Summer Salads: Cobb-ish Salad with Crispy Chicken & Avocado
Welcome to the first recipe in my new SUMMER SALAD SERIES! I feel like summer is the perfect time to get a few new salad recipes into your rotation because they make such a great meal in the warm weather. But not just any old salads. I always want to eat salads that are hearty, filling and packed with tons of flavours and textures that actually keep you full while still being fresh and light.
I’ve always loved the idea of a Cobb salad, but not necessarily every single component of it. So naturally I decided to make my own version! This is definitely NOT a traditional Cobb salad so let’s just get that out of the way so you don’t come for me. To me it’s a more interesting and textural take on a Cobb salad, with a few wild additions like feta instead of blue cheese (sorry it’s just better), sliced avocado and crispy chicken cutlets on top. Also I used coconut bacon here simply because I don’t really cook or buy bacon very often (and I ended up loving the sweet & savoury crunch they added) , but obviously feel FREE to use regular bacon! I hope you love this one and stay tuned for the next recipe in the series.
Cobb-ish Salad with Crispy Chicken & Avocado
Ingredients
3 chicken breasts, pounded thin and cut in half
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (GF or regular)
1/4 cup tapioca or cornstarch
1/2 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt
Black pepper
1 egg, whisked
Avocado oil for frying the chicken
Butter or gem lettuce, torn
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 avocado, thinly sliced
2-3 eggs
Chopped bacon or coconut bacon (I used this Minimalist Baker recipe)
Crumbled feta, for topping
Chopped chives, for topping
For the dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove grated garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Lots of salt + pepper
Method
Start by making your dressing. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl or jar until smooth. Add lots of salt and pepper, then taste and adjust as needed.
Heat a medium pot filled with water. Once water is boiling, gently lower in your 2-3 eggs (depending how many you want in the salad). Let them cook for 7-7 1/2 minutes, then remove from the heat and immediately add to a bowl of ice water. Let them rest and cool down while you make the rest of your salad.
To prepare the chicken, mix together your panko, starch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, add your whisked egg. Take 1 piece of chicken and dip it first in the egg, then into the panko mixture, making sure to coat it completely with the dry mix. Place on a parchment lined plate or wire rack and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
Fill a deep frying pan or skillet with about 1 inch of avocado oil and place over medium heat. Once hot, add 2-3 pieces of chicken (depending how big your pan is - don’t overcrowd it). Let the chicken cook for about 5 minutes until deeply golden brown on the underside, then flip and finish cooking for another 4-5 minutes on the other side. Remove chicken cutlets, place on a clean wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets. Sprinkle them with flakey sea salt and let cool for several minutes.
To assemble your salad, place lettuce in a large bowl or serving platter. Peel and cut your jammy eggs into quarters, then slice your chicken cutlets into strips. Arrange a row of tomatoes on top of the lettuce, then a row of coconut bacon or regular bacon, then the chicken strips, then sliced avocado. Pour as much dressing as desired evenly overtop. Top everything with crumbled feta and chopped chives and enjoy!
Serves 2-4
