This is the very best Panera Bread Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad recipe. Loaded with fresh fruit, grilled chicken, toasted pecans, and drizzled with their signature poppy seed dressing. This salad will quickly become a go-to recipe the entire family will love and is full of flavor in every bite.
We love adding a good salad to our menu! Be sure to check out the 10+Salads and Dressings on the site to find your next favorite.
Recipe Features
- Quick and Easy Dinner: This salad can be ready in as little as 10 minutes, which is ideal for busy weeknights!
- Fresh Flavor: Loaded with FOUR different fruits and grilled chicken, this salad does not lack flavor.
- Healthy Recipe: Searching for something filling and still healthy? Add this to your menu!
I have always been a sucker for the Panera poppyseed salad. It is so fresh and inviting. The idea of so many fruits together on a salad is almost addicting, which is why I knew I needed to start making this salad recipe at home. It’s surprisingly simple and perfect for meal prep! You will fall in love with this flavor packed salad, especially the poppyseed dressing!
Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing Ingredients
This recipe is so delicious and saves you money when you make your own at home! You’ll get the same great flavor of dining in but only spend a fraction of the cost! Here’s what you will need to get started:
- Lettuce– According to their menu, romaine lettuce is what is used in the traditional recipe. I chop mine a bit smaller, but you could definitely leave the pieces bigger. Make it how you like your salad.
- Grilled Chicken– Here’s where you can start to get really creative. I grill large batches of chicken and keep it in the freezer for salads, but you can find pre-cooked chicken slices in the freezer section of most grocery stores, OR you can use rotisserie or leftovers.
- Fruit– Specifically, you’ll want mandarin oranges, blueberries, strawberries, and pineapple. Fresh is best, but in a pinch you can use canned pineapple. Both taste equally delicious.
- Pecans– This is technically optional, but it makes all of the difference in the salad texture. Toast them in the oven for a few minutes, just until they are fragrant, and add to the dish. You could swap it for walnuts or almonds as well.
- Dressing– You for sure could make a homemade version of poppyseed dressing. I love homemade salad dressings. However, for the sake of time saving, I opt for buying pre-made dressings. There is an entire shelf dedicated to poppy seed dressings. You can even find the Panera Poppyseed Dressing in most grocers!
How to make the Panera Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Preparing a salad could not be easier. A few tips before you start:
- Invest in a salad spinner or allow the lettuce to dry completely after washing.
- In fact, let all of the fruits dry as well. Adding less water to the salad will let the dressing shine.
- You can slice the fruit and toast the pecans up to 3 days in advance, which makes prep time even easier.
- Store chopped lettuce with a paper towel to help keep it crisp.
- Combine the romaine, sliced chicken, berries, oranges, pineapple, and pecans, in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with salad dressing.
- Toss to combine and serve.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Looking for a way to get that grilled chicken flavor without starting up the grill? I’ve got you covered.
1. Prep your chicken with your favorite marinade or salt and pepper.
2. Generously grease and heat a stovetop grill pan to medium high heat for 5 minutes, or until the pan is nice and hot.
3. Lower the temperature to medium and add the chicken.
4. Let the chicken breast cook for 5 minutes without flipping.
5. After the 5 minutes, use tongs to carefully flip the chicken and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Yes. While I prefer to buy this dressing premade, you can definitely make it yourself. We love using this easy recipe from AllRecipes for a homemade poppyseed salad dressing.
Of course! This salad is perfect to serve to a crowd. You can easily double or triple it.
The best way to keep your salad fresh and from wilting is to assemble just before serving. You could add the fruit and chicken in advance, just make sure to keep the dressing off until just before you serve. You could even serve it on the side!
More Salad Recipes
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Southwest Chicken Salad
- Copycat Zupas Strawberry Harvest Salad
- Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette
- Cucumber Greek Salad Recipe
- Italian Chopped Salad Recipe
- Quick Taco Salad Recipe
- Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad
More Copycat Recipes
- Asian Zing Sauce Recipe- Buffalo Wild Wings Copycat
- Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso Recipe
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Frosted Lemonade Recipe
- Malibu Chicken Recipe (Sizzler Copycat)
- Copycat Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup
- Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
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Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Romain Lettuce washed and chopped
- 1 grilled chicken breast cut to strips
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup mandarin oranges
- 1/2 cup fresh pineapple cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup strawberries sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
- 1/4-1/2 cup poppyseed dressing
Instructions
- Combine the romaine, sliced chicken, berries, oranges, pineapple, and pecans, in a large bowl.
- Top with grilled chicken.
- Drizzle with salad dressing.
- Toss to combine and serve.
Notes
- Invest in a salad spinner or allow the lettuce to dry completely after washing.
- In fact, let all of the fruits dry as well. Adding less water to the salad will let the dressing shine.
- You can slice the fruit and toast the pecans up to 3 days in advance, which makes prep time even easier.
- Store chopped lettuce with a paper towel to help keep it crisp.
Nutrition
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