Post-Thanksgiving Cobb Salad

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated November 26, 2015

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(94)
Comments
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The classic California Cobb salad is a composed salad made with chicken breast, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, bacon, and blue cheese. It should never be a jumble: the elements are arranged on a platter or in a wide bowl side by side, then dressed, and it’s up to the diner to mix them together. This version dispenses with the bacon and reduces the amount of Roquefort or blue cheese called for in the traditional Cobb. Tomatoes are not in season so I have eliminated them, too, and replaced them with grated carrots. Chopped toasted almonds, which can be salted if you can handle it, can stand in for the bacon.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6 as a main dish

FOR THE DRESSING

  • 1 small or medium garlic clove

  • Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • ¼ cup canola or grapeseed oil

FOR THE SALAD

  • 2 cups shredded cooked turkey, chicken breast or chicken breast tenders (12 ounces cooked)

  • 2 romaine hearts, or 1 romaine heart and 1 head bibb lettuce, cut crosswise in chiffonade

  • 1 small head radicchio, cut in chiffonade (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon each parsley and tarragon

  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

  • 1 large ripe but firm avocado, sliced or diced

  • 1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

  • 2 ounces (about ½ cup) Roquefort or blue cheese, crumbled

  • ¼ cup chopped toasted almonds (salted or barbecued if desired)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

10 grams carbs; 129 milligrams cholesterol; 417 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 33 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 651 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the dressing. Cut the garlic in half and place in a mortar with a generous pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Mash to a paste. Add the thyme and the mustard and mix together. Whisk in the lemon juice, vinegar, remaining olive oil and the canola oil. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Combine the lettuces in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the parsley (or parsley and tarragon) and 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Arrange down the center of a large serving platter or wide bowl.

  3. Step 3

    Toss the turkey or chicken with 1 teaspoon of the chives and 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Place on top of the lettuce chiffonade, down the length of the center of the platter. Season the chopped eggs with salt and pepper and toss with 1 tablespoon of the dressing. Place in a strip next to the turkey or chicken. Toss the grated carrots with 2 teaspoons of the parsley or parsley and tarragon and 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette. Place in a strip on the other side of the chicken. Slice the avocado, season with salt and pepper. Arrange half down one side of the salad and half down the other. Sprinkle the blue cheese and chopped almonds over everything. Garnish with the remaining parsley and chives. Pour the remaining dressing over all, and bring the salad to the table or buffet. Make sure that each serving is a crosswise serving so that all of the elements of the salad are included.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: All of the elements except the avocado can be prepared a few hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Make the dressing and assemble shortly before serving.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
94 user ratings
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Comments

Antonia

I used feta cheese instead of the blue cheese. Everyone liked the feta cheese. They felt it was not as sharp.

Fresh and filling

I made this salad on a summer day and my whole family (even kids) loved. Romaine at the store wasn’t great so used leaf lettuce instead. The dressing didn’t wow me on its own but was delicious as part of the whole salad. I used chicken breasts and added halved cherry tomatoes and cucumber. I recommend using the chopped almonds, increasing the herbs, and finishing with ground pepper. The herbed carrots were delicious! I did them in ribbons using a peeler and will definitely add to other salads.

Meg

Just made this for day-after Thanksgiving light fare, and it hit the spot. Light enough to almost feel like a cleanse after a heavy duty turkey day. Really liked using the carrots since tomatoes are not in season. And did not use bacon; the blue cheese and roasted sliced almonds were crunchy and delicious.

Janet

Omit hard-boiled eggs.

Betsy

Definitely a light, healthier version of a traditional Cobb. Delicious but a bit labor intensive. My daughter said adding bacon would be a welcome addition.

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