Chick-fil-a lemon kale salad coming back

Chick-fil-A doesn't have to try too hard to please most customers, as a survey published this week revealed that it's the top fast-food chain among American teenagers. However, the brand's menu leaders have announced a new dish set to hit stores Monday. This is part of Chick-fil-A's commitment to "offer our guests more variety" in 2021.

If the many fried options at Chick-fil-A sometimes make you think twice about ordering there, here's fresh scoop: On Monday, Chick-fil-A will debut a Lemon Kale Caesar salad nationwide as a limited-time offer. In a press release, the chain announced that it's the first limited-time salad entree in five years to be featured on the national menu.

RELATED: 7 New Fast-Food Chicken Sandwiches Everyone Is Talking About

This is part of Chick-fil-A's goal to "offer our guests more variety," Kaitlin Miller, the brand's menu category leader, said in a statement. She nodded to the salad's nutrition facts, as senior culinary lead Christy Cook, a registered dietician, created the dish as "a delicious lower calorie salad option for those who enjoy a traditional Caesar salad and those looking to try something new. After testing this item in 2017 and receiving great feedback, we're excited to add it to our 2021 lineup of seasonal offerings," Miller said.

Chick-fil-A's Lemon Kale Caesar will feature their Grilled Nuggets over a blend of kale and romaine, with shaved parmesan cheese, lemon parmesan panko, and lemon Caesar vinaigrette dressing—plus a lemon wedge (which Cook said customers may want to squeeze over the salad to complement the kale and parmesan flavors).

Chick-fil-A has not announced an end date for the salad's limited run, but insiders say that with this launch, the chain appears to have two main marketing goals: Appeal to consumers who lean toward the fine dining experience (hello, little lemon squeeze), and bring greater attention to the healthy evergreen menu option that is their Grilled Nuggets.

While Chick-fil-A's Lemon Kale Caesar salad nutrition facts don't appear to be available just yet, the fact that they're calling it "lower-calorie" seems like a good idea. Many of their menu items feature fried chicken between bread made of white flour, while their current salad entrees range between 500 and 850 calories (even the side salad weighs in at 470).

If you're pondering this dish, check out What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Kale, According To Experts.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Krissy Gasbarre

Krissy is a senior news editor at Eat This, Not That!, managing morning and weekend news related to nutrition, wellness, restaurants and groceries (with a focus on beverages), and more. Read more about Krissy

Filed Under

Chick-Fil-A // Fast Food // News // Restaurant Chains // Restaurants // Salad

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Do you love Chick-fil-A's salads so much, you want to eat them everyday for lunch? Our copycat Chick-fil-A lemon kale Caesar salad will stay within your budget, and will help you stay healthy. Keep reading to learn how to make their famous marinade, the spice rub, and their newest dressing: the lemon Caesar vinaigrette. You'll learn all the secrets to make the healthiest main course on CFA's 2021 menu.

Want to know Chick-fil-A's other healthy salads? Market salad and kale crunch are their other tasty and nutritious options.

• Ingredients
• Questions
• How to Make
• Variations
• Pro Tips
• Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients

Most of the ingredients in this fresh spring salad are pantry staples and are easy to find at your local grocery store. There is one ingredient we included to make it taste better, which may be harder to find, but you can get it at a Super Walmart in the U.S. or order it online: it's the Parmesan crisps.

• Salad: We used mostly romaine lettuce and a little bit of curly kale.
• Meat: We used boneless, skinless chicken breast. It's marinaded in a pickle juice and milk mixture, rubbed with spices, grilled, and cut into nuggets.
• Cheese: We shaved a block of hard Parmesan cheese with a box grater and veggie peeler to make the shards.
• Crouton Substitute: Chick-fil-A uses a lemon Parmesan panko topping instead of the croutons that a traditional Caesar salad has. We swapped the panko for crushed Parmesan crisps, which are cheesy, crunchy, and gluten free. We found that the panko crumbs got very soggy once the dressing was added, sank to the bottom, and didn't provide the desired crunch. If you want to make the panko topping, read the recipe card notes section.
• Citrus: We used a fresh lemon cut into wedges. Make sure each salad has at least 2 wedges, which should be squeezed onto the greens before enjoying.
• Dressing: We made our own version of Chick-fil-A's lemon Caesar vinaigrette.

Questions

Is this lemon kale Caesar salad healthy?

As of May 2021, this new entree is Chick-fil-A's healthiest main course. One salad from the restaurant contains 470 calories, 24g fat, 22g carbs, and 43g protein. (This includes the 14g lemon Parmesan panko topping, but not the dressing.) Their dressing has 140 calories for 2 tablespoons or 2 ounces (56g).

For a similar serving size, our copycat version has 570 calories, 22.8g fat, 15g carbs, and 73.6g protein. (This includes 14g Parmesan crisps for the topping, but not the dressing.) Our copycat dressing has 156 calories for 2 tablespoons. For more nutritional information, please scroll to the end of the recipe card.

What does Chick-fil-A's newest salad taste like?

The ingredients are light, crunchy and refreshing. It tastes like lemon, thanks to the freshly squeezed lemon and the lemon Caesar vinaigrette, and a little bit cheesy thanks to the Parmesan shards and panko topping.

How much does it cost?

For one large salad, it costs $7.99 at our local restaurant. It's $2.00 less if you want it without the grilled chicken.

What dressing is paired with this salad?

CFA's lemon Caesar vinaigrette was made specifically for this spring main course. It's a light dressing with only 140 calories, 13g fat, 6g carbs, 5g sugar, and 400mg sodium per 56g serving. It's made with 22 ingredients, which are listed on the back of the package.

Our version leaves out the water, xantham gum, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and calcium disodium.

When did this salad makes its debut on the Chick-fil-A menu?

On Monday, April 27, 2021, this salad was released on the menu nationwide in the U.S. as a limited time offering. We encourage you to try out the real deal if you live near this famous fast food restaurant, then make our version and tell us what you think in the comments below.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients for the marinade: pickle juice and milk. Get two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them thin one at at time with the smooth side of the meat mallet.

Whisk the marinade ingredients and pour them into a zip top bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken, then place in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours.

Gather all the ingredients for the lemon Caesar vinaigrette.

Pour the two oils in one small bowl and set aside. Pour the rest of the dressing ingredients into a small mason jar. Place the lid on and give it a good shake, then pour in the oil and shake again.

Place in the fridge until ready to use. Shake before using, as settling will occur.

Take the chicken out 30 minutes before grilling to help the meat warm up to room temperature. Blot both sides dry with a paper towel.

Rub the spice rub onto both sides of the each chicken breast. This will help make the chicken taste more flavorful.

Grill the chicken in a cast iron grill pan on the stovetop.

Allow the meat to rest tented for 10 minutes to let the chicken finish cooking and for the juices to redistribute.

Once the chicken has cooled enough to handle, slice it across the grain into nugget shapes, then pour the meat juices over top.

Gather the ingredients for the salad.

Assemble the salad with a base of fresh romaine lettuce sprinkled with curly kale, Parmesan shards, Parmesan crisps (we used these instead of the panko topping), 10 grilled chicken nuggets, and two lemon wedges.

Just before serving, squeeze the two lemon wedges on each salad and drizzle on the vinaigrette.

To round out your meal, serve this main course with Chick-fil-A drinks, like homemade lemonade or sweet tea. You can combine the two to make their new Sunjoy (an Arnold Palmer). Or, you can reach for an indulgent CFA milkshake for dessert!

Variations

• Need this vegan? Omit the chicken and use vegan cheese.
• Need to reduce the calories? Skip the vinaigrette and drizzle the salad only with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Need this keto? Leave out the powdered sugar from the rub and the sugar from the vinaigrette.
• Can't eat lettuce? Swap out the romaine for kale and accent it with Swiss chard or spinach.
• Want a different protein? Try roasted chickpeas, grilled shiitake or portabella mushrooms, or marinated shrimp.

Pro Tips

• Marinate the meat for 2 to 24 hours; at least 4 hours is best.
• Don't skip the lemon zest in the spice rub.
• Don't flip the chicken if it's stuck; cook a little longer, then flip.
• For maximum freshness and crunch, assemble just before eating.
• To make your own lemon Parmesan panko topping like Chick-fil-A uses, read the "Recipe Notes" section in the recipe card below.

Other Copycat Chick-fil-A Salads You'll Enjoy

• Market Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Cobb Salad with Avocado Lime Ranch
• Spicy Southwest Salad with Creamy Salsa Dressing
• Asian Salad with Honey Sesame Dressing
• Superfood Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
• Kale Crunch with Apple Dijon Dressing
• Side Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette
• Coleslaw

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Recipe

Chick-fil-A Lemon Kale Caesar Salad Copycat

Forget takeout and make our copycat Chick-fil-A lemon kale Caesar instead!  It has grilled chicken nuggets served on a bed of crispy greens with Parmesan shards and lemon wedges, and everything's drizzled with a mouthwatering lemon Caesar vinaigrette.  This is gluten free and keto friendly.

5 from 5 votes

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caesar salad, copycat recipe, salad dressing

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 892kcal

Author: Brooke

Ingredients 0.5x1x2x

US ImperialMetric

For the Marinade

• ▢½ cup dill pickle juice, strained
• ▢½ cup whole milk
• ▢2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

For the Spice Rub

• ▢2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ▢½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢¼ teaspoon paprika
• ▢1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ▢3 tablespoons olive oil, for grilling the chicken breasts

For the Lemon Caesar Vinaigrette

• ▢¼ cup soybean oil
• ▢2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• ▢1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• ▢1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
• ▢2 teaspoons distilled vinegar
• ▢2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• ▢½ teaspoon salt
• ▢½ teaspoon lemon zest, from one lemon
• ▢½ teaspoon frozen concentrated lemonade
• ▢½ teaspoon frozen concentrated orange juice
• ▢¼ teaspoon white wine
• ▢¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
• ▢⅛ teaspoon dry mustard
• ▢⅛ teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice, from half a lime
• ▢⅛ teaspoon onion powder

For the Salad

• ▢8 cups romaine lettuce, rinsed, dried, and cut into bite-sized pieces
• ▢⅓ cup curly kale, ribs removed and torn into small pieces
• ▢0.7 oz Parmesan cheese shards
• ▢4 lemon wedges, seeds removed
• ▢1 oz Parmesan crisps, broken into small pieces
• ▢20 chicken nuggets, from the two grilled chicken breasts

Instructions

Marinating the Chicken

• Place one large boneless, skinless chicken breast into a zip top bag.  Keep the bag open to let the air escape and pound it thin using the flat end of the meat mallet.  Repeat with the other breast.

• Combine the pickle juice and milk in a 2-cup measuring cup.

• Pour the marinade into the bag of chicken breast, then seal it.  Massage the marinade into the meat with your hand, then refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Making the Spice Rub

• Mix together all the dry ingredients with a spoon, then add the lemon zest.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Making the Lemon Caesar Vinaigrette

• Pour all the dressing ingredients except the two oils into a small mason jar.  Tightly screw on a lid and shake well, then add the oils and shake again until well combined.  Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.  Makes ½ cup.

Grilling the Chicken

• Take the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to warm up to room temperature before grilling, about 30 minutes.

• Use paper towel to pat dry both sides of each chicken breast.

• Sprinkle the rub on the meat, then rub it on both sides of each breast.

• Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 10-inch cast iron grill pan and allow it to heat up for 2 minutes over medium high heat.  Carefully place one chicken breast on the grill.  Cook for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 4 minutes.  Use a pair of tongs to flip the chicken, then cook for 4 minutes on the other side, or until it has an internal temperature of 165 F on a meat thermometer.  Repeat with the other breast.

• Place the grilled chicken breast on a clean plate, cover loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.  During this time, the chicken will continue to cook and will release its juices.

• Use a sharp knife to cut the cooled chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces, making sure to slice against the grain of the meat.  You should have 40 to 45 nuggets.

Finishing the Salad

• Fill a plate with the romaine lettuce, then sprinkle on the kale and Parmesan cheese chards.  Place 10 grilled chicken nuggets on each salad.  Sprinkle on the Parmesan crisps, and place two lemon wedges on the edge of the plate.  Just before eating, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of the lemon Caesar vinaigrette on top.  Make sure that each guest squeezes both lemon wedges over the salad right before eating for the best flavor.

  Did Chick

  Covid has been upon us for almost 2 years and Chick Fil A decided to remove their Lemon Kale Salad from the menu.

  Is Chick

  Prepared fresh daily. Served with Lemon Parmesan Panko and pairs well with Lemon Caesar Vinaigrette. Seasonal item only.

  Does Chick

  A next generation Caesar salad served with warm, grilled chicken breast nuggets on a bed of romaine & kale with shaved parmesan & fresh lemon wedges. Prepared fresh daily.

  How much is a Chick

  It tastes like lemon, thanks to the freshly squeezed lemon and the lemon Caesar vinaigrette, and a little bit cheesy thanks to the Parmesan shards and panko topping. How much does it cost? For one large salad, it costs $7.99 at our local restaurant. It's $2.00 less if you want it without the grilled chicken.