RecipeI want you to take a tasty adventure with an easy dish that will elevate your overall taste – try the chicken salad chick broccoli salad recipe.
In this blog post, we will discuss the complete process of preparing chicken salad chick broccoli salad. Later, we will also look at variations, pro tips to level up the taste, storage and freezing tips and much more.
What is chicken salad chick broccoli salad?
The broccoli salad from the Chicken Salad Chick Restaurant chain is a famous side dish. It is prepared with fresh broccoli, bacon bits, chopped red onions, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds all tossed in a creamy dressing.
The dressing generally contains apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, and honey for a sweet and tangy flavour. People love it due to its crunchiness and delightful sweet-savoury flavour.
Why you will love this recipe
- Make ahead: You can prepare the salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator before serving. It lets the flavours mix.
- Easy-to-prepare: It is an easy-to-make salad, making it perfect for a busy day. It contains basic ingredients with simple instructions.
- Nutritious Ingredients: Broccoli contains vitamins and minerals, cranberries provide antioxidants and sunflower seed offers protein and fats.
- Versatile: This broccoli salad works with various dishes, making it a flexible side dish for picnics, dinners and lunch with friends or family.
Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe Tips
- Fresh ingredients: Make sure to use fresh broccoli for the best texture. Avoid the usage of frozen broccoli because it may get soft once thawed.
- Prepare ahead: You can prepare the ingredients for broccoli salad ahead of time by storing them separately in the refrigerator. You can mix them with the dressing right before serving to maintain their freshness.
- Chop ingredients uniformly: Chop the red onion, broccoli, and bacon into evenly sized pieces to get a consistent bite.
- Customize dressing: You can customize the dressing by adjusting the amount of apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise and honey as per your preferred level.
- Cook bacon crispy: Make the bacon crispy to offer a nice crunch to the salad. Alternatively, you can also use the pre-cooked bacon pieces.
Variations
- Asian broccoli salad: Include sliced bell peppers, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro and edamame beans in the salad. Mix with the dressing prepared with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey and ginger.
- Greek-inspired broccoli salad: This variation includes cherry tomatoes, diced tomatoes, feta cheese and sprinkled dried oregano to the salad. Prepare a dressing with lemon juice, garlic, greek yogurt and dill.
- Southwest broccoli salad: Add red bell peppers, corn, black beans, green onion, and avocados to the salad. Choose a creamy dressing prepared with lime juice, sour cream, chilli powder, cilantro and cumin.
- Mediterranean broccoli salad: Mix diced cucumbers, onion slices, black olives, and feta cheese into the salad. Dress with a mix of red wine vinegar, olive oil, diced oregano, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
What to serve
Grilled meats: You can also serve the broccoli salad with grilled meats like chicken, steak etc. The crispy texture makes the salad more interesting and the taste also works well with the meat.
- Sandwiches or wraps: You can include the broccoli salad in the sandwiches or wraps that contain turkey, or chicken inside.
- Pasta Salad: You can also serve the broccoli salad with the pasta. Choose the pasta that works well with flavours like feta cheese, pesto, and cherry tomatoes.
- Soup: You can also serve the broccoli salad with a variety of soups like chicken soup, butter squash soup and tomato soup. The contrast in textures and temperatures makes it a cozy dish.
- Roasted salad: Roasted vegetables like carrots, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts are also a great option that you can serve with broccoli salad.
Storing and freezing
Storing
- Make sure to place the salad in an air-tight container to avoid moisture loss and contamination.
- Store the air-tight container in the refrigerator at a temperature lower than 40 F (4 C).
- Make sure to consume the salad within 3-5 days for the best flavour and quality.
Freezing
- For freezing the salad, make sure that it’s in a heavy-duty freezer bag or an air-tight container.
- Leave some space in the bag or container to allow expansion when frozen.
- Label the container or the bags with the date to keep track of the freshness.
- Store the salad in the freezer at a temperature lower than 0 F.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the chicken salad chick broccoli salad recipe offers a delightful combination of texture and flavour which makes it popular. The involvement of savoury bacon bits, cheddar cheese, tasty broccoli, and creamy dressing makes it a healthy meal.
So, whether you are planning to consume it right away or later, the chicken salad chick broccoli salad is an ideal option for a homemade salad.
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Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped bacon cooked
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds roasted and unsalted
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add red onions, cranberries, broccoli, sunflowerseeds and bacon.
- In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, honey and apple cider vinegar until it is combined thoroughly. Season the mixture with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Drizzle the dressing onto the broccoli mixture and mix until everything is evenly covered.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and put the salad in the fridge fora minimum of half an hour before serving to let the flavors mix well.
- It’s time to serve the chicken salad chick broccoli salad.
