The Produce Box is a wonderful service here in North Carolina that provides you with fresh produce, meats, dairy, and bakery items directly from North Carolina farmers and other small business owners. Each week there is a different selection, depending on what’s available and in season, and unlike a CSA (Community-supported agriculture), you choose exactly what, and how much you want to purchase. It’s like a farmer’s market brought right to your door. (Want to become a member? Check it out here!)
If you ask me what’s my favorite salad the answer will always be the Chick-fil-A Market Salad. It’s sooo good. The flavor combinations are bright and delicious, and honestly, I could eat one for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day and not get tired of it!
But it never fails, I always seem to crave it on Sunday when Chick-fil-A is closed! So now I just make my own (if I can keep berries in the house, my kids can eat them by the pound faster than locusts!) With my weekly Produce Box deliveries now I always have the ingredients on hand for my favorite salad.
You just have to try it!! The Chick-fil-A Market salad is made with “sliced grilled chicken breast served on a fresh bed of chopped Romaine lettuce and baby greens, topped with shredded red cabbage and carrots, crumbled blue cheese and a mix of red and green apples, strawberries and blueberries. Served with Harvest Nut Granola, Roasted Nut Blend, Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing or pairs nicely with Light Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.”Â
Now I tweaked the Chick-fil-A recipe a little bit towards my personal tastes. I don’t like blue cheese so I used goat cheese crumbles. Sometimes just plain goat cheese; sometimes I use flavored, like this delicious basil and cracked pepper goat cheese, from Hillsborough Cheese Company I ordered from The Produce Box.
The best salad, IMO, have a lot of textures. Sometimes I add pecans, sunflower seeds, cashews and/or dried cherries. The tartness of the cherries goes really well with the sweet strawberries and tangy goat cheese. Plus I love how chewy they are–it makes me slow down and savor my salad.
I have to make a huge salad because my kids love this one as much as I do. But the recipe below is a “normal” size for people who don’t have five locusts daughters in the house.
My favorite dressing was Chick-fil-A’s light Balsamic Vinaigrette, until I found out how quick and easy it is to make your own! It only takes a couple of minutes and it tastes so much better than anything you can buy in a bottle. The secret is to use good quality balsamic vinegar. And this shaker makes it super simple!
Find my Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette here.
Copycat Chick-fil-A Market Salad
Ever crave the Chick-fil-A Market Salad only to realize it's Sunday and CFA is closed? Now you can have their delicious salad whenever you want!
Ingredients
- 1 C chopped or shredded chicken breast (cooked and cooled)
- 1 head chopped romaine lettuce (or 3 romaine hearts)
- 1 8 oz bag baby greens
- 1/2 C shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 C chopped or shredded carrots
- 1/8 C crumbled goat cheese--optional (not a fan of Blue Cheese)
- 1 red apple, cut into chunks
- 1 green apple, cut into chunks
- 1 pint strawberries, quartered
- 1/4 C blueberries
Instructions
- Mix ingredients together
- Top with homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Enjoy!
Notes
In a hurry? You can use leftover roasted chicken, bagged salad, and pre-made dressing.
This balsamic vinaigrette recipe is easy to make, delicious, and tastes MUCH better than store bought dressing!
CFA also serves their salad with packets of Harvest Nut Granola, and Roasted Nut Blend. I almost never use them, but you can easily grab some salad toppers to add some extra crunch.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 151Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 300mgSodium: 111mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 5gSugar: 9gProtein: 11g
You make it I will come EAT IT! YUMMY!!! I love balsamic for ANYTHING. I joke my oldest daughter was going to come out covered in it, because I couldn’t get enough while I was pregnant… bread was just an excuse to DRINK the stuff! 🙂
Doesn’t it have grains and walnuts in it ? Also
Hi Melissa. Chick-fil-A gives you a packet of nuts to add to your salad, I chose to omit that (also the blue cheese, yuck! lol)
Cannot wait to try! Found your Balsamic Dressing recipe which lead me to this! I love their salad and now have the recipe. Thank you.
That is wonderful you can receive a box like that in your area. We have some local producers who are starting to do boxes likes this in our area.
Yum, this looks really good. It seems like the perfect lunch for those spring days with friends. Thanks for the recipe.
I don’t know what a CSA is, but do know that a locally sourced box sounds pretty neat. My husband loves salad and I think he would enjoy trying this one.
Our CSA only operates seasonally when the farmers market runs and should open any day now. Great way to support local growers and enjoy the freshest produce. It’s a little steep at about $50/box but it’s worth it. I don’t know of one which operates year round as most typically open in the Spring and run til Fall. The Chick Fil A Market Salad is one of my faves and it’s the crumbled blue cheese and Harvest Nut Granola that I love the most so that’s about the only thing I’d add to this tasty recipe. Bookmarking your Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe. Looks so yummy!
I must try this! I don’t think I ever had the salad at Chick-fil-a. Normally I pig out on the chicken sandwich and waffle fries. But this looks incredible!
This looks amazing. I like trying to do copycat meals because let’s face it the reason we like going out to eat is because the food taste so good. I will definitely be trying this one.
This is my favorite salad at Chick-fil-a. I need to try to make it at home like you did. Thanks for giving me inspiration!
I love this! I wish we had it here… We do bountiful baskets sometimes, but it’s been so long since I have. I need to start that up again.
I love everything on their menu. I haven’t had one of their salads in forever though. It looks delicious!
I’m really interested in that produce box. It’s something that we could definitely use in the house. Thanks for the recipe! It looks so good!
I need to seek out this type of service in my area. I’m a Chick-fil-A lover so I totally get it. Next time I go I will try out this salad.
Ohh thanks for the recipe. Been trying to check out different recipes that I can try and I am glad I found this too. Great to make when hosting friends get together at home.
I didn’t even know they had salads. Oops! But this one looks great (minus the chicken because I’m not a meat eater).
I absolutely love Chick-Fil_a salads! I need to try and make this at home ASAP!
I definitely have to try this recipe! I’ve been collecting salad recipes for Spring and Summer because I love having them for lunch, they’re fresh and refreshing. I think that produce box is great! I love that they bring you whatever produce is available or in season.
It is so funny you say this, my son always asks for it on Sunday too! This recipe looks delicious and perfect for Sunday’s.
In a world of processed and instant food, The Produce Box comes as a breath of fresh air. Produce straight from the farms, dairies, and the like sounds so fresh and healthy and would make for such a healthy diet for the family.
You’ve convinced me to eat more salad. I’ve never had this Chick-Fil-A salad, but it looks delish!
Chick-fil-A market salad is so good and delicious. The copycat looks watering mouth.