I can’t get enough of Panera Bread’s strawberry poppyseed salad, but my wallet has been crying lately. I developed this strawberry poppyseed chicken salad recipe to sate my Panera cravings for less. Made with fresh lettuce, cooked chicken, fresh fruit, and a delightfully creamy poppyseed dressing, this salad is the perfect healthy lunch to take to work!
I don’t know what it is about Panera Bread, but their salads are so dang addictive! When I really dove into the strawberry poppyseed salad, I discovered it was made with super simple ingredients, and the main attraction was the dressing. My strawberry poppyseed chicken salad has all the same great ingredients, plus an optional homemade poppyseed dressing that’ll knock your socks off!
What’s in This Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Recipe?
- Lettuce: I like a mix of Romaine and iceberg, but any lettuce works.
- Cooked Chicken Breast: This is a great recipe to use up leftover cooked chicken!
- Fruit: Strawberries, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and blueberries add fresh and fruity flavor to this salad.
- Pecans: Toasted pecans add a delightful nutty crunch to the salad.
- Poppyseed Dressing: Use store-bought, or make your own using my recipe in the recipe card below!
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How to Store
Store leftover strawberry poppyseed salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. I recommend leaving off the dressing until you are ready to serve the salads.
Notes and Tips
- I love to use leftover rotisserie chicken or my favorite crockpot chicken breast in this recipe.
- I have found that tossing the cut fruits in a little bit of lemon juice helps keep them looking fresher for longer.
- My homemade poppyseed dressing is easier to make than you’d think. I like to whip up a big batch and use it throughout the week.
Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad Recipe (Panera Copycat)
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped lettuce romaine and/or iceberg
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
- 2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1½ cups chopped fresh pineapple
- 1½ cups mandarin oranges
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup toasted pecans roughly chopped
- 1¼ cups poppyseed dressing store-bought or see recipe below
Poppyseed Dressing (Optional)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 orange)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon poppyseeds
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Arrange the chopped lettuce in a large salad bowl.6 cups chopped lettuce
- Layer the chicken, strawberries, pineapple, mandarin oranges, blueberries, and pecans over the top.2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast, 2 cups chopped strawberries, 1½ cups chopped fresh pineapple, 1½ cups mandarin oranges, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup toasted pecans
- Add the dressing ingredients to a jar. Cover, and shake until combined.¾ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 tablespoon poppyseeds, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for 1 salad made with the above homemade poppyseed dressing.
How to Make Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad Step by Step
Arrange the Salad: Arrange 6 cups of chopped lettuce in a large salad bowl. Layer 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken, 2 cups of chopped strawberries, 1½ cups of chopped fresh pineapple, 1½ cups of mandarin oranges, 1 cup of blueberries, and 1 cup of toasted pecans over the top.
(Optional) Make the Dressing: Add ¾ cup of mayonnaise, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of minced onion, 1 tablespoon of poppyseed, and a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to a jar. Cover, and shake until combined.
Dress the Salad: Pour 1¼ cups of poppyseed dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
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