✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with step photos
This copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad is finely chopped kale and cabbage in a sweet-tangy maple Dijon vinaigrette with salty almonds on top. It's 15 minutes of chopping, and it tastes even better the next day.
How Do You Make the Chick-fil-A Kale Salad? (Quick Answer)
Whisk 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate, 1 tablespoon each maple syrup and Dijon, and 4 tablespoons oil. Finely chop 8 ounces of curly kale, massage it with a spoonful of dressing, then toss with 3 cups finely shredded cabbage and the rest of the dressing. Rest 10 minutes and top with chopped salted almonds.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Chop the kale really fine. Tiny pieces are what make this taste like the restaurant side instead of a chewy kale salad.
Why You'll Love This Kale Salad
- No cooking just a knife, a bowl and a jar.
- Sweet, tangy, salty the maple and apple balance the Dijon and vinegar.
- Meal prep friendly kale holds up in dressing for days.
- Real crunch salted almonds go on right before serving.
- A lighter side for nuggets, sandwiches or grilled chicken.
What Is the Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Side?
The Kale Crunch Side is Chick-fil-A's lighter side: a blend of curly kale and green cabbage in an apple cider and Dijon vinaigrette, finished with salted roasted almonds. It's sweet, tangy and crunchy, and it's one of the few fast-food sides that actually tastes fresh.
My test for any copycat is simple: does it taste like the original, can a home cook make it reliably, and is there a shortcut? The shortcut here is chopping everything really small, which does half the work of softening the kale for you.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Curly kale: buy a bunch with crisp, deep green leaves. Bagged chopped kale works but has lots of stem, so pick through it.
- Green cabbage: about a quarter of a small head, or a bag of plain shredded cabbage chopped a bit finer.
- Apple cider vinegar and Dijon: the backbone of the dressing, straight from Chick-fil-A's own description.
- Maple syrup and apple juice concentrate: the sweet side. Keep the concentrate in the freezer and scoop out what you need.
- Roasted salted almonds: buy them already roasted and salted, then chop roughly.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Curly kale, not lacinato. Curly kale is what Chick-fil-A uses, and its ruffles hold the dressing. Lacinato works, but it's flatter and softer.
- Shred the cabbage thin. A sharp knife or the slicing side of a box grater gets it fine enough to match the kale.
- Apple juice concentrate is the trick. It gives that fruity sweetness without watering the dressing down. If you don't have any, use 1 extra tablespoon of maple syrup.
- Two oils. All olive oil can taste bitter against kale. Half neutral oil keeps the dressing mellow, which is closer to the restaurant side.
- Almonds last. They go soft if they sit in the dressing, so I keep them in a little jar and add them at the table.
- My lunch habit. When I want something green next to my nuggets at our local Chick-fil-A, this is the side I pick. At home I make a double batch on Sunday and eat it all week.
Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad
4
servings15
minutes240
kcal25
minutesA copycat version of the Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Side: finely chopped curly kale and green cabbage tossed in an apple cider, maple and Dijon vinaigrette and topped with chopped salted roasted almonds. Serves 4 as a side.
Ingredients
- For the Dressing
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or soybean)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 pinch black pepper
- For the Salad
8 oz curly kale (about 1 bunch)
3 cups green cabbage, very finely shredded
1/3 cup roasted salted almonds, roughly chopped
Directions
- Whisk the vinegar, apple juice concentrate, maple syrup, Dijon, salt and pepper in a bowl, then whisk in both oils until the dressing looks creamy. (Or shake everything in a jar.)
- Strip the kale leaves off the tough stems, then chop the leaves very finely, about the size of confetti.
- Put the kale in a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the dressing and massage it with your hands for 1 minute, until the kale darkens and softens slightly.
- Add the shredded cabbage and the rest of the dressing and toss well. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the kale softens a little more.
- Toss again, spoon into bowls and scatter the chopped almonds on top just before serving.
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Storage
Store the dressed salad in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and keep the almonds separate. The dressing keeps on its own in a jar for 1 week; shake it before using.
What to Serve It With
For a Chick-fil-A night at home, serve it with my copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets and a dish of Chick-fil-A sauce. If you miss the old creamy side, my Chick-fil-A coleslaw is the other cabbage salad worth making, and Chick-fil-A mac and cheese covers the comfort side of the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in the Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Side?
Chick-fil-A describes it as curly kale and green cabbage tossed with an apple cider and Dijon mustard vinaigrette and topped with salted, roasted almonds. Their ingredient list also mentions maple syrup and apple juice concentrate, which is why my dressing uses both.
Is the Kale Crunch Side still on the menu?
It was on Chick-fil-A's menu when I last checked, but menus vary by location, so check the app for your nearest restaurant.
Do I have to massage the kale?
You don't have to, but a 1 minute massage with a spoonful of dressing softens the kale so it tastes tender, not chewy.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Dressed kale and cabbage keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the almonds separate and add them just before serving.
Is this salad vegan?
Yes, as written. Maple syrup and apple juice sweeten the dressing, and there's no honey, dairy or egg.
What can I use instead of almonds?
Toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds give the same salty crunch and work for nut-free kitchens.
