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This kale crunch salad is the easiest and best homemade version of the popular Chick-Fil-A salad. It pairs perfectly with air fryer chicken nuggets and a drizzle of honey.
Curly kale and thin sliced green cabbage is combined with a simple apple cider vinaigrette that’s fresh and light. This kale crunch salad without almonds uses pumpkin seeds as a nut-free alternative, but you can easily substitute them out if you want the copycat recipe.
You’ll love this crunchy kale salad with chicken nuggets without breadcrumbs or air fryer chicken tenders and a homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ideal for meal prep – Hearty kale leaves is the best base for a salad you want to prep ahead because they hold up incredibly well in the fridge without getting soggy.
- Cost effective – Less expensive than fast food! This is copycat kale crunch salad that will give you several servings for the same price, and has better ingredients.
- Quick – With minimal ingredients, you can have this salad ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Here are a few shopping notes for the kale crunch salad and apple cider vinaigrette dressing. The full recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Kale – Look for curly leaf kale instead of “lacinato” or “dinosaur” kale, which is the same type they use in the kale crunch salad recipe.
- Green cabbage – A shortcut if you don’t want to thinly slice this is to use a pre-shredded coleslaw mix.
- Pumpkin seeds – I love to substitute roasted pepitas for this recipe instead of almonds as they’re a great source of magnesium and a nut free option.
- Distilled white vinegar and apple juice – I use this combination as an apple cider vinegar substitute that packs a little more sweetness.
- Dijon mustard – Look for a brand without sulfites, like Annie’s or Whole Foods. Maille also now makes a sulfite-free version.
Substitutions and Variations
- Apple cider vinegar – Use 2 1/2 tablespoons instead of using the distilled white vinegar and apple juice.
- Toasted almonds – Replace the pepitas with almonds for a direct copycat of the Chick-Fil-A kale crunch salad recipe.
- Additions – Add in dried currants or cranberries, goat cheese or feta, sunflower seeds or sliced cucumbers for extra flavor!
- Heal Your Headache – Make the recipe as written.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free and dairy free.
How To Make a Kale Crunch Salad
Step 1: Add the olive oil, apple juice, distilled white vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper to a mason jar and shake vigorously.
Step 2: Add chopped kale and sliced cabbage to a large serving bowl.
Step 3: Pour the dressing on the kale salad and use your fingers to rub the dressing into the kale leaves, massaging the greens for about 1 minute. This helps to make the greens more tender.
Step 4: Marinate the salad in the dressing for at least 10 minutes before adding the pumpkin seeds and serving.
Recipe Tip
Don’t skip massaging the dressing into the kale! This helps make the leaves easier to chew and more flavorful.
Serving Suggestions
To recreate the viral chicken nugget and kale crunch salad, pair these with air fryer chicken nuggets and copycat chick-fil-a sauce. Or you can use a gluten free ranch dressing.
Other main dishes this would pair well with are baked chicken kabobs, crockpot mac and cheese with cream cheese, or this baked halibut recipe. For the ultimate lunch, pair this with my chicken salad wrap.
Storage Information
This salad will store in the fridge for up to 1-2 days before getting soggy. If you plan to store it for longer, just keep the dressing and the kale separate until the day you intend to use.
Feel free to prep this a few hours ahead and store in the fridge. Just wait till the last minute to add the pumpkin seeds for the best crunch!
Frequently Asked Questions
The original kale crunch salad uses curly leaf kale, but there are a few ways you can make this recipe. Dinosaur, or lacinato, kale can be used, but has a more earthy flavor and different texture. You can also buy Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch mix and use this as a base instead.
Curly kale has thick, woody stems that you’ll want to remove before chopping. The easiest way to do this is hold the stem between two fingers and slide them down, so the kale leaves are torn off of the thick steam. Then wash and chop the leaves for the salad.
Chick-Fil-A Inspired Recipes
Dessert
Peach Milkshake (Fresh or Frozen Peaches)
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Kale Crunch Salad (Chick-Fil-A Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple juice
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 6 cups curly kale , stems removed and sliced (from 1 large bunch or 2 small bunches)
- 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, salted or unsalted
- (optional) honey for drizzling
Instructions
- To a mason jar, add the olive oil, apple juice, distilled white vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously.
- To a large serving bowl, add the chopped kale and sliced cabbage. Pour the dressing all over and use your hands to massage the dressing into the greens for about 1 minute. This helps tenderize the kale, making it softer and more flavorful.
- Let the salad “marinate” in the dressing for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Top with homemade air fryer chicken tenders for a full meal!
- Apple cider vinegar can be substituted for distilled white vinegar and apple juice. Use 2 1/2 tablespoons.
- Almonds can be substituted for pumpkin seeds.
- Curly kale is most similar to the original recipe. A short cut is Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch to replace chopping everything yourself, although this isn’t quite as good. You can also use bagged, shredded cabbage too.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ok this is so good! Similar to the CFA one but I appreciate it’s migraine friendly. Thank you!