Copycat Chick-fil-A Market Salad
Skip the drive through, and learn how to make a healthy copycat version of Chick-fil-A's market salad. The homemade zesty apple cider dressing recipe and the chicken marinade will leave you wondering why you didn't try this delicious recipe sooner.
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 274kcal
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Marinade
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Market Salad
- 2 chicken breasts marinated, cooked, and thinly sliced
- 8 cups spring mix
- ¼ cup julienned carrot
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 cup blueberries
- 12 strawberries hulled and quartered
- 1 cup Granny Smith apple diced
- 1 cup red Gala apple diced
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbled
- ½ cup glazed pecans
- ½ cup granola
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 1 tablespoon craisins
- ¾ cup zesty apple cider vinaigrette
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then cover in plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to flatten them. Transfer the meat into a gallon size zip top bag.
- Whisk the marinade ingredients together until well combined, then pour it into the bag. Seal it closed and squish the marinade around so the chicken is coated.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, or preferably overnight. Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Remove the chicken from the zip-top bag and blot off the extra marinade with a paper towel. Discard the marinade and bag.
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive or peanut oil in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Place one chicken breast in the skillet and reduce the temperature to medium after 1 minute, cooking for a total of 5 minutes. Flip once and cook the other side until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F. Repeat with the other chicken breast.
- Once each breast is done, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the meat has cooled, slice thinly against the grain.
Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Put all the ingredients except the olive oil in a small bowl and whisk. Slowly add the oil while whisking constantly.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, adding a bit more honey, lime juice, or black pepper as desired. Store in the fridge until needed.
Market Salad
- Place 2 cups of spring mix on each plate. Sprinkle on the carrots and the red cabbage, then add the fresh fruit next (the green and red apples, blueberries, and strawberries).
- Add the dried fruits (raisins and craisins), the nuts (sliced almonds and candied pecans), and the granola. Sprinkle on the crumbled blue cheese and place strips of chicken breasts on top.
- When ready to eat, drizzle on the zesty apple cider vinaigrette. Enjoy your market salad!
Notes
- For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 6 hours.
- Let the chicken cook a bit longer before flipping if it's sticking.
- Allow the cooked chicken to cool before slicing to get it to slice thinly.
- Keep the ingredients separate until you want to eat it for maximum freshness.
- For a customized market salad, let guests put on their own toppings.
- Marinade yields 1 ¼ cups. Vinaigrette yields ¾ cup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 986IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
