Winter Cobb Salad
Winter cobb salad is a cozy twist on a beloved classic. Juicy apples, nutty pecans, hearty chicken, sweet roasted butternut squash and more are drizzled with a hot bacon dressing that makes this salad over the top delicious.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 C reserved bacon grease (keep warm)
3 T red wine vinegar
1 T maple syrup
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
10 cups mixed greens
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups roasted butternut squash
1 large apple, sliced thin
4 ounces cheddar cheese, diced
2/3 C pecan halves, toasted
2/3 C dried cranberries
Instructions
Make the dressing by whisking together the reserved bacon grease with red wine vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, kosher salt and black pepper until well combined. Season to taste and set aside.
Assemble your salad by laying a bed of lettuce down on a large serving platter and arranging ingredients on top.
Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.
Notes
Rotisserie chicken works well for this, but if you’d like to roast your own, place 2 pieces of bone in chicken (thighs or breasts) on a rimmed baking sheet (lined with foil for easy cleanup). Drizzle with olive oil and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated 400°F oven for 40 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F for breasts or 170°F for thighs. Let cool and shred or chop. Chicken can be roasted and pulls up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge.
To roast butternut squash, peel and slice into 1/2 inch slices. Lay on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated 400°F oven for 30-40 minutes or until squash is soft and starting to brown at the edges. Let cool before serving.
Bacon fat will solidify at room temperature or below, so make this while the bacon fat is still hot. If you’d prefer you can just swap it for olive oil.
You can assemble the entire salad (except for the bacon and bacon fat dressing) a few hours ahead of time. Just make sure to cover the entire platter with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Keywords: winter cobb salad, hot bacon dressing, brunch salad, dinner party salad
Find it online: https://joeats.net/home/winter-cobb-salad/