Copycat Panera strawberry poppyseed chicken salad combines tender chicken, sweet strawberries, fresh greens, and a tangy poppyseed dressing for a light yet satisfying meal. This homemade version packs in sweet and savory fresh flavor anytime you want to enjoy a seasonal restaurant favorite.

Every year when strawberry season rolls around, this is copycat Panera strawberry poppyseed chicken salad is of those salads I find myself craving again and again.

The combination of juicy strawberries, tender chicken, crisp greens, and sweet-tangy dressing perfectly recreates the classic Panera dish right at home even Panera doesn’t have this seasonal salad on their menu.

Because it packs in protein with the chicken and chopped pecans, it will satisfy you.

But because there’s fruit in every bite and a light, bright dressing, it won’t feel too heavy for a summer meal.

And when you make it with farm fresh strawberies and blueberries?

Even better!

Enjoy it as a lunch or light dinner anytime!

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need a set of ingredients for the salad and another for the poppyseed dressing.

For the salad you’ll need:

Romaine lettuce– 6-8 cups of chopped romaine which is approximately 2-3 heads or about 2 bags of prechopped romaine.
Rotisserie chicken– Chopped with the skin and bones removed.
Strawberries– Sliced
Pineapple– Chopped
Mandarin oranges– Canned mandarin oranges, drained.
Blueberries
Pecans– Chopped and toasted. To toast them just spread them out in a frying pan over low heat and cook them until they smell nutty and the color deepens.

For the dressing you’ll need:

Mayonnaise– Real, full fat mayonnaise and not light mayo or mayonnaise style dressing.
Vinegar– Apple cider vinegar
Orange juice– Whatever kind you have in the fridge
Honey– For a little more sweetness
Poppyseeds
Mustard– Dijon
Dried minced onion

How to Make

This copycat Panera strawberry poppyseed chicken salad is so easy to make!

Just add the lettuce, chicken, strawberries, pineapple, oranges, blueberries, and pecans to a large salad serving bowl.

Then whisk together the mayo, vinegar, orange juice, honey, poppyseeds, dijon mustard, and dried onion in a a separate bowl until it’s smooth.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything before serving.

Enjoy!

Storing

Store leftover copycat Panera strawberry poppyseed chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

For the best results, store each of the ingredients in their own separate airtight containers.

If the salad has already been dressed, it’s best enjoyed within 24 hours since the greens will begin to wilt and the fruit can release moisture.

Give the salad a good toss before serving again.

Tips and Tricks

Wait to add the dressing until just before serving to keep the greens crisp and fresh.
Make extra dressing and keep the leftover dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for a full week of quick salads.
Drain the oranges well and pat the strawberries and blueberries dry before assembling the salad so it doesn’t get watery.

Other Copycat Panera Recipes

Copycat Panera strawberry poppyseed chicken salad tastes exactly like the restaurant version.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other copycat Panera recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this COPYCAT PANERA STRAWBERRY POPPYSEED CHICKEN SALAD, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad (Panera Bread Copycat)

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Course: Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 735kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

For The Salad

6-8 cups chopped romaine lettuce 2-3 heads of lettuce
2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
1 cup chopped pineapple
1 cup canned mandarin oranges drained
¾ cup blueberries
¾ cup toasted chopped pecans

For The Dressing

⅔ cup mayo
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons poppyseeds
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried minced onion

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large salad bowl, add the lettuce, chicken, strawberries, pineapple, oranges, blueberries, and pecans.
6-8 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries, 1 cup chopped pineapple, 1 cup canned mandarin oranges, ¾ cup blueberries, ¾ cup toasted chopped pecans
In a medium bowl, wish together the mayo, vinegar, orange juice, honey, poppyseeds, dijon mustard, and dried onion until smooth
⅔ cup mayo, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons poppyseeds, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss before serving.

Notes

Wait to add the dressing until just before serving to keep the greens crisp and fresh.
Make extra dressing and keep the leftover dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for a full week of quick salads.
Drain the oranges well and pat the strawberries and blueberries dry before assembling the salad so it doesn't get watery.