Capture the fresh, vibrant flavors of Panera’s beloved Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad right in your own kitchen! This colorful salad combines tender grilled chicken with a medley of fresh fruits, including strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple, all tossed with crisp romaine lettuce and crunchy pecans. The star of the show is the homemade sweet and tangy poppyseed dressing that perfectly balances the fruit’s natural sweetness. This refreshing salad makes an ideal light lunch, healthy dinner, or elegant entertaining option for warm-weather gatherings.
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What makes the Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad the perfect light lunch?
Are you craving the light and refreshing flavors only found in the Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken Panera serves? Now you can make the cafe’s favorite at home, with this spot-on copycat recipe. You’ll love the tender chicken pieces, juicy fruit, and crispy romaine drizzled with a delectably sweet and tangy poppyseed dressing.
It makes the ideal summer lunch, light dinner, or even poolside snack. You can even turn this fruity chicken salad into a hearty sandwich or lettuce wrap for a low-carb option. However you eat it, it is going to be your new warm-weather go-to.
Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad ingredients and what they bring to the dish
For the copycat Panera strawberry poppyseed salad dressing, you’ll need:
- Vegetable oil – provides a luxurious mouthfeel and thickens the salad dressing.
- White distilled vinegar – balances the richness with a sharp tang.
- Water – thins out the dressing to make it coat the other salad ingredients more evenly.
- Orange juice – infuses a citrus element into the dressing.
- Onion powder – lends subtle savory notes and deepens the flavor.
- Salt – enhances the taste of the other ingredients.
- Mustard powder – helps bind the oil and vinegar, giving the dressing a mildly spicy zip.
- Sugar – sweetens the dressing to take the edge off some of the acidity.
- Splenda – pumps up the sweetness without additional calories
- Poppy seeds – give the dressing its name and a crunchy texture.
For the rest of the Strawberry Poppyseed Salad, you’ll need:
- Grilled chicken breast, sliced very thinly – provides the main protein in the salad.
- Romaine lettuce, washed and sliced into one-inch-thick pieces – gives the salad a crunch.
- Mandarin oranges, drained – add bright, juicy sweetness with a touch of acidity.
- Fresh blueberries – deliver little pops of color and add a sweet and tart flavor to the salad.
- Fresh strawberries, cut into bite-sized pieces – a signature component of the salad. They add a fresh, juicy sweetness and an attractive color.
- Pecan pieces – contribute a crunchy texture.
- Fresh pineapple, cut into tiny pieces – gives the salad an exotic tropical flair with its sweet and sour flavor.
How to prepare this Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad recipe
To make the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the salad dressing ingredients until the dressing thickens and becomes smooth.
- Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
To finish the Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad recipe:
- Divide the lettuce into two large salad bowls.
- Start with the sliced chicken and layer half of the salad ingredients over the lettuce in each bowl.
- Serve the salad dressing on the side or drizzle it over the top just before serving.
What to serve with copycat Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken from Panera makes a fabulous first course, but why not add a couple of other popular items from Panera Kitchen’s menu to complete your meal?
Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup РThis stick-to-your-ribs potato soup is incredibly rich and creamy. It is made with chunks of tender potatoes and soft vegetables in a chicken velout̩ base with just a touch of cream cheese, and finished with bacon bits. The perfect soup to pair with a light, refreshing salad.
Panera Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt – A Southwest-inspired sandwich that delivers in the flavor department. The smoky chicken and cream avocado pair amazingly well. Add in the sweet heat of the peppadew piquant peppers and buttery smoked Gouda and serve it on focaccia bread for an extraordinary sandwich.
Panera Kitchen Sink Cookies – You deserve a cookie, especially one as good as a Kitchen Sink Cookie from Panera. These cookies are loaded with dark chocolate chips, creamy caramel, and crunchy pretzels. Add a dusting of sea salt to bring out the flavors of the caramel and dark chocolate, and you wind up with a not-your-everyday cookie.
Instructions for storing the leftovers
It is best to finish the assembled salad as soon as you can, but if there are leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat them the next day. You can store the dressing in a covered container on its own for up to three days.
More copycat Panera recipes
- BBQ Chicken Salad
- Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken
- Greek Salad
- Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken
- Mediterranean Grain Bowl with Chicken
- Turkey Chili
Check out more of my easy recipes for salads and the best Panera copycat recipes on CopyKat!
Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 packet Splenda
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce washed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 6 ounces grilled chicken breast very thinly sliced – please show cooked sliced chicken and not raw chicken in the photo
- 1 10.5-ounce can mandarin oranges drained
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup pecan pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh pineapple cut into tiny pieces
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a small bowl and whisk until thickened. Store the dressing in an airtight container and refrigerate any leftovers.
- To assemble the salads, divide the lettuce between two large salad bowls. Layer half of the chicken, mandarin oranges, blueberries, strawberries, pecan pieces, and pineapple in each bowl.
- Drizzle salad dressing over each salad as desired.
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