Is creamy chicken salad between two slices of bread calling your name? I’ve made it my mission to find the tastiest chicken salad sandwiches, and let me tell you, there are some great ones out there! Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or a filling dinner, these restaurant chains serve chicken salad that will make your taste buds dance.
A Brief History of Chicken Salad
Before diving into where to get the best sandwich let’s appreciate the history of this American classic. Despite mayonnaise being invented way back in 1756 chicken salad didn’t appear on American menus until more than a century later.
A lot of food historians say that chicken salad started in the 1800s, and that Liam Gray, who opened Town Meats in Rhode Island, made the first known chicken salad in the US. His simple but brilliant mix of leftover chicken, mayonnaise, grapes, and tarragon became so popular that you can now find chicken salad in all kinds of restaurants, from fast food joints to high-end restaurants.
Where to Find the Best Chicken Salad Sandwiches
When the craving hits, here are seven restaurant chains where you can satisfy your chicken salad sandwich desires:
1. Panera Bread
Panera’s Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich is a fan favorite across the country. This delightful creation features:
- Chicken raised without antibiotics
- Special dressing
- Diced celery
- Toasted almonds
- Sliced red grapes
All of this deliciousness is served on their fantastic country rustic sourdough bread with mixed greens and tomatoes. With 640 calories per sandwich, it’s a hearty meal that tastes great.
2. Chicken Salad Chick
When a restaurant names itself Chicken Salad Chick, you know they’re serious about their specialty! This chain offers an impressive 12 varieties of chicken salad on the menu.
Their “Classic Carol” is the traditional one. It’s made with mayonnaise, finely chopped celery, all-white meat shredded chicken, and their own secret seasoning. That’s not all, though. You can choose from spicy, savory, fruity, and nutty flavors. With so many choices, you’ll never get bored!.
3. Pret a Manger
Pret’s Chicken Salad & Avo Sandwich is a modern twist on the classic Their version includes
- Antibiotic-free grilled chicken
- Cage-free mayonnaise
- Sliced almonds
- Dried cranberries
- Whole grain mustard-mayo
What makes it special is the addition of sliced avocado and mesclun greens atop multigrain bread It’s a healthier take that doesn’t sacrifice flavor
4. Arby’s
Though it has limited availability at select locations, Arby’s Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich has developed a cult following. In fact, there are countless copycat recipes online from fans trying to recreate this fast-food delight.
Arby’s version includes diced chicken, pecans, apples, celery, and red grapes – creating a perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, and sweet. At 840 calories, it’s definitely an indulgence, but fans insist it’s worth every bite.
5. Jason’s Deli
Health-conscious diners will appreciate Jason’s Deli approach to chicken salad. With over 250 locations nationwide, they pride themselves on wholesome ingredients free from:
- Processed MSG
- Artificial trans fats
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Artificial dyes and flavors
Their chicken salad stands out with the unique addition of almonds and pineapple – a tropical twist! You can order it plain or build your own sandwich. For the full experience, try their famous “Shelley’s Deli Chick” specialty sandwich, which combines their chicken salad with lettuce and tomato on a toasted croissant.
6. Honey Baked Ham Company
Don’t let the name fool you – this family-owned chain knows its way around chicken salad too! Their freshly made chicken salad comes served on a flaky croissant with lettuce and tomato.
This sandwich is so good that it even inspired an entire article in a Louisiana newspaper describing it as “traditional yet experimental” and likely to be added to your “shortlist of go-to lunch meals.” At 560 calories, it strikes a nice balance between indulgence and reasonable portion size.
7. Au Bon Pain
With nearly 200 locations around the country, Au Bon Pain offers both a chicken salad scoop and sandwich option. Their version features:
- Chicken
- Cranberries
- Toasted almonds
- Mayo
The scoop option is particularly nice for those watching carbs – it’s served with grape tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette atop field greens, coming in at just 280 calories.
Delivery Options When You Don’t Want to Leave Home
Sometimes you just don’t feel like going out. Good news – many delivery services can bring chicken salad sandwiches right to your door!
Services like Grubhub and DoorDash have dedicated sections for chicken salad sandwich delivery. You can easily find local restaurants and chains that offer this classic comfort food with just a few clicks or taps.
The convenience of modern food delivery means your chicken salad sandwich craving can be satisfied without ever changing out of your pajamas. What a time to be alive!
Making Your Own Chicken Salad Sandwich
If you’re feeling inspired by all these delicious options, why not try making your own at home? The basic formula is simple:
- Cooked chicken (rotisserie works great!)
- Mayonnaise
- Seasonings
- Mix-ins (celery, nuts, fruits, etc.)
- Your choice of bread
I personally love adding a bit of curry powder to my homemade chicken salad – it gives it that special something that keeps everyone asking for the recipe!
Why We Love Chicken Salad Sandwiches
There’s something magical about chicken salad that keeps us coming back. Maybe it’s the versatility – it works as a sandwich, wrap, on crackers, or straight from the container with a fork. Perhaps it’s the comfort food factor – creamy, familiar, and satisfying.
Whatever the reason, chicken salad has earned its place in American food culture. From its humble beginnings as a way to use leftover chicken to its current status as a menu staple, this simple creation continues to delight taste buds across the country.
Final Thoughts
Whether you prefer your chicken salad traditional or with creative twists, there’s a restaurant chain ready to serve up exactly what you’re craving. From Panera’s almond version to Arby’s pecan variety, each chain puts their unique spin on this classic dish.
Next time you’re wondering “where can I get a chicken salad sandwich?”, remember this list and treat yourself to one of these delicious options. Your taste buds will thank you!
And if you’ve never tried a chicken salad sandwich before (really?!), what are you waiting for? There’s a whole world of creamy, chickeny goodness out there just waiting to be discovered. Go on – take a bite!
How To Make Chicken Salad
- Chicken breasts: You can’t make a great chicken salad without chicken that is cooked just right and is juicy but not too lean. It’s common to put dark meat in chicken salad, but I feel like it can make the whole thing too soft and fatty. Instead, poaching chicken breast in seasoned chicken broth is a simple way to make sure you won’t get dry, bland chicken. It’s important to pick smaller breasts that will cook more evenly. If you are short on time, a rotisserie chicken is also a good choice. But resist the urge to shred the chicken. By cutting the chicken into small pieces, the ingredients can be spread out more evenly.
- Chicken broth: You can use water instead of chicken broth, but the flavor it adds to the salad is stronger.
- Seasoned salt: Same thing as regular salt—seasoned will make this taste even better.
- Dressing: Mayonnaise is great for making salads creamy, but it needs some help to not make the salad too heavy. Full-fat Greek yogurt, lemon, and Dijon mustard are all acidic foods that will help keep things rich but light and bright.
- Mix-Ins: For me, the only things that should be in chicken salad are crunchy celery, some kind of onion (I like red for color), and leafy herbs (I love dill and parsley). Other than that, this is the fun part! Go nuts. or grapes, or avocado, or whatever your heart desires. Peanuts or pecans that have been toasted will add more texture, and fruit will give it a sweet burst. This is my favorite ingredient because it has a layer of crisp, briny salt from the dill pickles. No matter what you choose, make sure the pieces are all about the same size so they’re spread out evenly in each bite.
You’ll start by poaching your chicken breasts breasts by combining them in a pot with broth and salt, then bringing everything to a boil. You’ll be aiming for an internal temperature of 165°, which should take about 10 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, use it! Once your chicken is done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes to cool down.
Meanwhile, make your dressing by combining your yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, dill, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl and mixing until relatively smooth. You might be tempted to throw your crunchy mix-ins here too, but I found that it all mixes together better if you make the dressing first, then add the chicken to coat, and then add your mix-ins.
Once your chicken is cool, cut it into as uniform of cubes as you can manage, then add it to your dressing and stir everything together. Add whatever mix-ins you like, and stir to combine. Taste for seasonings (I usually have to add a good amount of salt here).
This can be eaten right away by itself or on a sandwich, but I like to put it in the fridge for a while first so the flavors can blend better. You do you!.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe above.
What To Serve With Chicken Salad
- There are many popular versions of pasta salad on Delish, but this Italian-style recipe is always my first choice when I need a quick and easy BBQ side.
- Potato salad: This potato salad also shows up at almost all of my summer cookouts because it’s creamy, a little sour, and not too sweet (the worst!).
- Simple corn salad is one of my favorite ways to eat corn. I love corn in all its forms, but elote is my favorite. Like my chicken salad, this one can be changed in many ways.
Chicken salad is an ideal make-ahead recipe because it gets better as it sits. Make it a day or two ahead of time, then store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. If you have leftovers, put them in a container that won’t let air in and put it in the fridge for about three days. Then you can eat amazing lunch sandwiches and salads for days! Advertisement – Continue Reading Below.
- 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 to 4)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 2 Tbsp. seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s) or kosher salt, divided.
- 1/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tbsp. grainy or smooth Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles (from about 2 spears)
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Step 1: Put the chicken, broth, and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large pot and heat it over medium-high heat. plus 1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt. Turn down the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes. As Step 2 goes on, mix yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, dill, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl until it’s smooth. Step 3: Dice the chicken into 1/4-inch cubes and add them to the yogurt mixture. Toss to coat. Add celery, onion, pickles, pepper, and remaining 1 1/2 tsp. salt and mix until well combined.
How to Make Chicken Salad | Get Cookin’ | Allrecipes
FAQ
Does Arby’s have chicken salad sandwiches?
If you don’t want to make your own or go to a deli or diner, many restaurant chains make their own versions of the famous dish. Fast-food chains Arby’s and Panera Bread used to serve chicken salad sandwiches, but alas, they are no longer gracing the menu.
Does Chick-fil-A still sell chicken salad sandwiches?
“Chicken Salad was previously available on the menu at participating Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide. Even though it’s no longer on the menu, we’d like to offer the recipe so you can make it in your own kitchen,” the Atlanta-based chain announced on its website.
Does Subway make a chicken salad sandwich?
Subway is marketing the sandwich as one of its low-fat options. A 6-inch chicken salad sub has 8 grams of fat.
Does Panera have chicken salad sandwiches?
Featuring our 100% Whole Wheat sliced bread topped with cracked wheat, this lemony chicken salad sandwich will be your next lunch go-to.