Copycat Panera Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

I don’t know about you, but I think Panera totally overcharges for their salads! It costs $10 for a salad, when I can make my own at home for a fraction of the cost! I was craving a fruity salad the other day, so of course I took inspiration from my one of my favorite Panera salads! My actual favorite right now is probably the Thai Chicken salad, but I try not to eat out often to save money! I added some of my own flare to this as well by adding blueberries and eliminating the cheese, and swapping the pecans for almonds! I had grilled the chicken beforehand so it was cold, just like they serve it at Panera!

You will need:

Spring Mix Lettuce (about 3-4 cups)

1 small Roma tomato

1 small Fuji apple

10-12 raw almonds

handful of blueberries (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 inch slice of red onion

1 grilled chicken breast

Seasoned with garlic, pepper, and roasted garlic and herb spices

Homemade Fuji Apple Dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white/golden balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons all natural/organic honey

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (dry)

Directions:

Thaw and grill chicken with seasonings added. Allow the chicken to cool as you prepare the rest of your salad. I started with making the dressing first so the flavors would have a little bit of time to blend together. I used a cruet to make the salad dressing. If you don’t have one, I suggest using a big glass measuring cup and whisking it well. Simply add all of the ingredients for the dressing in to the cruet and shake well.

Next, assemble your salad by placing the lettuce on the plate, slicing the Fuji apple very thin and placing on top. Next, add tomato, onion, almonds, and blueberries on top. Finish it off with the sliced grilled chicken. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing! The dressing should keep well covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!

I don’t know about everyone else, but I love to save money while eating healthy! This salad has the perfect balance of protein, fiber, veggies, and healthy fats. This is definitely a meal that your budget will thank you for! Instead of grabbing lunch at Panera, make this salad at home next time! You won’t regret it!

Let me know if you try it below in the comments!