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Copycat Panera Chicken Salad Recipe is one of my favorite light lunches. Made with juicy chicken, plump grapes, and crunchy toasted almonds. It's seriously quick and easy to make and a great way to repurpose leftover chicken!
Why You'll Love Copycat Panera Chicken Salad
Raise your hand if you love Panera Bread!*waves both hands excitedly in the air* I've been a long time Panera Bread fan, and one of my favorite things to order is their Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich. This Panera chicken sandwich has all things you love including grapes, sliced almonds, and celery. Not only does it taste fantastic but it has the perfect crunch in every bite. Plus, it makes the perfect light lunch! Here's why you'll love this:
- Quick & easy
- Refreshing any time of year
- Great for meal prepping
- Perfect picnic food
- Kid and adult approved
It's always good to have a few good chicken salad recipes up your sleeve (like these Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes, which make an excellent, healthy appetizer!).It's a great way to repurpose your dinner into a light lunch the next day. While you are at it, be sure to try out my Copycat Panera Bread BBQ Chicken Salad too. It's heavenly!
Ingredient Information and Substitutions
- Chicken - I prefer chicken breast for this but any cut will work- leftovers, rotisserie- even leftover holiday Turkey!
- Add-ins - In addition to the chicken, celery adds the perfect crunch along with sliced almonds. And juicy grapes add just the right touch of freshness.
- Dressing - The creamy, balanced dressing is made with mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dried basil, dried rosemary, salt and pepper.
How To Make Chicken Salad With Fruit
Step 1: Mix the dressing
In a large bowl whisk together all the dressing ingredients until well combined. taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Step 2: Add remaining chicken salad ingredients
Add chopped chicken, celery, almonds and grapes into the bowl. Stir until everything is combined and well coated in the dressing.
Serve on your favorite bread to make a sandwich, eat with crackers, or roll it up in a large piece of lettuce for a wrap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook chicken specifically for this recipe?
Yes! Here's what I do: Begin by sprinkling lemon pepper on chicken breasts. Cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until they reach 160 degrees F. Allow the chicken to cool and chop it.
What if I'm only cooking for one or two people?
This makes a pretty good amount of napa almond chicken salad, so if you're cooking for one or two and don't want leftovers, feel free to halve the recipe
Is there a good way to make this recipe low carb?
Sure! This the chicken salad is already pretty low carb on it's own, but it would taste great as lettuce wraps or stuffed into hollowed-out tomatoes or avocados.
What is the best chicken for chicken salad?
I prefer breast meat but any cut will work once the skin, fat and bones are removed. Although I prefer to use chopped chicken, you can also make this chicken salad with shredded chicken if you'd like.
How long does chicken salad last in the refrigerator?
This lasts 4 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container.
Can you make this chicken salad recipe a bit healthier?
Although the recipe is pretty light to begin with, if you want to make it even lighter, you can use light mayonnaise and substitute Greek yogurt in place of sour cream (or just use light sour cream).
Tips For Making Panera chicken salad recipe
- If you want to make the chicken for this salad: Cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until they reach 160 degrees F. Allow the chicken to cool and chop it.
- In a hurry? No problem, swap the chicken breasts for your favorite rotisserie chicken. It will save you a step and is a great option when you are in a time crunch.
- Play with the flavors. This Panera chicken salad recipe is forgiving, so you can easily adjust the ingredients. Fresh herbs, cranberries, and diced apples are just a few ideas to consider.
- Swap the almonds. Not a fan of almonds? That's fine! Simply swap them for walnuts or pecans. Or leave the nuts out altogether.
- Prep ahead: Cook and chop the chicken, dice celery and halve grapes.
- Leftovers and Storage: This will last up to 4 days covered in the fridge.
What To Serve With Chicken Salad
These recipes pair really well with chicken salad:
- Mexican Bean Salad
- Cabbage Soup
- Coffee Snickerdoodles
Other Awesome Lunch Recipes
- Egg Salad Sandwich with Olives
- Italian Tuna Salad (No Mayo!)
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie onInstagramandTikTok!
Copycat Panera Chicken Salad Recipe
Jessy Freimann
Copycat Panera Chicken Salad Recipe is one of my favorite light lunches. Made with juicy chicken, plump grapes, and crunchy toasted almonds. It's seriously quick and easy to make and a great way to repurpose leftover chicken!
5 from 18 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 345 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon sour cream
- 1 ½ Tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup celery, diced (around 3 ribs)
- 1 cup red grapes, halved
- ¾ cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 2 chicken breasts, diced
Instructions
Add mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, basil , rosemary, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix until well combined.
Add the chicken, celery, grapes and almonds. Mix until well combined and fully coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.
Video
Notes
- If you want to make the chicken for this salad: Cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until they reach 160 degrees F. Allow the chicken to cool and chop it.
- In a hurry? No problem, swap the chicken breasts for your favorite rotisserie chicken. It will save you a step and is a great option when you are in a time crunch.
- Play with the flavors. This Panera chicken salad recipe is forgiving, so you can easily adjust the ingredients. Fresh herbs, cranberries, and diced apples are just a few ideas to consider.
- Swap the almonds. Not a fan of almonds? That's fine! Simply swap them for walnuts or pecans. Or leave the nuts out altogether.
- Prep ahead: Cook and chop the chicken, dice celery and halve grapes.
- Leftovers and Storage: This will last up to 4 days covered in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 446mgPotassium: 152mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 114IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Wendy Fillion says
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I am thrilled with the taste, the fact that it's right in my fridge and the money I'm saving by not buying the sandwich!!!
Jessy Freimann says
Woohoo- so glad you like it Wendy!
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Patti Prickett says
How many cups of chopped chicken would equal the 2 chicken breasts (which are all different sizes)? I would like to use the chicken off of a roasted chickef bought at the grocery store...
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Jessy Freimann says
Hi Patti! In my experience, I've gotten 3-4 cups of shredded chicken for a rotisserie chicken (depending on the size). So I'm say start at 2 cups and add more if needed. Hope you enjoy!
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Christina - The Everyday Dog Mom says
I made this today and my husband and I loved it. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Jessy Freimann says
I'm so glad you and he loved them Christina! Thanks for sharing!
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Maria says
I made it today.. we liked it soo much 👍🏻
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Jessy Freimann says
So glad you loved it!
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Ha Nguyen says
I was looking for a copy cat of the Napa Almond Chicken Salad recipe from Panera Bread and this was it! I followed every direction and it tasted delicious!! My fiance ate almost all of it and didn't save me any haha! Thank you so much for posting. Will definitely keep this as a recipe to make!
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Jessy Freimann says
I'm so glad you love it- that's my favorite thing to order at Panera, so I have to give it a shot at home!Haha your fiance sounds like my husband!
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NaTosha S Dudley says
Loveeeedddd ! Tasted just like Panera chicken salad! I added pecans and walnuts to mine and used green grapes instead of red to make it a little sour.
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Jessy Freimann says
NaTosha these changes sound seriously delicious! So glad you loved it!
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Mary Robinos says
I made this today but substituted dried basil with fresh ones that I have in abundance in my garden, as well as tomatoes and lettuce we have grown organically. Skipped the dried Rosemary since my family doesn’t like it. It was the bomb! If you’re on a low carb diet, just eat it with lettuce cups.Thanks for this recipe. I will make this again and again!
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Jessy Freimann says
Yum, that sounds delicious Mary- I'm so glad you loved it!
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Maria says
I made this and oh my! I used only half of the mayonnaise noted in the recipe but it was still delicious!! I'll definitely make it again!
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Jessy Freimann says
So glad you liked it Maria!
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Christina P. says
I made this and it turned out great! It was super easy since I made it using rotisserie chicken. Sooo good! Will definitely make it again.
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Andrea says
This is my go to chicken salad recipe. It’s so delicious!
Reply
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