Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe Copycat
Broccoli salad is a refreshing and nutritious side dish that has become a favorite for its perfect combination of crunchy, sweet, and savory flavors. The flavors of fresh broccoli florets, crispy bacon, tangy cheese, and creamy dressing come together in a potluck-worthy Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad recipe side dish that goes with nearly everything.
This Broccoli Salad is the PERFECT side dish for your next BBQ, party, or family dinner! Read on for how to make this dish at home.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 cups broccoli florets10 medium heads
- (1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese)
- 1/4 cup red onion — finely chopped
- Sunflower seeds 1/2 cup (Shelled)
- Add-Ins to Mixing Bow: 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (for a sweeter loaf)
- 6 slices- cooked and crumbled bacon, 1/2 a cup
For the Dressing:
- (1 cup mayonnaise, preferably light)
- 2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the broccoli: Cut up your head of broccoli into small, bite-sized florets. Ensure uniform size so that the texture of the salad does not differ.
Prepare all of the other ingredients: Finely chop a small amount of red onion, shred some cheddar cheese, and cook the bacon until crispy. Crush the bacon up once it is cooked.
Combine the dressing: In a bowl, stir together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and sugar.
Whisk this mixture together until the sugar has dissolved and the dressing is smooth & creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Salad Prep: In a mixing bowl, combine chopped broccoli, cheddar cheese (optional red onion), sunflower seeds raisins, or dried cranberries if wanted, and crumbled bacon.
Pour the dressing over the broccoli mix. Use a spatula or large spoon and gently toss all of the ingredients together until everything is well coated in the dressing.
Refrigerate: Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour (this helps with flavors)! This gives everything time for the flavors to marry and a little bit of time for the broccoli to soak up some dressing.
Mix before serving: When you are ready to serve the salad, toss everything together real quick for it all gets evenly coated with that addictive dressing.
Garnish and Serve — Garnish with extra bacon crumbles, cheese, or sunflower seeds for added texture and presentation.
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead: This broccoli salad tastes even better a day ahead because the flavors meld more fully. Well simply keep it in a hermetic container within the fridge.
Adjust the ingredients: Replace with where you need to. Or, better yet, substitute Greek yogurt for mayo or add some nuts to take that crunch factor up a notch.
Healthy it up: Lighten this salad by using light mayonnaise or Greek yogurt in the dressing and halving/omitting the sugar.
Protein: Add kinda cooked chicken, turkey, or ham to make your meal a main dish.
Variations
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Add some cauliflower florets with the broccoli, will give you a delicious taste and texture.
Sweet and Spicy Broccoli Salad: Add a teaspoon of Dijon to your dressing for a little tangy taste, plus some jalapeños (sliced) if you want it extra spicy.
Broccoli Salad Keto-Friendly: To make this recipe keto-friendly, use erythritol in the dressing to replace honey maple syrup and omit raisins.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe for broccoli salad can go with so many different meals:
Grilled meats can be served: This salad is the perfect side dish for any barbecue serve it alongside your grilled chicken, steak, or pork chops.
Serve with sandwiches: This makes a nice side dish for hearty sandwich meats like turkey or ham.
Perfect for a Picnic: Because this salad can be made ahead of time, it is perfect to bring on picnics or potlucks!
Light lunch: Eat it by itself or on top of a piece of crusty bread for an easy, light, and simple little lunch.
What Makes Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Special?
This is not just a broccoli salad, it’s Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad. A fresh broccoli salad with some sweet, crunchy ingredients and tasty Lightened Up Creamy Broccoli Salad Dressing that makes EVERYTHING taste better.
What makes this salad unique is that its got a lot of different flavors and textures.
The broccoli has a good crunch, but the cranberries help support it with just a touch of sweetness.
Cheesy to make it creamy, and sunflower seeds for extra crunch. Put it all in a bowl and there you have your healthy yet tasty salad.
Conclusion
This Chicken salad chick broccoli salad recipe is an enjoyable and healthy side dish that’s so simple to make.
It is a very nice balance of crispy broccoli, smokey bacon, and sweet raisins with an emulsion that ties it all together making this side dish hearty yet light.
This Broccoli Salad is perfect for a family dinner, potluck, or on its own and it will be sure to brighten up your meal every time.
Adjust to taste and serve as a tasty side that is just about one of the easiest you can throw together!
