Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad Recipe
This protein-packed copycat features five types of fresh fruit and tender grilled chicken. I’ve swapped the thin vinaigrette for a custom creamy poppyseed dressing that perfectly coats every bite!
Servings: 4 salads
Calories: 761kcal
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
- salt and 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, salt and pepper
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Notes
*Use grilled chicken for the most authentic Panera taste. I love to use leftover rotisserie chicken or my favorite crockpot chicken breast in this recipe.
**For more sweetness, use honey-roasted or candied pecans.
***For a lighter option, swap half or all for Greek yogurt.
Tips:
- Pat your blueberries and strawberries completely dry after washing.
- If using canned mandarin oranges, drain them in a sieve for at least 10 minutes. If using fresh, try to remove as much of the white pith as possible to avoid bitterness.
- I have found that tossing the cut fruits in a little bit of lemon juice helps keep them looking fresher for longer.
- Wait to add the pecans until just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- Nutritional information is for 1 salad made with the above homemade poppyseed dressing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1salad | Calories: 761kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 827mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 1179IU | Vitamin C: 103mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 3mg