stream until blended. Season with pepper, to taste. Toss the diced chicken wiht 1 tablespoon of dressing in a separate bowl. (image 7)
- Drizzle the serving plate or bowl with the dressing. Add the lettuce on top of the dressing and arrange bacon, hard-cooked eggs, diced chicken, avocados, tomatoes and blue cheese in rows or nice piles on top of the lettuce. When ready to serve, toss the salad and season with sea salt and pepper or serve the dressing on the side. (image 8)
Pro tips for perfect Cobb Salad:- You can add more chicken and make this a lovely light meal all by itself.
- This is a versatile recipe and you can switch out some of the veggies and lettuce to suit your tastes, and what you have on hand. The cheese can be changed to whatever is your favorite, though strong flavored cheese would allow it to be closer to a traditional dish.
Substitutions and Notes:- Eggs: You can simply leave out the eggs if you need to eat egg free.
- Blue Cheese: You can skip the blue cheese if you need to eat dairy free, or use your favorite dairy free cheese.
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More Salad Recipes You Might Like:If you’ve tried this Cobb Salad or any other recipe on the site please let me know how it turned out for you in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK and PINTEREST to see more delicious food.Step By Step Photos AboveAlong with helpful tips and substitutions to make it perfectly the first time!
Ingredients:
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• 8 slices Thick-cut bacon, chopped (gluten and soy free) • 4 large Eggs (skip if you need egg free) • Sea salt • 2 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 ounces each) • 1 Lemon, zested into wide strips, and juice • 2 Bay leaves • 2 sprigs Fresh thyme • 1 tablespoon Black peppercorns • 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar • 1/2 Shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons) • 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (gluten free) • 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil • Freshly ground black pepper • 2 Avocados • 2 Tomatoes, chopped • 1 large head Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces • 2 heads Romaine lettuce, cut into pieces • 4 ounces Blue cheese, crumbled (gluten free) (skip if you need dairy free) -
Substitutions and Notes:
- Blue Cheese: The blue cheese can be switched to whatever cheese you prefer, though a strong flavored cheese would allow it to be closer to a traditional dish.
- Dairy Free: You can skip the blue cheese if you need to eat dairy free, or use your favorite dairy free cheese.
- Egg Free: You can simply leave out the eggs if you need to eat egg free.
Directions:
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- Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat, stirring until crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with 1 inch of cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover, remove from the heat and let stand for about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water. Chop the hard-cooked eggs and season with sea salt.
- Remove the thyme leaves from the stems. Discard the stems.
- Combine the chicken, lemon zest and juice, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and a generous pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to cover the chicken by 1/2 inch. Bring barely to a simmer over medium heat (do not boil) and cook until the thickest part of the chicken registers 160 degrees F, about 7 minutes (use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part). Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
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Dressing:
- Whisk the vinegar, shallots, Dijon Mustard and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a serving dish or bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until blended (emulsified). Season with pepper. Dice the cooked chicken and toss with 1 tablespoon of dressing in a separate bowl.
- Halve, pit and dice the avocados. Chop the tomatoes and season with sea salt. Drizzle the serving dish or bowl with the dressing, and add the Bibb and romaine lettuce on top of the dressing. Arrange the bacon, hard-cooked eggs, chicken, avocados, tomatoes and blue cheese in rows or nice piles on top of the lettuce. When ready to serve, toss the salad and season with sea salt and pepper.
The dressing can instead be served in a dressing decanter, then people can add the amount that they want.
Variations:- This salad can have the ingredients adjusted depending on what you have on hand, or if there is one particular thing you don't like that's on the list. Mix it up, and enjoy!
Note: Be sure the bacon and blue cheese are labeled gluten free. It is common for both of these to have gluten in them, so look for varieties labeled gluten free. Ensure any dried spices are labeled certified gluten free, and any packaged items (such as Dijon mustard) are labeled gluten free.
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