Panera Bread Company is well known for their delicious bread and baked goods, soups, salads and sandwiches. But unfortunately, Panera is also known for their super-high price point!
Now, I love Panera as much as the next guy, but am I wrong in thinking that their prices have skyrocketed through the roof? My husband, youngest and I went there recently and 3 half-sandwiches and 3 cups of soup came to $57!
When I started my YouTube channel and this website, I had two main goals. The first was to serve my community of viewers that live far from their favorite restaurants. And the second was to serve restaurant recipes for my community that is tired of paying the expensive restaurant bill at the end of the meal. Having delicious restaurant recipes shouldn’t have to be a luxury.
I LOVE that I can do this for y’all.
I am climbing off my soap box now…
I absolutely LOVE this chicken salad and not just because it is named after one of my favorite places on earth, Napa Valley. The celery gives it a nice crunchy texture, the red grapes give it a delightful sweetness and the almonds…well, they just HIT! Oh, and did I mention? The dressing has tarragon in it!
Out of the park.
And while this salad is great on a sandwich, I prefer mine straight up on a plate. I definitely recommend using roasted chicken, as opposed to canned chicken. The flavor will have a much deeper and richer complexity. OK, I heard it. I sound stupid going on about complexity when talking about chicken salad, but it’s TRUE.
I’m not here to judge, though. If you’re short on time (or patience) use canned chicken and call it a day. And for more great Panera recipes, check out their Baked Egg Soufflés and their Summer Corn Chowder. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 cups of roasted chicken, white and dark meat, pulled and chopped
- 1 cup of red grapes, halved
- 2/3 cup celery, dark green stalks only, medium dice
- 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1 cup mayonnaise, Duke’s preferred
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 TBL honey
- 1 TBL apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp. ground mustard
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. dried basil
- ½ tsp. dried tarragon
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the last nine ingredients until well blended to make the dressing.
In a large mixing bowl, add the first 4 ingredients. Slowly add the dressing to the chicken salad adding just a bit at a time. Add the dressing to your personal desired creaminess, using less of the dressing for a drier chicken salad and more for a moister salad.
To serve as a sandwich, use a thick sliced whole grain bread, add tomato, red onion and Boston lettuce.
Serve with Panera's Broccoli & Cheddar Soup or Panera's Summer Corn Chowder and Enjoy!
FULL VIDEO TUTORIAL
