This easy copycat Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad is loaded with fresh berries, juicy pineapple, mandarin oranges and toasted pecans topped with a lightly sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing. It’s light and vibrant – everything you need this time of year – and a quick and healthy choice for busy nights! {Gluten-free}
Table of Contents
Copycat Panera Poppyseed Salad with Strawberries
You can always tell summer is just around the corner when Panera releases its strawberry poppyseed salad!
It’s the perfect summer salad, loaded with lots of fresh fruit, crunchy pecans, and tender chicken breast, all topped with that irresistible poppyseed dressing.
Although Panera does its best to use wholesome ingredients whenever possible, I prefer to make my own version of this fan favorite salad to reduce the sugar content (and calories) so you can enjoy it all as often as you’d like. And believe me, you’ll want to eat this refreshing salad all the time!
If you’re looking for more high protein salad recipes, you’ll also want to try this Panera Chinese Citrus Cashew Salad, Panera Bread Baja Bowl Recipe or Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds!
Why We Love This Panera Copycat Recipe
- Dietitian-formulated to be lower in sugar and high in fiber than Panera’s version
- Rich in antioxidants from 4 different types of fruit
- Easy to meal prep for healthy lunches all week
- Cooling and refreshing during the warm summer months
- Family-friendly meal even the kids will love
- Eye-catching and colorful for Mother’s Day brunch or special gatherings
- Easy way to sneak some extra fruits and veggies into your diet
Key Ingredient Notes
For the salad:
- Cooked chicken breast: To keep this simple, you can use leftover rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken breast from another meal. Or see the ‘Expert Tips’ for methods to prepare the chicken.
- Romaine lettuce: You can also sub in spinach or Spring mix, etc.
- Fresh Fruit: Use fresh strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple. Frozen won’t lend the best texture.
- Canned mandarin oranges: Look for oranges packed in water or juice rather than syrup.
- Toasted pecans: Walnuts can also be used.
For the creamy poppyseed dressing:
- Light olive oil: This oil has all the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as extra virgin, but has a milder flavor.
- Honey: For a light, floral sweetness and a lower GI rating compared to regular sugar.
- Plain Greek yogurt: For a creamy texture without the extra fat in mayo.
- Fresh orange juice: Freshly squeezed is best, but you can use pre-made orange juice in a pinch.
- Grated sweet onion: Sounds strange, but this adds that savory sharpness you know and love! You can leave out the grated onion and substitute it with ¼ teaspoon onion powder, but it is worth any tears.
How to Make Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Step 1: Prepare Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until fully combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, whisk the dressing to bring it all back together.
Step 2: Assemble the Salad
- Build the salad on a large platter or divide ingredients among 4 large salad bowls. Start with the lettuce on the bottom, then scatter on the fruit and pecans. Top with sliced chicken and garnish with poppyseeds. Serve with poppyseed dressing.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- I only used half of the dressing for all 4 servings and found that to be plenty. You can use the remaining dressing for other salads too. The nutritional information is based on using only half of the dressing.
- To cook chicken breasts: Season chicken breasts with your favorite seasoning, lightly brush with olive oil and bake in the oven at 375℉ for 25-35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165℉. You can also pan sear the chicken breast in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, about 4 minutes per side or grill it at medium high heat for about 6-7 minutes per side.
- For a less creamy dressing, reduce the Greek yogurt to 2 tablespoons.
- If you like a fully dressed salad, toss it in a large bowl with tongs before serving to coat it evenly with the homemade poppyseed dressing.
Dietitian’s POV: Is Panera’s Strawberry Poppyseed Salad actually healthy?
Yes and no. The salad is loaded with veggies and fresh fruits, which are obviously great for you. You can also get it with chicken for an extra dose of protein.
However, the poppyseed dressing packs quite a bit of sugar, given one serving of the Panera salad has 25 grams of sugar.
This isn’t terrible compared to many other fast food options, but considering that the American Heart Association recommends women limit their daily added sugar intake to 25g (100 calories from sugar), that means that the added sugar from this dressing will bring you close to that number.
One option is to ask for the dressing on the side so that you can control how much dressing you’re adding, or better yet, make your own!
Storage Guidelines
This salad is best when eaten fresh, but leftover, undressed salad can be stored in the refrigerator for 1, maybe 2, days. The fruit tends to weep moisture making the lettuce become soggy, so if you can store the lettuce separate from the fruit, that would be even better.
Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Serving Suggestions
This copycat Panera strawberry poppyseed salad recipe is intended to be a complete meal on its own. It has plenty of protein to keep you satisfied and lots of fiber from the fruits and veggies. To replicate the restaurant meal, you can serve it with a crusty piece of French baguette for a more hearty meal.
You can also make your own meal combo by serving a smaller portion of this fruity salad with half a sandwich or a cup of soup. I love this Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich with the salad since it leans on the more savory side.
Recipe Variations
- Switch up the protein: Grilled chicken tastes great, but you can also serve grilled salmon or shrimp or some chickpeas for plant-based protein.
- Add more toppings: At Panera, you can order the strawberry poppy seed salad with feta on top, which is really tasty. You can also try adding blue cheese or goat cheese, sliced red onion, cooked quinoa, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, fresh cucumber, sliced avocado, and more. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make it your own!
More Healthy Salad Recipes
I love fresh, fruity salads for their bright colors and bold flavors. They can really make your meals way more enjoyable, plus you get a little closer to your daily fruit and veg goals with each serving!
As soon as Spring arrives, I’m always making this Grilled Chicken Strawberry Salad. This is the kind of recipe that can be prepped ahead of time or even served for special occasions, and the fresh strawberries make it so sweet and satisfying.
My family always loves this Strawberry Blueberry Salad with feta and almonds. It’s on a bed of spinach, which gives it a little more depth and the red, white, and blue color scheme is fun for summer.
During the height of summer, I absolutely live off this Arugula Nectarine Salad. So simple, so fresh, and the ideal no-cook main dish or side.
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Copycat Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4 (4 ounce) chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
- 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup blueberries, washed
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced into bite sized pieces
- 1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges packed in water or juice, drained
- 1/2 cup roasted pecans, roughly chopped
Poppyseed Dressing
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon grated sweet onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until fully combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, whisk the dressing to bring it all back together.
- Build the salad on a large platter or divide ingredients amongst 4 large salad bowls. Start with the lettuce on the bottom, then scatter on the fruit and pecans. Top with sliced chicken and garnish with poppyseeds. Serve with poppyseed dressing.
Notes
- I only used half of the dressing for all 4 servings and found that to be plenty. You can use the remaining dressing for other salads too. The nutritional information is based on using only half of the dressing.
- To cook chicken breasts: Season chicken breasts with your favorite seasoning, lightly brush with olive oil and bake in the oven at 375℉ for 25-35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165℉. You can also pan sear the chicken breast in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, about 4 minutes per side or grill it at medium high heat for about 6-7 minutes per side.
- This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken.
- For a less creamy dressing, reduce the Greek yogurt to 2 tablespoons.
- If desired, toss the salad in a large bowl with tongs before serving to coat it evenly with the homemade poppyseed dressing.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in May 2024 and the text, formatting and some photos were updated in March 2026.
Hi There,
Is the nutrition per portion or for the full dish made?
The nutritional information is per serving. The salad makes 4 servings :)