Green Goddess Salad (Panera Copycat)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
6 -4 servings
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Calories
394 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch
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Cuisine
American
Green Goddess Salad (Panera Copycat)
Description
This Green Goddess Salad (Panera Copycat) centers on a distinctive creamy dressing blending basil, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, pesto, shallots, and a touch of honey and white wine vinegar for brightness. The dressing’s herb-forward profile complements the variety of fresh salad components. The salad base consists of a romaine and spring mix lettuce blend to provide crispness and freshness.
Accompanying the greens are well-seasoned grilled chicken breasts, sliced and rested to retain juiciness. Hard-boiled eggs add protein and richness, while bacon contributes a smoky crunch. Avocado slices offer creamy mouthfeel, and cherry tomatoes provide bursts of acidity. Red onions may be used raw, pickled, or soaked in ice water to remove sharpness. Crumbled blue cheese adds optional tang and depth.
The recipe includes practical preparation advice such as making the dressing without a blender, using rotisserie chicken or thighs as shortcuts, and maintaining avocado freshness by adding it just before serving. Cooking hard-boiled eggs using the Instant Pot or stovetop methods is detailed for convenience. Store-bought or homemade pickled onions enhance the salad’s layers of flavor. This salad is best assembled right before eating to preserve texture variations and avocado color.
Ingredients
Green Goddess Dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise I like using a heart healthy brand, like Chosen Foods Avocado Mayo
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt plain, I used whole fat
- 3/4 cup basil packed, rinsed and patted dry, leaves
- 1 tablespoon shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon pesto homemade or storebought
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- kosher salt pinch
- black pepper pinch
Chicken Cobb Salad
- 2 medium chicken breast boneless, skinless (may use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 large egg sliced into 4 wedges each, hard-boiled
- 8 lices Bacon cooked, drained and chopped into pieces
- 6 cups lettuce I used a blend of Romaine and Spring Mix, rough chopped, use your favorite
- 1 cup cherry tomato diced, or use grape tomatoes
- 1 avocado sliced or diced
- 1/2 cup red onion or just sliced red onions, pickled
- 1/2 cup blue cheese this is optional, use your favorite cheese, crumbles
Instructions
Make Green Goddess Dressing
- Place mayonnaise, yogurt, basil, shallot, pesto, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Grill Chicken & Cook Hard Boiled Eggs
- Brush the chicken with oil and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high. If using a grill, you want it at 400° F (204°C).Place the chicken breasts on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for 6 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken to a cutting board, allowing it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- See notes for easy ways to hard-boil eggs if not using store bought.
Assemble Green Goddess Salads
- While the chicken is resting, assemble the salads. Arrange each bowl or plate with lettuce, bacon, tomato, eggs, onion, avocado, and cheese.Slice the chicken and add that to the salad. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of dressing and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- To mellow raw red onions, soak sliced onions in ice water for about 10 minutes before adding to salad.
- The dressing can be made by finely dicing shallots and chopping basil, then whisking all ingredients together or shaking in a mason jar if a blender is unavailable.
- Pickled red onions can be purchased pre-made or prepared at home for added flavor; any preferred cheese such as Feta, goat cheese, or Cheddar can replace blue cheese.
- Rotisserie chicken or chicken thighs can be substituted for grilled chicken breasts; warm or cold chicken both work in the salad.
- Prepare salad ingredients in advance (excluding avocado); combine and add avocado just before serving to prevent browning.
- Bacon can be oven-baked in batches to save time and used in other dishes.
- Hard-boiled eggs can be prepared in an Instant Pot using cold water and pressure cooking or by stovetop boiling followed by ice water cooling.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6-4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 394 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 394kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 179mg | 60% |
| Sodium | 921mg | 38% |
| Potassium | 657mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 1036IU | 21% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 138mg | 14% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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