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If you’re a fan of broccoli salad, get ready for this recipe to become your new favorite! Chicken Salad Chick does it right! And if I do say so myself, this copycat recipe is an excellent match.
Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad is a spot-on copycat recipe of one of your favorite broccoli salads! The homemade dressing is made easily with mayo, apple cider vinegar, and a bit of honey. Then the tangy dressing coats crunchy broccoli florets, combined with freshly grated cheese and crispy bacon pieces– Yum!
If you aren’t familiar with Chicken Salad Chick, it’s a lovely restaurant with super yummy types of chicken salad.
The original Chicken Salad Chick also serves delicious, pimento cheese, egg salads, garden salads, this grape salad, and so much more. Their food is tasty and freshly made each day! But when you want it right at home, why not make it? Since I don’t have a Chicken Salad Chick restaurant near me, the only way for me to enjoy it is to make a copycat recipe!
This recipe is an excellent side dish that is sure to please any crowd. Bring it to your next backyard BBQ, office potluck, or holiday meal.
This goes great with just about any main dish recipe! We serve it alot with Perfect Grilled Burgers and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Ingredient Notes
- Honey– Traditionally Chicken Salad Chick uses sugar, but I like to use honey because it’s a less processed sweetener. Regular sugar is fine.
- Vinegar– I prefer Apple cider vinegar “with the mother” Braggs is a great brand. ACV has so many great benefits. White wine vinegar or Red wine vinegar can be substituted.
- Mayo– The mayo adds a little tang and creaminess to the dressing. It’s not overpowering though.
- Broccoli- Fresh broccoli is needed for this salad. Frozen would turn mushy after thawing.
- Cheese– Grated fresh from the block produces the best flavor and texture. Cheddar and Mozzarella is the copycat version, but feel free to substitute if you like. This cheese grater is a game changer! I promise!!
- Bacon– I prefer an all natural no nitrates brand. You’ll want to cook the bacon ahead of time so it’s cooled for the salad. For a super shortcut, feel free to use real bacon bits purchased from the store.
How to Make Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list in the recipe card below.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
- Add the salad ingredients together, and toss so it’s mixed.
- Pour the homemade dressing on top and toss to coat all the yummy bits.
- Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, serve, and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- This is not an overly sweet recipe, however if you want the dressing to be less sweet, decrease the honey by a tablespoon. Don’t omit it, though– The recipe needs the sweetness to balance out the vinegar.
- Chill- Let the salad chill for 30 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Chop the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces if they aren’t already. I typically cut it right off the head and go from there. But if you are in a hurry, you can buy it already chopped, but it usually needs a bit more to be bite size.
- Blanch the broccoli if you prefer it crisp-tende. blanching also brings out the bright green color! **See instructions below**
How to Blanch Broccoli
I don’t typically do this for this recipe, it is preference only. I’m too lazy and really like my broccoli raw and crunchy. This won’t remove the crunch, but it does make it a bit more tender.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute only! Watch for the color to change to bright green, then it’s done.
- Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon (work quickly!) and immediately place it in an ice bath. Alternatively, you can dump the whole pot of broccoli into a strainer, and then plunge the broccoli all at once in the ice bath. Let it stay until cooled completely
- Lay out on a kitchen towel to dry before using in the salad.
Easiest Way To Cook Bacon
Line a large sheet pan with foil. Lay the bacon on the pan so the pieces don’t touch. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven, then using tongs transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and allow it to cool before crumbling.
Bacon Perfection!
Make Ahead Instructions
Make the dressing and assemble the salad. Store them separately, in airtight containers, until 30-60 minutes before serving. Then add the dressing and chill. These can be made up to a day in advance.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. It will last longer, but the cheese may get soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Broccoli salad shouldn’t sit out any longer than two hours because of the mayo. You can serve your salad in a bowl, placed in a larger bowl with just a bit of ice on the bottom to extend that time.
Chicken Salad Chick recipes are made with mayonnaise for the best flavor.
You can substitute Greek yogurt or a combination of Greek yogurt and sour cream for mayonnaise in broccoli salad if you want a lighter option. This will change the flavor though. You could also use half mayo and half nonfat Greek yogurt.
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Salad Recipes
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Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad
Equipment
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- measuring cups and spoons
- Grater I love the rotary cheese grater, makes grating cheese effortless!
- Whisk
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
- ⅔ cup mayo
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 6-8 cups fresh broccoli florets
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese grated off the block
- ½ cup Mozzarella cheese grated off the block
- 8 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, apple cider vinegar, mayo, salt and pepper until well blended.
- Place the broccoli, cheese, and bacon in a large bowl and toss to mix.
- Pour the dressing over top, and then gently stir thoroughly so the dressing is well distributed.
- Chill and serve.
Notes
- You can use regular sugar in place of honey if desired. White wine vinegar or red wine vinegar can be substituted for apple cider vinegar.
- Freshly grated cheese yields the best flavor.
- This dressing is not overly sweet, however, if you prefer a less sweet dressing, you can cut the honey back by a tablespoon. Some is needed to balance out the vinegar.
- If you like your broccoli a bit more tender, you can blanch it. See the post for the how-to.
- I recommend cooking bacon in the oven for the easiest most hands off way. See the post for details.
Nutrition
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