This Copycat Panera Chinese Citrus Cashew Salad with chicken is light, fresh, and flavorful. It’s a wholesome blend of crispy greens, cucumber, carrot, sweet pineapple, and mandarin oranges tossed in a delicious miso lime dressing that perfectly balances the savory and zesty notes. Adding chicken makes for a healthy meal perfect for Spring and Summer! {Gluten-free and Dairy-free}
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Copycat Panera Chinese Citrus Salad Recipe
The Panera Chinese Citrus Cashew salad was one of my all-time favorite options on the menu, so it was super disappointing when they discontinued it a few years ago!
The good news is, now if you want to get your fix, you can make this refreshing salad at home. Fortunately, it’s super easy to make, so you can enjoy it any time!
For more delicious copycat recipes, check out this Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad and Panera Bread Baja Bowl Recipe too!
Why We Love This Panera Chinese Cashew Citrus Salad
- Easy to make: This recipe is totally made from scratch, but it’s still quite easy to prepare! There are a few steps to prep the veggies and make the dressing, but once prepared, the salad comes together in just a few moments. Prep extra for an easy lunch any day of the week!
- Healthier version: The Panera Bread version of this Asian chicken salad was quite high in fat from the dressing and sugar from the mandarin oranges and sweetened dressing. Since this version uses low-sugar mandarin oranges and honey for sweetness, you’ll get less of a blood sugar spike without compromising on texture or flavor.
- Loaded with produce: With lots of greens, cucumber, pineapples, carrots, and oranges, this salad has lots of crunch and fiber to fill you up!
Ingredient Notes
Salad Ingredients:
- Greens: Use a blend of romaine lettuce and shredded Napa cabbage as the base of the salad.
- Cooked chicken: You can either cook the boneless skinless chicken breasts yourself or use leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Cucumber: Quarter and slice these into bite-sized pieces.
- Fresh pineapple: Core the pineapple and cut into 1/8ths. You can use canned pineapple, but fresh has the most flavor.
- Shredded carrots: For color and crunch.
- Mandarin oranges: Drain a can of mandarin oranges. For less sugar, look for ones packed in water or juice instead of syrup.
Miso Lime Dressing:
- Avocado oil: You’ll need a neutral base for the oil, like avocado or olive oil.
- Sesame oil: For a nutty richness.
- White miso paste: This has a mildly sweet flavor and lots of umami, which makes the salad more satisfying.
- Rice wine vinegar: Use unseasoned rice wine vinegar for the salad dressing.
- Water
- Lime juice: For a bright pop of citrus.
- Honey: To sweeten the dressing.
- Ginger: Use freshly grated or dried ground ginger for a bright heat.
- Minced garlic: For extra heat and a nice savory flavor.
Topping:
- Cashews: Roasted cashews add a nice crunch.
- Hoisin sauce: This sweetened sauce is a great garnish and can easily be found in most grocery stores.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Divide the romaine, cabbage, chicken, cucumber, pineapple, carrots, and mandarin oranges evenly among 4 bowls.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Pour the dressing over the salads to lightly coat and gently toss to combine.
- Sprinkle salads with roasted cashews and drizzle over hoisin sauce. Serve and enjoy! This salad is best when served immediately after assembly.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Tips
- For faster assembly, make the chicken in advance or use store-bought pre-cooked chicken. Cooked shrimp can also be used instead of chicken as a protein source.
- For the greens, iceberg lettuce and a blend of radicchio and green cabbage can be used instead of the romaine and Napa cabbage. Avoid delicate baby greens or spring mixes, as these will wilt too much from the fruit and dressing.
Recipe FAQs
Miso paste (also known as soybean paste) is typically located in the refrigerated section of the seafood or dairy department in most grocery stores. Additionally, it is available in Asian specialty markets. This dense paste adds a salty and savory flavor to the dressing and imparts a creamy texture as well. The Miso paste we used to develop the recipe can be found here.
If you like to load up on veggies, there are plenty more options to make this salad your own! Add some diced red bell pepper, green onions, edamame, or extra greens to your preference.
Not at all! Hoisin sauce has a sweet, savory flavor that really adds a nice pop of flavor to this citrus Asian crunch salad. Another option would be to use a little teriyaki sauce instead.
Personally, I like to pound the chicken breasts and then grill and slice them. But you can bake the chicken breasts or cook them in the air fryer too!
Storage Guidelines
It’s best to store the leftover salad and dressing in separate containers so the greens don’t get soggy.
Store the salad greens, vegetables, fruit, and chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The dressing will last for up to a week.
Serving Suggestions
This salad is intended to be served as a complete meal since it contains plenty of protein and fiber to really fill you up!
You can also skip the chicken and offer the salad as a side dish with your favorite Asian-inspired recipes, like my Korean Ground Beef or Healthy Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe.
Recipe Variations
- Change the fruit: Use fresh mandarin or chopped fresh orange segments instead of the canned mandarin oranges. Canned and drained pineapple chunks can replace fresh.
- Skip the miso: If miso paste is unavailable, replace it with one tablespoon soy sauce and ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard. The dressing texture will be slightly less creamy but still have a great flavor. Alternatively, a store-bought Asian dressing can be used in a pinch; select ginger and lime varieties to best complement this salad.
- Make it crunchy: Choose your preferred crunch factor, such as peanuts, chow mein noodles, crispy wonton strips, sesame seeds, or crushed-up ramen noodles. Teriyaki sauce can be used in place of hoisin sauce.
- Go vegetarian: The only non-vegan ingredients in this entire salad are the chicken and honey. Skip the chicken and use a vegan sweetener such as coconut sugar or maple syrup to make it vegan and vegetarian.
- To make gluten-free: Some hoisin sauces contain wheat. Double check the ingredients list and purchase hoisin sauce labeled gluten-free if required.
You’ll Also Love
- Chicken Mango Salad
- Asian Beef Meatballs
- Crockpot Peanut Chicken
- Thai Shrimp Curry Soup
- Quinoa Edamame Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
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Copycat Panera Chinese Citrus Cashew Salad with Chicken
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 3 cups Napa cabbage, shredded
- 1 pound cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced
- 1 cup cucumber, quartered and sliced
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, cored, cut into 1/8ths and sliced
- 1/2 cup mandarin oranges, drained
- 1/3 cup shredded carrots
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil or another neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon tamari sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Toppings
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Divide the romaine, cabbage, chicken, cucumber, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and carrots evenly among 4 bowls.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Pour the dressing over the salads to lightly coat and gently toss to combine.
- Sprinkle salads with roasted cashews and drizzle over hoisin sauce. Serve and enjoy! This salad is best when served immediately after assembly.
Notes
- For faster assembly, make the chicken in advance or use store-bought pre-cooked chicken. Cooked shrimp can also be used instead of chicken as a protein source.
- For the greens, iceberg lettuce and a blend of radicchio and green cabbage can be used instead of the romaine and Napa cabbage. Avoid delicate baby greens or spring mixes, as these will wilt too much from the fruit and dressing.
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