Spring Cobb Salad (Printable)
Vibrant spring vegetables, creamy avocado, and proteins in a crisp salad with tangy herb vinaigrette.
# What You Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 large eggs
02 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 10 ounces)
03 - 4 slices bacon
→ Vegetables
04 - 3.5 ounces snap peas, trimmed and halved
05 - 3.5 ounces radishes, thinly sliced
06 - 1 small cucumber, sliced
07 - 3.5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 4 cups mixed spring greens
09 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
→ Cheese
10 - 2.8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
→ Herb Vinaigrette
11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8–9 minutes. Transfer to cold water, peel, and cut into quarters.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Grill or pan-sear over medium heat for 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through. Let rest, then slice.
03 - Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and chop into pieces.
04 - Blanch snap peas in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking, then drain well.
05 - Arrange spring greens on a large platter or individual plates as the foundation.
06 - Neatly arrange rows of chicken, eggs, bacon, snap peas, radishes, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and blue cheese over the greens in classic Cobb style.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, chives, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
08 - Drizzle dressing over the salad just before serving. Serve immediately while vegetables are crisp.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of warm grilled chicken and cool crisp vegetables creates this incredible temperature contrast that makes every bite interesting
- You can prep almost everything ahead and just assemble when you're ready, which is basically dinner magic
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients emulsify better in the dressing, so take your eggs and olive oil out about 20 minutes before you start cooking
- The blanching step for snap peas might seem fussy but it makes them taste sweeter and brighter than raw peas
03 -
- If you're serving this outside, keep the dressing on the side until the last minute so the greens don't wilt
- The salad components (without dressing) can be prepped up to 4 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated separately