This Italian Cobb Salad packs a serious flavor punch! There are a few traditional Cobb ingredients in this recipe (such as hard boiled eggs and tomatoes). But every other ingredient gets an Italian twist: the chicken is marinated in an herby red wine vinaigrette. The bacon is made from prosciutto. The cheese is a crunchy Grana Padano. Marinated artichokes, olives, and pickled peppers also transform this classic in to an updated, healthy, and impressive salad!
Who doesn’t love a good Cobb Salad?
Errrmmmm *kicks invisible dirt on ground*….I don’t.
Hear me out. It’s not like I don’t like Cobb Salad, it’s just never my first choice. Like, maybe once a year I’ll order a Cobb Salad. I certainly wouldn’t make one for myself at home.
UNTIL NOW.
See, this Italian Cobb Salad is such an upgrade from the standard Cobb. The ingredients are more exciting, pack more flavor, and aren’t overdone (here’s lookin’ at you, blue cheese).
Sure, this recipe has a few of the classic ingredients you’d find in a Cobb, like romaine lettuce, hard boiled egg, tomatoes and onion.
But then, well…just look at it:
- The chicken is marinated in an herby red wine vinaigrette with essentially your entire spice cabinet (#worthit)
- Grana Padano, a crunchy, hard, salty cheese, stands in for the pungent blue
- Marinated artichoke hearts, spicy pepperocini, and briny castelvatrano olives pack a flavorful Italian punch
- And that “bacon” is actually oven-fried prosciutto
*MIC DROP*
Yep….I think I’m starting to turn in to a Cobb Salad believer.
(But only if we’re ok calling this salad a “Cobb”).
The vinaigrette stays simple, with so many flavorful ingredients:
A little lemon juice, some garlic, some dijon, some Aminos. All emulsified with some olive oil.
Vinaigrettes and dressings are so simple! This one can serve as a great base for so many different flavor combinations:
- Add shallot and swap the lemon for apple cider vinegar
- Add fresh or dried herbs
- Add your favorite cheese (again, lookin’ at you, blue cheese)
- Swap out the olive oil for sesame oil, grapeseed, or any infused oil
Options=endless.
This salad is sure to be a favorite of yours. Whether your a Cobb Salad devotee or, like me, still need a little convincing – I know you’ll find something on this plate you’ll enjoy.
Italian Cobb Salad
Ingredients
For the marinated chicken:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp oregano ,
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp Basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp sage
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
For the salad:
- 2 cups green leaf lettuce
- 1 cup romaine lettuce
- 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup red onion
- 2 pieces Prosciutto
- 1/2 cup Marinated artichokes
- 1/4 cup castelvatrano olives
- 1/8 cup Pepperocini, sliced
- 1/4 cup Grana Padano cheese (or parmesan) Cubed or grated
- 1 egg hardboiled
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- Dash Bragg's aminos
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
For the marinated chicken:
- Combine all spices in a medium bowl. Whisk in red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add minced garlic cloves. Whisk to combine.
- Place thawed chicken breasts in a non reactive dish or bowl (a ziplock bag works great, too!). Our marinade over chicken, tossing to combine. Cover with plastic wrap (unless using ziplock) and allow to marinate on the counter for no less than 30 minutes. If you plan to marinate it longer than that, place in the refrigerator.
- When chicken is ready, heat a grill pan over medium heat. Cook chicken, turning once, until charred and cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat, cover with tin foil, and allow to rest until ready to cube for salad.
For the salad:
- Meanwhile, prepare the prosciutto bacon: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place prosciutto on a baking rack set in a baking sheet. This allows the prosciutto to not cook in it's grease. Feel free to bake directly on baking sheet, but know that it will be greasier.
- Bake prosciutto until crispy, about 15 minutes. With closely to ensure it doesn't burn.
- While prosciutto bacon is cooking, prep other ingredients. Wash, dry, and chop lettuces. Chop red onion, cherry tomatoes, slice peppercini, as well as hard-boiled egg. Cube or grate Grana Padano.
- Make the vinaigrette: combine all ingredients besides olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk to combine, slowly drizzling in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- To assemble the salad, mix romaine and green leaf lettuces together and place on plate. Cube cooled chicken and crumble prosciutto bacon. Arrange ingredients in vertical rows on top of greens: chicken, bacon, hard boiled egg, artichokes, tomato, red onion, pepperocini, and Grana Padano. Top with olives, and drizzle with dressing.
- Enjoy!