Zesty Cobb Salad Food

CLASSIC COBB SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water. Chop the hard-cooked eggs and season with salt.
• Combine the chicken, lemon zest and juice, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan; add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1/2 inch. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat (do not boil) and cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 160 degrees F, about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a serving bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified; season with pepper. Dice the chicken and toss with 1 tablespoon of the dressing in a separate bowl.
• Halve, pit and dice the avocados. Season the tomatoes with salt. Add the Bibb and romaine lettuce to the serving bowl on top of the dressing. Arrange the bacon, hard-cooked eggs, chicken, avocados, tomatoes and blue cheese in rows on top of the lettuce. When ready to serve, toss the salad and season with salt and pepper.

COBB SALAD

Steps:

• Spread the bacon out on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with another piece of paper towel, cook at full power in the microwave until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool.
• Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, layer the avocado, tomato and eggs, seasoning them with salt and pepper as you go. Top with the mesclun greens, then scatter the chicken on top. Crumble the bacon over the salad. Bring the salad to the table and toss with the dressing so all the ingredients are evenly mixed together. Serve.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of the blue cheese, the half-and-half, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Gently stir in the remaining 1/4 cup blue cheese and season with pepper. Use now or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

GRILLED COBB SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare a grill or large grill pan for medium heat. Quarter the tomatoes, then slice each quarter into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Combine with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; let sit at room temperature.
• Grate 3 of the garlic cloves into a 1-quart resealable bag. Add 1/4 cup of the oil, half the lemon zest and juice, and the chicken, and seal the bag tightly. Massage the marinade into the chicken, making sure it is evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grate the remaining garlic clove into the carafe of a blender. Add the avocados, scallions, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup of the oil, the remaining lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and puree until smooth. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the dressing, and refrigerate the carafe.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate or baking sheet, shaking off any excess marinade. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place the chicken and the bacon on the grill. (Note: If you have a charcoal grill, cook the bacon in a grill pan. It should not be grilled over charcoal because of the risk of flare-ups.) Grill the chicken until charred on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the deepest part of each breast reads 165 degrees F, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to a cutting board, and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Grill the bacon, flipping as needed to ensure even cooking, until lightly charred on both sides and most of the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes; transfer to the cutting board.
• While the chicken rests, quarter the romaine hearts lengthwise, leaving some of the stem attached to each quarter. Brush the cut sides with the remaining oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Grill, cut-side down, leaving 1/2 inch of space between each quarter (do not crowd; grill in batches if needed), until 1 cut side is lightly charred, 30 seconds to 1 minute; turn and repeat for the other cut side; transfer to a cutting board, and let cool slightly. Cut into 1-inch pieces, and mound onto a large platter.
• Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch pieces, and crumble the bacon. Arrange the chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes (along with the juices) and blue cheese in rows on top of the romaine. When ready to serve, toss with the dressing, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

TRADITIONAL CHICKEN COBB SALAD RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Dressing: Whisk together French's Dijon Mustard, shallots, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until dressing is fully emulsified. Set aside.
• Rub chicken breasts with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat up an oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until seared on the first side, 3-4 minutes, then flip the chicken. Cover with a lid to allow the chicken to cook through, 7-10 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from pan and let rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut into slices.
• Cut the hard-boiled eggs into quarters. Cut the bacon into 1-inch (2 ½ cm) pieces.
• Arrange the lettuce on a large platter. On top of the lettuce, place small piles of the chicken, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, and avocado.
• Enjoy!