“Copycat” Panera Bread Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

Since being diagnosed with celiac disease, my restaurant options have become significantly more limited. No longer can I order a sandwich or pasta at my fav place. Which although that does suck, it has caused me to branch out of my comfort zone when ordering! I’m always trying new things to keep me interested!

So how does this relate to the iconic salad listed above?

Well… Panera Bread and I have a special connection! You could say I have a small obsession! There was a time when I would drive to Panera bread to get their French onion soup everyday! It was a problem! And obviously since going gluten free, I’ve had to find a new staple! And that’s where this amazing copycat salad comes in! With apples, cheese, and pecans this salad is absolutely addicting! It’s also WAYYY cheaper to make at home than to go buy it! Cause let’s be honest, Panera is not known for their cheap prices!

What is on the Salad?

Well on the original Panera Salad, it starts with a bed of red leaf lettuce blend. Then it is topped with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, pecans, Gorgonzola cheese, red onions, dried apple chips, and their signature apple dressing! All of which can be found at the grocery store!

Panera Bread’s at home salad dressing

The Dressing

If you didn’t know… Panera has their own line of dressings! These can be found at most any grocery store, and are almost identical to the dressings you get in the restaurant! So I highly recommend checking these out, because let’s be honest… a Panera salad is not complete without the signature dressing!

Now for what we’ve all been waiting for…

Without the dressing