If you have ever tried the broccoli salad at Chicken Salad Chick, you will know that it’s a simple yet insanely addictive dish that you just can’t get enough of.
With our super easy copycat recipe, you can now make it yourself at home as and when you have a craving for a bowl of delicious broccoli salad!
The Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad is also a great dish to make for gatherings and special occasions as it is also a hit among people who don’t usually eat salad!
This has to be one of your go-to dish for a healthy and delicious meal.
We will also share some tips on how to modify the recipe to achieve a broccoli salad bowl that suits your own preference.
To skip right to the best copycat Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad recipe, jump straight to the recipe card below.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients required for the Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad:
- Broccoli florets: This is the base of our salad. We recommend getting fresh broccoli from the market and then cut it into florets for use in the recipe. Around 2 pounds of broccoli should be more than sufficient to serve around 6 people so you can gauge accordingly.
- Bacon: Adding bacon into the broccoli salad helps to provide additional flavor and texture to it. We recommend cooking your own bacon, getting it crumbled, crisp and cut it down to bite-sized pieces for the absolute best taste. When choosing the bacon, try and get a thin cut one with slightly higher meat to fat ratio. However, if you are in a rush for time or you value the convenience more, you can definitely use store-bought bacon bits as well.
- Shredded cheese: Any shredded version of your favorite cheese works in this recipe. If you have no idea where to start, you cannot go wrong with a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar cheese! The cheese taste is quite mild and will suit most people.
- Mayonnaise: The mayo serves as the base of our dressing and helps to add flavor to the broccoli salad. It really complements the salad and goes very well with the broccoli.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can use white vinegar or balsamic vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar as well. The vinegar helps to thin the dressing and add depth to the flavor.
- Sugar: The sugar helps to give some sweetness to the dressing and definitely enhances the taste of the overall salad. For a sugar-free alternative, feel free to substitute this with Stevia. You can also use honey in place of sugar if you prefer.
- Lemon juice: The lemon juice helps to give some zest and tangy flavor to the broccoli salad. It makes the dish really refreshing and we recommend not skipping this.
Kitchen Equipment
The equipment required for the Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad recipe are all very basic items that you should already have in your kitchen:
- Small mixing bowl: This is used for combining and mixing the wet ingredients to create our dressing.
- Large mixing bowl: This is used for placing and combining the broccoli and bacon, and then pouring the final dressing over them.
- Colander or strainer: This is used for washing the broccoli and drying them.
- Cutting board: For cutting the broccoli.
- Knife or scissors: For cutting the broccoli and bacon. Either knife or scissors can be used.
- Pan or skillet: For cooking the bacon. Not required if using store-bought bacon bits.
Instructions
The Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad recipe is really simple to follow:
- Cut the broccoli into florets
Start by taking out the fresh broccoli and cut them into florets.
Wash and rinse them thoroughly and then drain using a colander. Set them aside to dry while preparing the other ingredients.
For tips on how to cut the broccoli, see the frequently asked section below. - Cook the bacon
Place the bacon into a cold pan and cook it over low heat as we want them to be evenly cooked.
Flip the bacon when they buckle and curl.
Brown them evenly and then once done, transfer it to a paper towel to drain off the excess grease and let them cool.
Cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Skip this step if you are using store-bought bacon bits although we recommend cooking the bacon yourself for the best taste. - Combine broccoli, bacon and cheese
In a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, cut bacon that is crisp and shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. - Prepare dressing
In a separate small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and lemon juice. Mix them well and stir or whisk until the sugar is dissolved. - Transfer the dressing
Pour the well-combined dressing mixture over the broccoli florets, bacon and cheese. Mix them well until the broccoli are well-coated with the delicious dressing. - Store in refrigerator to chill
The final step is to place the bowl into the fridge to chill it. This copycat Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad is best served chilled!
Tip #1: When cooking the bacon, make sure not to overlap the strips as we want them to be evenly and thoroughly cooked.
Tip #2: For best taste, allow the final product to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours so that the dressing has time to soak into the broccoli for maximum flavor! You can prepare it one day in advanced and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator as well!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can the Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad be stored for?
Refrigerator: If it is stored in the refrigerator properly in an air-tight container, the broccoli salad can last up to 3 days. This is the recommended storage method. Discard any leftovers after 3 days.
At room temperature: If it is left out in the open at room temperature, we recommend to keep to a 2 hours limit. This is due to the ingredients being used, with mayonnaise and cheese being very perishable products.
Freezer: We do not recommend long-term storage in the freezer as it will simply affect the taste and quality of the broccoli salad. It is best to consume it fresh. In any case, this Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad recipe is so quick and easy to make, there is no reason to freeze it for future consumption!
How do we prepare and cut the broccoli?
We want to separate the smaller florets from the thick center stem, so with the crown head facing your chopping board, start cutting away the smaller stems to remove the florets.
If there are larger pieces, you can carefully cut the florets through its stem to divide it into 2.
What kind of bacon should we use for the Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad?
We want the bacon to be crispy and provide a nice texture to the salad so it should preferably be thin cut. A thicker cut will produce a more chewy texture which we want to avoid.
Try and choose bacon that has more meat than fat as well. Go for natural or nitrate-free bacon if you can find them.
Is the Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad healthy?
Broccoli itself is super healthy and is very beneficial to the digestive health. It is rich in fiber and antioxidants and helps to support a healthy bowel function. It is also packed with numerous vitamins and minerals.
Mayonnaise and bacon on the other hand, lies more on the unhealthy side. Both are high in fat content and are calorie dense. You can make the salad healthier but reducing the amount of mayonnaise and bacon.
Can you eat the Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad with other dishes?
Yes! The broccoli salad makes a wonderful side dish and can complement any other main dish like Angus beef, ground pork pasta, or even seafood!
It’s what makes this dish so amazing!
Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad
If you have ever tried the broccoli salad at Chicken Salad Chick, you will know that it's a simple yet insanely addictive dish that you just can't get enough of.
With our super easy copycat recipe, you can now make it yourself at home as and when you have the craving for a bowl of delicious broccoli salad!
Ingredients
- 2 fresh broccoli, cut into florets
- 8 slices of thin cut bacon
- 1½ cup of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ⅛ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Start by taking out the fresh broccoli and cut them into florets. Wash and rinse them thoroughly and then drain using a colander. Set them aside to dry while preparing the other ingredients.
- Place the bacon into a cold pan and then cook it over low heat. Flip the bacon when they buckle and curl. Brown them evenly and then once done, transfer it to a paper towel to drain off the excess grease and let them cool. Cut them into bite-sized pieces. Skip this step if you are using store-bought bacon bits although we recommend cooking the bacon yourself for the best taste.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, cut bacon that is crisp and shredded cheese.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and lemon juice. Mix them well and stir or whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the well-combined dressing mixture over the broccoli florets, bacon and cheese. Mix them well until the broccoli are well-coated with the delicious dressing.
- The final step is to place the bowl into the fridge to chill it. This copycat Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad is best served chilled!
Notes
- When cooking the bacon, make sure not to overlap the strips as we want them to be evenly and thoroughly cooked.
- For best taste, allow the final product to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours so that the dressing has time to soak into the broccoli for maximum flavor! You can prepare it one day in advanced and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator as well!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 317Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 416mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 8g
Nutrition information is only an estimate and can vary depending on ingredients used.
Alternate Recipes / Tweaks & Modifications
The Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad recipe can easily be modified to create other variations. Here are some tweaks and modifications that you can try:
1. Add red onions
Red onions help to provide a sharp and mildly spicy flavor to the salad and is a popular addition to the broccoli salad.
Just chop them into slices and add them to the base broccoli salad recipe for the extra flavor.
2. Add fruits
For an even healthier broccoli salad, you can add some fruits into the mix!
We find that the shredded cheese clashes with the sweetness of the fruits and would recommend skipping the cheese.
Grapes, blueberries, cranberries and apples all make good additions to the broccoli salad!
You can also add dried fruits to provide more sweetness to the broccoli salad. Raisins go very well with the salad here.
3. Add flower seeds
For even more nutrition, you can add flower seeds to the broccoli salad.
They provide a nice crunch and texture to the salad as well!
Some popular choices include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds.
4. Add a main protein
You can easily convert this into a main dish by adding another main protein to it.
Turn it into a chicken broccoli salad by adding some grilled chicken and you will have a very wholesome meal!
We hope you enjoyed making the Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad with our very easy copycat recipe that also tastes super amazing!
We think our Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad recipe is the best as it only requires a few very basic ingredients and since it is so quick to whip up, you will definitely find yourself coming back to this recipe more than once.
Feel free to make your own tweaks and modifications to the base recipe to suit your preference and create your own unique broccoli salad!
Let us know how it goes for your Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad!
Share on your favorite social media platform and tag us @GloriousRecipes – we can’t wait to see what you have made!