Napa Almond Chicken Salad (Panera Copycat)

Panera copycat napa almond chicken salad

4.61 from 63 votes

Napa Almond Chicken Salad (Panera Copycat)

My copycat Panera Napa almond chicken salad sandwiches are even better than the original! Fresh, flavorful, and perfect for weekday lunches.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: lunch, Main Course, Salad, Sandwiches

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 915kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil divided
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts *

For the Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise **
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh

For the Chicken Salad:

1 cup diced celery
1 cup seedless grapes sliced
½ cup slivered almonds

For Sandwiches (Optional):

8 slices bread
2 Roma tomatoes sliced
4 lettuce leaves

Instructions

Cook the Chicken:

Combine kosher salt, lemon pepper seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.
½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Rub the seasoning mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil over the chicken breasts.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Heat the remaining 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.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Let the chicken breasts cool. Then, chop into small chunks.

Combine the Chicken Salad:

In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and dried rosemary together.
1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
Add in the chicken, celery, grapes, and almonds, and toss to coat.
1 cup diced celery, 1 cup seedless grapes, ½ cup slivered almonds

Make the Sandwiches (Optional):

Spread an even amount of chicken salad on 4 slices bread. Top with 2 Roma tomatoes (sliced), 4 lettuce leaves, and the other 4 slices bread.
8 slices bread, 2 Roma tomatoes, 4 lettuce leaves

Video

Notes

*I usually begin by cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this chicken salad. Boneless thighs also work. For convenience, use any leftover cooked chicken, shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, or canned chicken.

**For a lighter chicken salad, swap the mayo for an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt.

Tips:

I like to pan sear chicken for this recipe. But you can bake it, air fry it, or poach it.
This Panera chicken salad is a great filling for sandwiches, baguettes, wraps and pita. Or serve it in lettuce wraps, or as a topping for simple green salads.

Storage: Store Napa almond chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble sandwiches fresh.

Nutrition