Chick-Fil-A Kale Crunch Salad
This copycat recipe for the Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad is spot on with all of the flavors! Full of kale & cabbage in an apple dijon vinaigrette and topped with toasted almonds – it’s a great side dish for any meal!
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What You Will ❤️ About Kale Crunch Salad
- Quick to Make! This only takes about 10 minutes to put together! It also goes great with this Chick-Fil-A Tortilla Soup recipe
- Healthy! Kale is a superfood and has so many nutrients and vitamins – anytime you can get more into your diet – you’re taking care of you!
- Cheap! A big bunch of kale is only $1 and you need 1-2 bunches depending on their size.
🔍 COPYCAT SECRETS UNCOVERED!
Don’t miss these tips to be sure your Kale Salad is identical to Chick-fil-A:
- The Kale-to-Cabbage Ratio
- Chick-fil-A’s version of a kale salad isn’t only kale. It’s about 5 parts kale to 1 part cabbage, so you only need about a quarter of a small head of cabbage.
- Sweeteners Elevate the Salad
- You wouldn’t suspect it but Chick-fil-A’s kale salad has a bit of a sweetness to it and that comes from maple syrup. I always have pure maple syrup. If you don’t, you can also use honey!
- The Dressing Pulls this Together
- Chick-fil-A’s dressing has a tanginess that comes from apple cider vinegar (use the good stuff – trust me!) and dijon mustard. Together they combine to create a distinctive tangy dressing. Don’t substitute for regular mustard! It won’t be the same!! Trust me that it’ll be so good, you’ll want extra dressing!
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Kale Crunch Salad Ingredients
Lots of folks ask, “What’s in the Kale Crunch at Chick-fil-A?” – I have the answer! It’s a Kale & Cabbage salad with a yummy dressing featuring apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard. That combo of apple cider vinegar & dijon taste so good – very bright!!
- Kale Salad
- Curly Kale – you could also use baby kale if you want a more tender salad
- Green Cabbage – you could also use purple cabbage if you like or even shredded brussels sprouts!
- Slivered Almonds – I’ll share how to dry roast the almonds but it’s not completely necessary if you don’t feel like it.
- Apple Cider Vinegar & Dijon Vinaigrette
- Apple Cider Vinegar – you could substitute white wine vinegar but it’s going to lose a bit of the citrus flavor because Apple Cider Vinegar is so pungent. Also be sure to use the Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar – it’s so much better!
- Maple Syrup – you could also use honey
- Shallots – don’t have a shallot? Mince 2 tbsp of sweet onion.
- Dijon Mustard – no substituting here!! It’s my favorite!
- Lemon Juice – fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled is fine.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Black Pepper
Recipe Variations for Kale Crunch Side Salad
I’m always tweaking salad recipes based on what I have in my fridge or what I’m feeling like eating. Here are some ideas for you:
- Spring Greens – not a fan of Kale? Swap out and use spring greens. Leftovers won’t last as long – but it’ll still be delicious!
- Protein – add grilled chicken or salmon to make it a complete meal. Chickpeas are also a great source of plant-based protein!
- Fruit – add mandarin oranges, dried cranberries and strawberries for some springy additions
- Nuts – switch out the roasted almonds for pecans, walnuts or even pistachios
How to make Apple Dijon Dressing
Salad dressings are so simple to make! No need to buy a big bottle – you can make this in a couple of minutes.
- PEEL and chop one small shallot.
- WHISK apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup and dijon mustard and then add in the minced shallots and whisk again, in a medium bowl.
- You could also use a food processor but its a bit of overkill for this small amount.
- WHILE whisking, slowly pour olive oil into the vinegar mixture.
- SET aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
How to Make Chick Fil-A Kale Crunch Salad
Once your salad dressing is made – this salad goes together in less time than it takes the almonds to toast!
- PLACE almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast in oven (or in basket for air fryer). Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. They’ll start to brown a little and smell more “nutty” when they are ready.
- AIR FRYER: Toast at 380º for 4-5 minutes
- OVEN: Toast at 375º for 8-9 minutes
- RINSE and roughly chop kale and shred cabbage.
- ADD the chopped kale and cabbage in a large bowl.
- DRIZZLE with the apple cider-dijon dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the top of the salad.
Supplies Used
- Air Fryer – this is my favorite air fryer that I’ve tried! It has so many settings and a huge drawer that can fit so much. It’s my go to in the kitchen! Perfect for toasting our almonds!
- Salad Bowls – I love these dishes! I think that they’re so cute and they’re absolutely perfect for our salad!
- Silicone Whisk – this whisk is so helpful when it comes to mixing up your dressing!
Tips, Tricks & FAQs
- How many calories are in the Kale Crunch Salad? The Chick-fil-A version has 120 calories in a side. My version has 160 for one cup – which is a little larger serving than Chick-fil-A
- How do I prepare the kale for Kale Crunch Salad? First – WASH YOUR KALE. I didn’t and had to make the salad twice. It was super gritty. A salad spinner would make this process so easy. Now – if you’re buying pre-packaged, chopped kale – it’s probably already been washed. I bought a “bunch” and it was not! After that, cut the leaf part off of the stems and then chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- Do I need to massage the kale? Well I have to admit – this one I had to research. We all know kale is a pretty “rough” green. Well I guess if you add a little dressing and rub the kale with clean hands for a few minutes – it softens the leaves so they’re a little more palatable. I did not do this and think it still tasted fine. Also – if you’re using baby kale – this isn’t necessary because it’s already a lot more tender.
- How do you store leftover Kale Crunch Salad? Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones or in a mason jar) in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Kale holds up fairly well with the dressing.
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Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad
This copycat recipe for the Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad is spot on with all of the flavors! Full of kale & cabbage in an apple dijon vinaigrette and topped with toasted almonds – it's a great side dish for any meal!
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Ingredients
Apple Cider Vinegar & Dijon Dressing
- 2 tbsp shallot minced
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Kale Crunch Salad
- 5 cups curly kale chopped
- 1 cup green cabbage chopped or shredded
- 1/4 cup almonds slivered & toasted
Instructions
Apple Cider Vinegar & Dijon Dressing
- Peel and chop one small shallot.2 tbsp shallot
- In a medium bowl, whisk apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt & pepper and then add in the minced shallots and whisk again.2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper
- While whisking, slowly pour olive oil into the vinegar mixture.1/4 cup olive oil
- Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
Kale Crunch Salad
- Place almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast in oven (or in basket for air fryer). Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. They'll start to brown a little and smell more "nutty" when they are ready.AIR FRYER: Toast at 380º for 4-5 minutesOVEN: Toast at 375º for 8-9 minutes1/4 cup almonds
- Rinse and roughly chop kale and shred cabbage.5 cups curly kale , 1 cup green cabbage
- In a large bowl, add the chopped kale and cabbage.
- Drizzle with the apple cider-dijon dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the top of the salad.
Notes
**We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.002gSodium: 158mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5592IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 173mgIron: 1mg
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Can’t stop, won’t stop making this recipe. This dup is to die for. May I even say… better than the original?!?