Southern Cobb Salad Recipe

Cook bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) or use a skillet. Arrange bacon slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake 12–18 minutes until crisp. Alternatively, cook in a skillet over medium heat turning occasionally until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and chop into 1/2-inch pieces when cool.

Cook chicken thighs

Pat chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken, skin-side down, for 5–7 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip and reduce heat to medium; cook another 6–8 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove to a cutting board, rest 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2-inch strips.

Hard-boil eggs

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, remove from heat and let sit 9–11 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, peel, and quarter.

Halve cherry tomatoes, dice avocado just before serving and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning. Measure out shredded cheddar and sliced pickled okra (or pickles).

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) if not already hot. Toss cornbread cubes with 2 tbs melted butter and 1 tsp smoked paprika until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 10–12 minutes, tossing once, until edges are crisp. Remove and cool.

In a bowl whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tbs mayonnaise, 2 tbs sour cream, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp garlic powder until smooth. Season with 3 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, taste and adjust — reduce salt if serving with salty bacon or pickles. Stir in minced chives if using. Chill in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to meld flavors.

In a large bowl or platter, combine chopped romaine, baby spinach, and shredded iceberg. Drizzle 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs lemon juice over greens and toss lightly to dress. Arrange salad components in rows across the greens: sliced chicken thighs, chopped bacon, quartered hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomato halves, diced avocado, shredded cheddar, pickled okra, and cornbread croutons.

Serve with the buttermilk-honey hot sauce dressing on the side or drizzle about 1/3–1/2 cup over the salad and toss gently at the table. Finish with an extra grind of black pepper and additional lemon juice to taste.