Copycat Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Um.  have I ever told you guys that I have a little obsession with Panera Bread?   I love everything there.  Everything.   I love their bagels and cream cheese,  their breakfast quiches, their coffee, salads, soups, sandwiches.  Everything. 

But seriously,  It is so expensive.  It is bad enough that I drop at least $10.00 every time I go there.  But, if I bring the kiddos, I am taking precious money out of their college funds for their grilled cheeses- or my husband likes to call it- grilled cheese caviar.

After quickly putting together the Culver’s Strawberry Field’s Salad last month, I realized how easy it is to put together ” restaurant salads” at home.

So I get it, to get all the ingredients does cost money too.   But my kids love fruit,  and I assure you that any leftover fruit- not being used for salads is not going to waste.

I love this salad. The one thing I loved about this- was that both of my two older boys ate it.  And they didn’t just eat the fruit- but they also loved the lettuce drizzled in the sweet poppyseed salad dressing.

You can make your poppyseed salad dressing for this salad, or you can also use store-bought poppyseed dressing- if you are pressed for time.   I promise this salad will be good- either way.

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Copycat Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup chopped pineapple
• 1/4 cup mandarin oranges
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/8 cup salted toasted pecans
• 1/8 cup poppyseed salad dressing
• 1/4 cup chicken- I used chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken.

Poppyseed Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

1.  In a bowl, arrange washed, chopped romaine lettuce, strawberries, oranges, pineapple, blueberries chicken, and toasted pecans. 

2. Drizzle with poppyseed dressing and eat!

3. To make the dressing, add all the ingredients into a salad dressing container or a mason jar. Shake all the ingredients together. Let the ingredients marinate for about an hour before using.