If love the chicken salad at Panera Bakery, you are going to adore this homemade version of their Napa almond chicken salad. The chicken salad is covered in a creamy mayo dressing for one of the best sandwich fillings you’ll find!
Copycat Panera Chicken Salad
Whenever we visit Panera I always get the Napa almond chicken salad, it’s my hands down favorite! In fact, I’m not sure why it took so long to recreate it at home!
Made with chicken breast, it’s ready to serve, from scratch, in less than 30 minutes.
You’re going to love this copycat Frontega Chicken Panini recipe too!
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download nowWhy this almond chicken salad is so good!
- Creamy dressing: The mayo based dressing is sweetened with honey and you get a nice tang from a little apple cider vinegar. It’s so addictive!
- Easy: This salad comes together quickly and easily with simple ingredients.
- Make ahead: You can make a batch of this salad and enjoy it for easy lunches, or take on picnics.
How to make Napa almond chicken salad
- Cook the chicken: Combine the seasonings and rub over the breasts with olive oil. Saute in a skillet until cooked through. Cut into small chunks.
- Combine: Whisk together the dressing. Add in the salad ingredinets and mix to combine.
- Make: Spread the salad onto bread, top with salad and close the sandwich.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
How long does it keep?
Once you have made the salad, transfer it to an airtight container or cover the bowl with plastic wrap. It will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Just give it a little stir before using.
How else can you use it?
This, of course is a great filling for sandwiches, baguettes, wraps and pita, perfect for a quick and easy lunch. It’s also great served in lettuce wraps or as a topping for simple green salads.
Recipe Variations
This Panera copycat recipe is so delicious as it is, but you can easily make it your own. Try swapping some of the mayo for Greek yogurt or adding in other nuts like walnuts or dried cranberries for a little bite of tang.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- To save time, you can use store-bought rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken you may have on hand.
- Because the dressing contains mayo, don’t let the almond chicken salad sit out for more than 2 hours.
Napa Almond Chicken Salad (Panera Copycat)
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
Salad:
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup seedless grapes sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 8 slices bread
- 2 roma tomatoes tomatoes sliced
- 4 lettuce leaves
Instructions
Cook the chicken:
- Combine the salt, lemon pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub the seasoning mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil over the chicken breasts. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken breasts, cooking for 5-6 minutes on each side, until the breasts are golden brown on the outside and cooked through. Let the chicken breasts cool. Then, chop into small small chunks.
Make the chicken salad:
- In a large bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Add in the chicken, celery, grapes, and almonds.
Make the sandwiches:
- Spread an even amount of chicken salad on 4 slices of bread. Top with tomato slices, lettuce, and the other slice of bread.
Notes
- To save time, you can use store-bought rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken you may have on hand.
- Because the dressing contains mayo, don’t let the salad sit out for more than 2 hours.
Mohana says
I tried other recipes and this is the closest taste to panera Napa almond. Thank you so much for sharing
Becky Hardin says
You are welcome, Mohana!
Trinket says
Delicious. I make my own focaccia and have this on top of it (my typical alteration at Panera). It’s easy, although I wouldn’t say the taste is identical: this is fresher and tastier than at Panera, and I can add extra grapes.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Jorli says
What is the serving size for this recipe. My mother is a diabetic and is strict about her servings.
Thank you so much in advance.
Becky Hardin says
This serves four!
Flea says
Your dressing is way to “fancy”. It’s literally just the sliced chicken they used for their salads, sliced almonds and grapes and plain mayo. I used to make 10-15 lbs of it 5 days a week, I’ll never forget the recipe XD
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing, Flea!
Jane doe says
Your Panera must have been skimping. The ingredient list is on Panera’s page and it’s not just basic mayo. It does have honey, rosemary, etc in it.