Aaaaaannnddd we’re back! It feels like it’s been a million years since I’ve written a post. Two birthday parties, a bought of bronchitis, and a visit to my Mom’s in the country– it’s been an eventful couple of weeks to say the least, but I’m so glad to be back. And with a bang, at that! Today I’ve got a classic recipe that has been reinvented and just soooooo delicious.
We’re giving Cobb Salad a face lift. Yes, the original is super tasty– that’s why it’s a classic, but as a Mexican food lover, this one suits my taste much better. It’s spicy, tangy, fresh and crunchy, a bit rich, and satisfying. So in what ways did we deviate from the classic? I’m so glad you asked!
- Plain diced chicken breast became a paprika, cayenne, garlic, and cumin-rubbed diced chicken breast.
- Iceberg lettuce got traded in for gorgeous, curly green leaf lettuce.
- Blue cheese got benched and we decided to let crumbled queso fresco into the game.
- Dice tomatoes were swapped with halved cherry tomatoes.
- We threw in some diced jicama because it’s crunchy, fresh, and a little sweet– what’s not to love?
- The traditional dressing was replaced with an addicting creamy poblano dressing.
We kept the bacon, avocado, and sliced boiled eggs because they are perfect just the way they are!
And let me tell you, eating this salad, just like eating the traditional version, is an experience. There are so many flavor possibilities in each bite, it’s like you’re eating several different dishes all combined into one salad. Try a bit of bacon with the boiled egg and dressing– delicious! Or some avocado with chicken and a few leaves of lettuce– so tasty! Or how about a spicy BLT? Just grab a forkful of the tomato, bacon, lettuce, and some creamy poblano dressing– I’m in heaven! The flavor possibilities just keep going and going.
Too little time? Try this hack! Yes, this salad does take some work. But first of all, it’s so worth it, and secondly, there are ways to make it easier! A lot of these ingredients can be made using leftovers.
Make some of the paprika-rubbed chicken the night before (it’s so good with some rice and a fresh salad), then dice up leftovers and throw ’em in the fridge. Make some extra boiled eggs and bacon that morning for breakfast, then save some for the salad. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Leftover bacon, please. You can do it, I believe in you! With a little thinking ahead this salad can get a whole lot easier.
Do you have any classic recipes that you have made your own? Tell us all about it! See you next time!
Mexican Cobb Salad Recipe
Author: Danielle
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Serves: 4
Much like the classic salad, this Mexican Cobb Salad features bacon, avocados, and boiled egg, but with the addition of jicama, paprika-rubbed chicken, grape tomatoes, queso fresco, and a creamy poblano dressing.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 large poblano chile
- 8 slices thick cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch strips
- 2 (10-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of cumin
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, smashed, skin and stem removed
- ½ medium bunch green leaf lettuce, washed, leaves removed, and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half along the equator
- 1 large jicama, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 ounce queso fresco, crumbled
- 1 medium avocado, skin and pit removed, then sliced ¼-inch thick
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Get ready to use 4 burners on your stove top, it’s time to make Cobb Salad! The next 3 steps can be done at the same time or one at a time if you’re distracted or want to take things slow.
- Place the 2 eggs in a small pot and cover with water, then put over high heat on one of the burners. When the water around the eggs comes to a full, rolling boil, remove from the heat, cover, and set a timer for 8 minutes. After the 8 minutes is up, immediately place the pot of eggs under a stream of cold water. Allow them to sit in cold water until they are fully cooled. Peel, slice ¼-inch thick, and set aside.
- If you have a gas stove, put the next 2 burners on a high flame. Place the poblanos directly over the flame and roast, flipping as needed, until all of the skin is charred. If you don’t have a gas stove, place the poblanos under a boiler, flip, and char. Skin that is left un-charred will be difficult to remove later, so really burn that sucker! Set the chiles aside to cool for about 5 minutes, then remove the skins with a paper towel or your hands. Remove the stem and seeds from the poblanos and set aside. Wash your hands to prevent them from burning later from the chile.
- Place the bacon strips in a heavy, medium skillet that can go in the oven (cast iron and stainless steel work great!). Put over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan. This will be used to cook the chicken breast. (If you accidentally discarded the fat, no worries. Just use veggie oil. )
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Place the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and cumin in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then rub with the paprika mixture.
- Place the skillet with the bacon fat over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken breast and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, then transfer the pan to the oven. Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest while you make the dressing.
- In a small food processor or blender, combine the roasted poblano, sour cream, mayo, vinegar, garlic clove, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, but still very slightly chunky.
- Cut the chicken breast into ¾-inch cubes. You are now ready to assemble your delicious salad!
- Line the bottom of each of 4 plates with the chopped lettuce. Arrange, on each plate, an even amount of the chicken, bacon, sliced boiled eggs, tomatoes, jicama, queso fresco, and sliced avocado. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with the creamy poblano dressing, then dig in! You totally earned it!