Copycat O'Charley's California Chicken Salad

O’Charley’s California Chicken Salad is a new favorite! Grilled chicken with strawberries & mandarin oranges are then mixed with candied pecans, blue cheese and homemade Balsamic vinaigrette – so good!

This recipe for O’Charley’s California Chicken Salad is easy to make in just minutes – and the Creamy Balsamic Dressing is just as simple! I made it from scratch in just a few minutes.

How do you make O’Charley’s California Chicken Salad?

First thing to do is make up your Balsamic Vinaigrette. I had just ordered this a few days before – so I know that the O’Charley’s vinaigrette is a little creamy – so I made a simple Balsamic Vinaigrette and added a tablespoon of mayo – perfection! The dressing has Balsamic vinegar, dark brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and mayonnaise.

For the salad – you start with Romaine lettuce then add your toppings – grilled chicken, strawberries, mandarin oranges, candied pecans, bleu cheese and dried cranberries. You’ve got crunchy, sweet and tangy at every turn! Now you can make this as simple or homemade as you want!

For the grilled chicken – I actually used leftovers from my grilled turkey tenderloin (chicken – turkey – eh – it’s all a delicious bird!) – but you can also use the pre-cooked chicken from the store or even make up a whole chicken in a crock pot. I bought candied pecans (cuz they’re my favorite) – but you can also make sugared pecans in a crock pot!

The Balsamic Dressing was delicious too – and a perfect light compliment to all the bright flavors of the fruit in the salad. I love the punch of bleu cheese – sometimes it can be too much and too strong – but it’s perfect here! The dressing stays fine in the fridge for a week or so – that way you’ll eat more salads!

If you’re looking for more salad recipes – I’ve got you covered! This grilled cheese salad is great with this same Balsamic Vinegar and uses a grilled cheese sandwich as croutons! This Strawberry Cacao Salad also has fruit in your salad and is one of my favorites!! And this Applebee’s Southwest Lime Chicken Salad is so good – it’s really zesty and piled with yummy toppings!