Several years ago, I discovered Subway’s Apple Orchard Chicken Salad during a hurried lunch break and instantly fell in love with its refreshing flavor. Sadly, I found this seasonal gem too late – after just one sandwich, it vanished from the menu! When I spotted its return, I made a beeline to Subway and ordered two – one to enjoy immediately and another to deconstruct at home carefully. After several test batches in my kitchen (and my family acting as eager taste testers), I’ve cracked the code on this seasonal favorite. Now you can enjoy this delightful blend of tender chicken, crisp apples, crunchy celery, and sweet cherry-infused cranberries any time.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe perfectly balances sweet and savory elements while delivering multiple texture experiences in each bite. The combination of two apple varieties provides both sweetness and tartness, while the cherry-infused cranberries add unexpected depth. The light mayonnaise binds everything together without overwhelming the delicate flavors, allowing the fresh ingredients to shine through. The lemon juice not only prevents the apples from browning but adds a subtle brightness that elevates the entire dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Chicken Salad:
- Cooked chicken breast – Provides lean protein and hearty base
- Red apple (Honeycrisp recommended) – Adds sweet crispness and juicy texture
- Granny smith apple – Contributes tart flavor and firm texture
- Lemon juice – Prevents browning and adds brightness
- Celery – Delivers refreshing crunch and subtle savory notes
- Cherry Craisins – Offer sweet-tart flavor with cherry undertones
- Light mayonnaise – Binds ingredients without heaviness
- Salt – Enhances all flavors
- Black pepper – Adds gentle spice and depth
Optional Add-ins:
Toasted almond slivers – Provide nutty crunch and complementary flavor
How to Make Subways Orchard Chicken Salad
- Chop both apples into small cubes and place them into a bowl.
- Sprinkle lemon juice over the apples.
- Add chicken, celery, and cranberries. Stir to combine.
- Add mayonnaise and stir well.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving.
Orchard chicken apple salad stays fresh in your refrigerator for several days. It’s a great make-ahead chicken salad. Then, you can quickly make a delicious sandwich when you are ready.
Subway Apple Orchard Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 red apple Honeycrisp recommended
- 1 granny smith apple
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup cherry Craisins
- 1 cup light mayonnaise
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop both apples into small cubes and place them into a bowl.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over the apples. This will help them from turning brown.
- Add chopped chicken, chopped celery, and Craisins. Stir to combine.
- Add 1 cup of light mayonnaise and stir well.
- Depending on how the salad is coated, you may want to add an additional 1/2 cup of light mayonnaise.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate the salad in an airtight container for 1 hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
What to serve with a chicken salad sub?
Your Orchard Chicken Salad goes very well with potato chips or a bowl of fresh fruit. You may also want to enjoy this with some potato salad.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. This recipe does not freeze well due to the mayonnaise and fresh apple content. No reheating necessary – enjoy the salad cold!
Love chicken salad? Try these recipes!
- Chicken Salad Chick Chicken Salad
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Chicken Salad with Mandarin Oranges
- Jason’s Deli Chicken Salad
- Newks Chicken Salad
- Pecan Chicken Salad
Favorite Fast Food Recipes
- Burger King Whopper
- Subway Footlong Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich
- KFC Coleslaw
- Panda Express Chow Mein
- Taco Bell Potatoes
- Whataburger Patty Melt
- White Castle Burgers
Check out my easy sandwich recipes and the best fast food recipes here on CopyKat!
Great recipe. Flavors are perfect together and the cherry juice infused Craisins are amazing!
I work at subway and you forgot the white raisins.
I would think you could use vanilla or honey greek yougurt instead of mayonaise as well if you wanted to make it even healthier. 🙂
I’m gonna try it with walnuts too.
Our subway salad had golden raisins in it too.
I made this and it was delicious! I used a red delcious apple & a granny smith apple and used the juice from a whole lemon to prevent darkening. Thought it needed more cherry infused craisins so I probably used 3/4 cup. Instead of almonds, I used toasted pecans.. This salad tasted better the next day. This was better than SUBWAY!
I bet your salad is very tasty with pecans!
This was really good in a cressent roll, yum!
My local Subway’s has grapes in it’s OCS, never has had raisins. Perhaps it is the location, D/FW TX. This is one recipe I will try, Ty for sharing!
Laura Lee
I had this Subway sandwich on Sat Jun 4, 2011 and enjoyed it on Omega 3 grain bread at the Hollywood Bowl, Star Wars in Concert. (I had no idea it was a temporary sandwich, but just found out from my sister that she went to lunch today, 6-13-11 and it’s no longer avail… it was just a “seasonal” sandwich. Glad to see that this COPYKAT recipe very closely mimics it. I’ll be definitely making this at home. (as someone suggested, might add some walnuts to it as well).
I love your recipies…love this salad but you guys need to do a friendlier print version. Four pages for a 1 page recipe is a waste of my paper.
I responded to you via email, but didn’t hear back from you. This is a video I put together so people could print easily.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMDrggpTT-4
Miss Stephanie, YOU SAID TO ME ONCE THAT YOU ARE NOT A CHEF
HOW COME YOU CAN LOOK AT A DISH AND RUN HOME AND COPY IT PERFECTLY? HUH? HUH? YOU CANT FOOL ME YOU ARE A COPYKAT CHEF! THERE I SAID IT AND I AM GLAD YOU ARE THERE
I AM PROUD THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT A GOOD RECIPE AND COPY IT,
THIS LOOKS GOOD. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK U HAVE THE BEST WEB ON THE AIR…..
Thanks so much 😉 I do taste the recipes too 😉 Thanks for the lovely compliment.
I had it once from the restaurant. This is really delicious and now I can enjoy it without all the bread. I will definitely try the Cherry juice infused rather than the plain Craisins.Thanks for sharing this
I grew up eating this salad and still love it. My mother always made it with chicken, celery, apples, grapes, walnuts, and mayo.
Great job! I can’t wait to make it! Yum!