Panera Bread Poppyseed Salad Recipe

This Panera Bread Poppyseed Salad is a crisp and fruity recipe, which includes juicy mandarin oranges and roasted pecans. It’s a vibrant, antioxidant-rich lunch, ready in about 15 minutes.

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Panera Bread Poppyseed Salad Ingredients

For the Salad Base

• 1 large head Romaine lettuce, chopped (approx. 4-5 cups)
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or sliced (chilled)
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
• ½ cup fresh blueberries
• ½ cup pineapple tidbits (fresh or canned in juice)
• ½ cup mandarin oranges, drained
• ¼ cup pecan halves, toasted

For the Poppyseed Dressing

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil (or a neutral oil like canola)
• ⅓ cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar (or honey for a natural version)
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp onion powder (or 1 tsp grated fresh onion)

How To Make Panera Bread Poppyseed Salad

1. Toast the pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast for 5–7 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Watch closely to prevent burning. Let them cool completely.
2. Make the dressing: In a blender or a jar with a tight lid, combine the vegetable oil, white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and onion powder. Blend or shake vigorously for 30 seconds until the sugar is dissolved and the dressing is emulsified. Stir in the poppy seeds at the end (don’t blend them or the dressing might turn grey).
3. Prepare the lettuce: Wash the Romaine lettuce and dry it thoroughly using a salad spinner. Wet lettuce will repel the dressing. Chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
4. Assemble the fruit: Arrange the strawberries, blueberries, pineapple chunks, and mandarin oranges on top of the greens. The mix of colors is signature to this salad.
5. Add the protein: Top the salad with the diced cooked chicken. Panera uses cold, grilled chicken, but rotisserie chicken works well too.
6. Finish and serve: Scatter the cooled toasted pecans over the top. Just before serving, drizzle the poppyseed dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.

Recipe Tips

• Chicken temperature: This salad is best served cold. If you cook the chicken fresh, ensure it is fully chilled before adding it to the salad, otherwise the heat will wilt the lettuce and warm the fruit unpleasantly.
• Pineapple choice: Fresh pineapple provides a much better enzyme-rich texture and acidity than canned pineapple, which can be syrupy. If using fresh, cut it into small wedges.
• Dressing modifications: The restaurant version is famous for being fat-free. To mimic this at home, you can replace the oil with unsweetened apple juice or orange juice and a pinch of xanthan gum to thicken it, though the oil version tastes richer.
• Mandarin oranges: Use mandarins packed in juice, not heavy syrup, to keep the salad fresh rather than cloyingly sweet.

What To Serve With Panera Bread Poppyseed Salad

This salad is a standalone meal, but pairs well with:

• French Baguette: A classic side for any Panera salad.
• Iced Tea: A cold unsweetened black tea complements the sweet fruit.
• Vegetable Soup: A light soup like the Vegetable Soup (recipe above) works well.
• Yogurt: A side of yogurt keeps the meal light.

How To Store Panera Bread Poppyseed Salad

• Refrigerate: Store the salad components (greens, chicken, fruit) separately from the dressing and nuts. The dressing keeps for 2 weeks.
• Prepped Salad: Once dressed, the salad must be eaten within 2 hours or it will become soggy.
• Freeze: Do not freeze.

Panera Bread Poppyseed Salad Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 360kcal
• Protein: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 34g
• Fat: 16g
• Saturates: 2g
• Sugar: 26g
• Salt: 0.7g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (based on 2 entree salads).

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