This copycat version of Chick-fil-a's Kale Crunch Salad is made with a blend of kale and green cabbage and is topped with crunchy almonds. The apple dijon dressing adds a tangy flavor. This kale salad makes for a great side dish!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Chick-fil-a Kale Crunch Salad is a copycat recipe of the new menu item at Chick-fil-a, their kale crunch side salad. This side salad was added to their menu earlier this year and is a very simple but very delicious salad! There are only a few ingredients needed to make this kale salad recipe, and it comes together very quickly! In addition to using this as a side salad, it would also be delicious as a slaw on a pulled pork sandwich or tasty burger.
Ingredient Notes
For the salad:
- Kale - while there are several different varieties of kale (curly leaf kale, baby kale, lacinato kale, etc.), the one most commonly found at the grocery store is the curly leaf kale, which we will use for this recipe. You can buy pre-chopped kale to speed up the preparation for this recipe, but we prefer to buy an individual bunch of kale and prepare it ourselves. This is because we are able to remove the tough ribs of the kale that make it difficult to chew and cut the kale into smaller pieces. We prefer to cut our kale so that is more shredded than chopped.
- Green cabbage - again, there are several varieties of cabbage that you may come across at the grocery store, such as napa cabbage or red cabbage. However, the standard green cabbage is what we recommend to use for this recipe. You can buy your own green cabbage and chop it up on your own (we recommend chopping it into fine shreds) or you can buy a bag of shredded cabbage to speed up the preparation.
- Chopped roasted almonds - crunchy almonds are a must for this recipe! We like salted, roasted almonds. However, you can buy slivered or sliced almonds and toast them on a pan over medium heat as well.
For the apple dijon vinaigrette:
- Olive oil - extra virgin olive oil provides great healthy fats for this dressing. If you don't have olive oil on hand, you can substitute it for another type of oil such as avocado oil.
- Apple cider vinegar - the apple cider vinegar is true to Chick-fil-a's apple dijon dressing, so that is what we recommend using here. It provides the tangy flavor that is essential for this dressing!
- Honey or pure maple syrup - the honey or maple syrup add the perfect hint of sweetness to the dressing.
- Dijon mustard - not only does the dijon mustard provide great flavor to this dressing, it also acts as an emulsifier to encourage the oil and vinegar to stay together.
- Minced garlic, salt, and black pepper - the finishing touches to elevate the flavor!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Equipment You’ll Need
- A large bowl
- A cutting board and knife (if cutting your kale or cabbage)
- Mason jar, salad dressing bottle, or small bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Prepare the dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar or salad dressing bottle and shake until well combined.
Chop the kale and green cabbage into small pieces. Place the chopped kale and green cabbage into a large mixing bowl. You can massage the kale with a sprinkle of salt to help tenderize it. This makes it easier to chew and digest.
Add the almonds to the top of the salad.
Add the dressing to the salad and toss until well combined.
Tips & Variations
- If you will not be using all of the salad in one sitting, we recommend to dress the salad portions individually. That way, when you store the salad, it will become less soggy.
- If you are looking to add a little more substance to this salad, a few ideas include chopped chicken breasts, sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese, green apples, and dried cranberries or cherries.
- This recipe would also be great to use as a slaw on a burger or or a pulled pork sandwich.
FAQ
We recommend storing the leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As mentioned above, we recommend dressing the portions individually so that the salad does not become soggy when stored.
Yes, this salad is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
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Chick Fil A Kale Crunch Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 6 cups curly kale, chopped
- 2 cups green cabbage, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar or salad dressing bottle and shake until well combined.
- Place the chopped kale and green cabbage into a large mixing bowl. You can massage the kale to tenderize it. This makes it easier to chew and digest.
- Add the almonds to the top of the salad.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss until well combined.
Notes
- We recommend storing the leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As mentioned above, we recommend dressing the portions individually so that the salad does not become soggy when stored.
- This salad is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Kale Crunch Salad."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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