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Copycat Chick Fil A chicken salad sandwich.
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5 from 1 vote

Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich

A classic chicken salad sandwich from Chick-fil-A's official recipe with marinated grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet relish on honey wheat bread.
Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chick Fil A Recipes, Chicken Salad, comfort food, Copycat, easy, Grilled, marinated, Sandwich, savory
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 637kcal
Author Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

Grilled Chicken

  • 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup dill pickle juice
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil to brush the grill

Chicken Salad

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste

Sandwich Assembly

  • honey wheat bread with oat topping
  • green leaf lettuce
  • tomato slices

Instructions

  • Place the chicken, dill pickle juice, and buttermilk in a zipper bag. Place the bag in the fridge, and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably for several hours.
  • In a small bowl, combine the salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt. Remove the chicken from the marinade and season on both sides with the seasoning blend.
  • Heat the grill to 350°F or use a grill pan. Brush the grill with oil.
  • Place the chicken on the grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Remove the chicken from the grill, let it cool, and chop it into 1-inch cubes.
  • Place the chicken, celery, sweet pickle relish, mayonnaise, and hard-boiled eggs into a food processor. Pulse a few times until the chicken has a very fine texture. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Lightly toast 2 slices of bread. To build the sandwich, place a few lettuce leaves on one slice of bread followed by a few tomato slices and some chicken salad. Place the other slice of bread on top.

Recipe Tips

  • Patting the chicken dry before seasoning it is an important step that the instructions above include for a reason. Excess surface moisture from the marinade creates steam rather than a sear on the grill, which prevents the seasoning from forming a proper crust on the exterior. A dry surface produces better browning and more flavor in the finished chicken.
  • Do not assemble the sandwiches until just before serving. Moisture from the tomato and chicken salad can quickly soften the toasted bread, especially if the salad is cold and the bread is still warm. Assembling immediately before eating keeps the bread at its best texture.
  • The chicken salad improves in flavor after resting in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to several hours. If you have time, make the salad ahead and let it chill fully before building the sandwiches. The flavors meld noticeably as it sits.
  • For a make-ahead approach, the grilled chicken can be cooked up to 2 days in advance. Store the whole, unseasoned grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then process and assemble the salad when needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 637kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 1985mg | Potassium: 901mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 4274IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 3mg
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