Chick-fil-A Copycat Kale Crunch Salad with Dressing

This Chick-fil-A copycat kale crunch salad with dressing is so delicious and so easy to make. Kale, cabbage, and almonds tossed in a homemade maple vinaigrette. I like to add fresh avocado slices, shaved parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for some extra flavor and texture. This salad is great for a quick weeknight meal served with chicken or steak, for your holiday table at Thanksgiving or Christmas, or for a backyard summer BBQ – the options are endless! Save some money and make a big batch of this kale salad at home.

This simple recipe for a kale crunch side salad is a blend of kale and shredded green cabbage in a maple vinaigrette dressing, with crunchy almonds! Just a couple simple steps and you will have this copycat salad at home and it can be customized however you want! For best results, don’t dress this salad until you’re ready to serve! Everyone will love this superfood salad!

Highlights of this salad and why you’ll love it:

• Restaurant recipe at home: bring Chick-fil-A home with this copycat recipe that comes together in no time! Not only is this recipe budget friendly but it can be made exactly how you like it at home. You can even make it at home on a Sunday!
• Good base recipe: this salad is a great base for salmon, shrimp, chicken breasts, or steak. I love a grilled salmon filet served over top with some extra maple vinaigrette to make this a full meal!
• Customizable: add any extra toppings to this salad such as avocado, parmesan cheese, or croutons! There are endless topping ideas! Add more or less cabbage based on your preferences or make the dressing more sweet or spicy.
• Great source of nutrients: kale, cabbage, and almonds provide lots of good for you nutrients like vitamin A, fiber, and protein! Eating a big bowl of this salad will get you many of the necessary vitamins and keep you full for hours as part of a health diet.

This crunchy kale salad is an easy side dish or main dish perfect for any occasion. Serve as is for a light, refreshing side salad or add grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp for a filling main dish the whole family will love. This salad goes great with Instant Pot Air Fryer Juicy Chicken Breast Recipe, Red Robin Copycat Chipotle Turkey Burger Recipe, or Brats in the Air Fryer!

It also goes great with other sides like Easy Potato Au Gratin, Easy One-Pan Scalloped Sweet Potatoes, or Creamy Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe!

Grocery Store List & Substitutions:

• Fresh kale: either pre-chopped kale or a fresh bunch of kale will work here, make sure the remove the steams before using as they are hard and woody. I like to cut my kale into smaller pieces so it is easier to eat once dressed.
• Cabbage: they use green cabbage in the traditional recipe, it adds a nice crunch and contrast against the kale. Red cabbage or Napa cabbage could be a substitute if needed.
• Almonds: I used whole, salted almonds and chop them up but slivered almonds, sliced almonds, or whole almonds will work. You can also use pre-seasoned almond like wasabi almonds or BBQ almonds for extra flavor! If yo are chopping a lot of almonds at once, toss them in the food processor and pulse a few times until chopped, this saves time and a mess! If you desire, toast almonds in a small skillet before tossing into the salad for extra flavor.
• Avocado: I like the addition of avocado for the creaminess it adds, it is not in the original Chick-fil-A salad.
• Olive oil: I like extra virgin olive oil but any type of oil will work, like avocado oil or sesame oil.
• Apple cider vinegar: adds a nice tanginess to the dressing. White wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar can be a substitute if needed.
• Spicy mustard: I use spicy brown mustard, but Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, honey mustard, or whole grain mustard can be a substitute instead.
• Maple syrup: I like to us pure maple syrup, honey or agave can be used in exchange. The maple adds the slightly sweet contrast to the classic vinaigrette.
• Garlic powder: fresh minced garlic or jarred garlic can be a substitute.
• Sesame seeds: white sesame seeds or black sesame seeds can be used, they add nice color and a bit of texture and flavor.
• Shaved parmesan: asiago cheese or crumbled feta are good substitutions, they are not part of the original recipe but they add a nice creaminess.

How to make the Chick-fil-A Copycat Kale Crunch Salad with Dressing (with step by step instructions):

Let’s talk a little about how to make this copycat kale salad (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Quick overview:

• Chop kale and almonds, slice cabbage.
• Combine dressing ingredients, mix to combined.
• Toss kale, cabbage, and almonds with vinaigrette.
• Add additional toppings as desired and enjoy.

1: Firstly, wash, stem, and roughly chop kale. Shred green cabbage and chop almonds.

2: Secondly, combine kale and cabbage in a large mixing bowl.

3. Thirdly, in a small bowl combine olive oil, mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine. If you want to make a large batch of dressing, it helps to make it in a mason jars, this way you can easily shake the dressing to recombine and it gives you something to store it in.

4. Dress salad with the maple vinaigrette, toss to combine and use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale until it has reduced by half. Sprinkle in the chopped almonds.

5. Add any additional toppings as desired, I like to add avocado, sesame seeds, and shaved parmesan cheese. Serve immediately once dressed.

*To make this ahead of time prep all ingredients but wait to dress the salad until ready to serve.

If you like this Chick-fil-A Copycat Kale Crunch Salad with Dressing, you’ll love these other copycat recipes…

Copycat Panera Cranberry Orange Muffins

Copycat Cheesecake Factory Veggie Burger Recipe

Red Robin Copycat Chipotle Turkey Burger Recipe

Copycat Panda Express Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Panera Mexican Style Street Corn Chowder

Copycat Zoe’s Kitchen Pasta Salad Recipe

Additional topping ideas:

• Croutons homemade or store-bought work great.
• Crispy chickpeas add a nice crunch in addition to the almonds or can be used as a nut-free option.
• Avocado adds a nice creamy adiditon.
• Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese can add a bit of creaminess.
• Sesame seeds, hemp seeds, or chia seeds add some crunch and extra protein.
• Pomegranate seeds or diced strawberries.
• Grilled chicken or steak make this salad a bit more filling.

Tools I used for this Chick-fil-A copycat recipe:

• Serving Platter – a great neutral option for serving large salads or pastas.
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls – perfect for mixing the salad, I love a set of nesting bowls to save space on storage, bonus points if they have lids for storing and transport!
• Pint Mason Jars – perfect for shaking up the salad dressing, any extra dressing can easily be stored in a sealed mason jar in the fridge for later.

Recipe FAQs:

What does a Chick-fil-A kale crunch salad have on it?

This kale crunch salad is made of kale, green cabbage, almonds, and a tangy mustard vinaigrette.

What dressing is used on this kale crunch salad?

This homemade dressing is a simple mixture of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, spicy mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Can I make the kale crunch salad without almonds?

Yes! If you don’t want to use almonds but still want the crunch and texture you can substitute chopped cashews, pepitas or pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or chopped pistachios. For a crunchy nut free substitute you can add croutons, crispy quinoa, or crispy chickpeas!

Can I make my kale salad ahead of time?

Yes! Prep the cabbage, kale, and dressing – store separately, kale and cabbage in the fridge and almonds in a container at room temperature. Prep the dressing in a mason jar or airtight container and store in the fridge until service, shake to recombine. When it is time to serve the salad, pour the dressing over the kale and cabbage, massage the dressing into the kale, add almonds and additional toppings, and enjoy!