If you’ve eaten at Chicken Salad Chick, you already know their Broccoli Salad is one of the most popular items on the menu. This copycat recipe delivers fresh, crisp broccoli florets, smoky bacon, two kinds of shredded cheese, and a creamy, tangy mayo dressing that ties everything together. Making it at home saves you the trip and costs a fraction of what you’d spend at the restaurant. It takes about 20 minutes to pull together and works as a side dish for cookouts, potlucks, or any night of the week.

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Broccoli, cheese, and bacon salad with creamy dressing.

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Chicken Salad Chick’s Broccoli Salad is a cold side dish built around raw broccoli florets tossed in a creamy, slightly sweet, slightly tangy mayo dressing. Two cheeses, cheddar and mozzarella, layer in both sharpness and mild creaminess, while crispy bacon finishes each bite with a smoky, savory note.

The dressing is the key to making this recipe work. A combination of mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and a touch of sugar creates a coating that clings to every floret and mellows beautifully after a 30-minute rest in the fridge. The sugar dissolves as the salad chills, leaving behind a balanced sweetness without making the dressing taste sugary.

This is a make-ahead-friendly recipe, which makes it a natural fit for meal prep, holiday gatherings, and summer cookouts. Like most creamy salads, it tastes better after sitting for a few hours.

What makes the Chicken Salad Chick the perfect salad side dish?

When was the last time you had a really good Broccoli Salad? We’re talking about fresh, crisp broccoli, smoky bacon, and two kinds of shredded cheese, all tossed in a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing with just the right amount of tang. Probably not since your last visit to Chicken Salad Chick, where you ordered their legendary Broccoli Salad. But you don’t have to wait until your next visit to enjoy this Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad recipe. It’s quick, easy to make, and darn tasty; you’ll want to make it at least once a week.

Ingredients and their roles in the recipe

For copycat Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad, you’ll need:

Mayonnaise – forms a creamy base for the dressing and helps it to cling to the broccoli florets.
Apple cider vinegar – cuts through the richness of the mayo and gives the dressing a bit of a tang.
Vegetable oil – smooths out the mayo and mixes with the apple cider vinegar for a standard oil-and-vinegar balance.
Salt – enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in the salad.
Ground black pepper – brings warmth without increasing the heat.
White granulated sugar – sweetens the dressing.
Broccoli, cut into florets – the star of the salad. The fresh, raw broccoli gives the salad a big crunch.
Cheddar cheese, shredded – adds a slight sharpness and gives the salad its most pronounced ‘cheesiness.”
Mozzarella cheese, shredded – offers a mild creaminess without any additional bite.
Bacon bits, freshly cooked and cooled – finishes the salad with a hit of smoky, savory goodness.

Broccoli, cheeses, bacon, mayonnaise, vinegar, oil, and seasonings.

How to make this Broccoli Salad

To prepare the dressing for the Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad recipe:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, ground black pepper, and white granulated sugar. Most of the sugar will not dissolve right away, but that’s okay since it will completely disappear later.
Set the bowl aside while you prep the broccoli.

To prep the broccoli:

Discard any leaves from the head of broccoli, give it a good rinse, and dry it completely.
Cut off each floret as close as you can to the main stalk.
Separate each floret into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

To finish the copycat Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad:

Place the prepped broccoli, shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, and bacon bits into the bowl with the dressing.
Stir well to combine.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least half an hour in the fridge. Stir right before serving.

Making a creamy salad with broccoli, bacon, and cheese.

Broccoli, bacon and cheese salad with creamy mayo-based dressing.

What to serve with Broccoli Salad

This is a versatile side that works well with casual entrees like grilled and roasted chicken, burgers and franks, thick-cut pork chops, or even meatloaf. Are you looking for a new main to try? Check out the following recipes, which are ideal for serving with Broccoli Salad.

Easy Baked Mustard Crusted Pork Chops – This is the type of home cooking where flavor and simplicity intersect. You need only four ingredients and about an hour to pull it off. The tangy mustard mixes with the fat of the pork chop to self-baste, and the thin coating of AP flour and seasoned salt gives the chops a big crunch.
Simple Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs – Even today, a whole roasted chicken can feed an entire family on the cheap, and it can do it deliciously when you follow this easy recipe. All it takes is a handful of your favorite fresh or dried herbs and a squeeze of lemon to make a memorable dinner.
Boston Market Meatloaf – With only a few Boston Markets still operating, getting your meatloaf fix is almost impossible for most people. And that’s a real shame because guests loved the meatloaf Boston Market served. At least you can recreate it with this copycat recipe.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The salad reaches peak flavor 4 to 5 hours after mixing. Liquid will collect at the bottom as the salad sits; stir well before serving.
Reheating Method: This is a cold salad and should not be reheated. Serve straight from the refrigerator.
Freezer Storage: Not recommended. The mayonnaise-based dressing breaks when frozen and thawed, and the broccoli loses its crisp texture. Make only what you plan to eat within 3 days.

Broccoli, bacon, and cheese salad with creamy dressing.

Related Recipes

Looking for more Chicken Salad Chick recipes to make at home?

Chicken Salad Chick Egg Salad – A creamy, classic egg salad that ranks among the most popular items on the Chicken Salad Chick menu.
Chicken Salad Chick Grape Salad – Sweet red and green grapes in a cream cheese dressing with crunchy pecans. Perfect for potlucks and summer gatherings.
Chicken Salad Chick Pasta Salad – Tangy, briny, and fresh, with artichokes, olives, and feta tossed in a bold Italian dressing.

Check out more of my copycat salad recipes to make for any occasion.

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