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Homemade Panera Asian Sesame Chicken Salad: Your Ultimate Copycat Recipe for Fresh & Flavorful Meals

There’s nothing quite like a vibrant, flavorful salad to brighten up your meal, and the Panera Asian Sesame Salad has long been a fan favorite for good reason. With its irresistible blend of crisp greens, tender chicken, crunchy wonton strips, and a tangy sesame dressing, it’s a symphony of textures and tastes. While grabbing one from the restaurant is convenient, learning to make this iconic salad at home is a game-changer. Not only does it allow for complete customization to perfectly suit your palate and dietary needs, but it also offers significant savings. Imagine making four generous servings for the price of just one restaurant salad – that’s a win-win in our book!

This copycat recipe captures all the essence of the beloved Panera original, empowering you to enjoy its fresh, satisfying goodness whenever a craving strikes. Whether you’re seeking a light yet fulfilling lunch, a refreshing dinner option on a warm summer evening, or an impressive dish to share with family and friends, this homemade Asian Sesame Chicken Salad delivers on all fronts. Get ready to elevate your salad game with this simple, budget-friendly, and incredibly delicious recipe!

Fully dressed homemade Panera Asian Sesame Salad, vibrant and ready to eat with grilled chicken, oranges, and crispy toppings.

Embracing home cooking for dishes like this not only makes financial sense but also gives you full control over the quality and freshness of your ingredients. You can choose organic produce, adjust the amount of dressing, and even swap out components to create your ideal version. This recipe isn’t just about replicating a restaurant classic; it’s about making it better, healthier, and more accessible for your everyday meals. Prepare to impress yourself and your family with this easy-to-follow guide to making the best Asian Sesame Salad right in your own kitchen.

Essential Ingredients for Your Copycat Asian Sesame Salad

Crafting this delicious salad involves a delightful mix of fresh produce and convenient pantry staples. While I often advocate for making everything from scratch, there are certain shortcuts that perfectly align with the spirit of a quick and easy home-cooked meal, especially when the quality is still high. For this recipe, we embrace a few strategic store-bought items that save time without compromising flavor, ensuring you get that authentic taste with minimal fuss.

All the fresh and pantry ingredients needed to prepare the Panera Asian Sesame Salad, including romaine, chicken, dressing, oranges, wontons, and almonds.

When you head to the grocery store, make a beeline for the fresh produce section. This is where you’ll find bags of crispy wonton strips and pre-sliced almonds, often conveniently located near the lettuce greens and refrigerated salad dressings. These pre-packaged toppings are fantastic for adding that signature crunch without any extra effort. Don’t forget a can of sweet mandarin orange slices – they bring a burst of bright, citrusy flavor that truly elevates the salad, making each bite a delightful surprise.

Fresh Produce & Proteins:

Romaine Lettuce: The backbone of this salad, romaine offers a perfect crisp texture and a mild flavor that acts as an excellent canvas for the bolder Asian-inspired components. Always choose the freshest heads for optimal crunch and taste.
Cilantro: While optional, a handful of fresh cilantro adds an incredible aromatic brightness and a distinctive herby note that perfectly complements the Asian flavors. If you’re a cilantro lover like me, don’t skip this vibrant addition!
Grilled Chicken Breast: For a hearty and satisfying meal, perfectly grilled chicken is key. You can grill it fresh at home, use leftover cooked chicken, or even grab a rotisserie chicken from the store for an even faster prep. Seasoning and marinating your chicken, even briefly, will significantly enhance the overall flavor profile of your salad, making it truly stand out.

Pantry Staples & Flavor Boosters:

Asian Sesame Dressing: This is where a good store-bought dressing truly shines for convenience. While homemade is always an option, a quality pre-made dressing like Bragg Ginger & Sesame Dressing is an excellent choice. Look for one with a good balance of sweet, savory, and tangy notes, with prominent sesame and ginger flavors to achieve that authentic Panera taste.
Wonton Strips: These wonderfully crispy, fried noodles provide an essential textural contrast – that satisfying crunch that makes every bite exciting and addictive. They are a must-have for the classic Asian sesame salad experience.
Sliced Almonds: Toasted sliced almonds add another layer of crunch and a delicate nutty flavor that pairs wonderfully with the other ingredients, contributing to the salad’s complex texture profile.
Mandarin Oranges: These canned segments are a secret weapon, offering sweet, juicy pops of flavor that cut through the richness of the dressing and chicken, adding a refreshing and vibrant element that brightens the entire dish.
Sesame Seeds: A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds not only adds a subtle nutty flavor but also enhances the visual appeal of the finished salad, giving it a professional, restaurant-quality touch.

By thoughtfully selecting and preparing these ingredients, you’re setting yourself up for a truly spectacular and authentic Asian Sesame Salad experience right in your own kitchen, effortlessly recreating a beloved classic.

For precise ingredient measurements and detailed instructions, please scroll down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

Crafting Your Delicious Asian Sesame Salad: Step-by-Step Assembly

Making this salad is incredibly straightforward, perfect for a busy weeknight or a relaxed weekend lunch. The key is in preparing each component efficiently and then assembling them to create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. Here’s how you’ll bring this vibrant, crunchy, and utterly delicious salad to life, step by step:

Step 1: Prepare Your Greens with Care

Begin by taking your fresh romaine lettuce. Thoroughly chop it into uniform, bite-sized pieces that are easy to eat. Once chopped, give it a good wash under cold running water to remove any dirt or impurities. It’s absolutely crucial to dry the lettuce very well – excess water can dilute your dressing and make your salad soggy, diminishing its crispness. A salad spinner is an excellent tool for this; alternatively, you can gently pat the greens completely dry with paper towels. Once perfectly dry, transfer the crisp romaine to a large mixing bowl. If you’re using cilantro, roughly chop or tear it and add it to the bowl with the romaine. This initial mix creates your fresh, leafy base, ready to absorb flavor.

Chopped romaine lettuce and fresh cilantro are placed in a large mixing bowl, forming the base of the salad.

The savory Asian sesame dressing is being poured over the fresh greens in the mixing bowl.

Step 2: Dress the Greens to Perfection

Now, it’s time to add the star of the show – the dressing! Pour your chosen Asian sesame dressing over the greens in the bowl. Using a pair of salad tongs or your clean hands, gently toss the lettuce and cilantro until every single leaf is lightly and evenly coated. Ensure thorough distribution, but be careful not to over-dress the salad at this stage, as you can always add more later if needed. The goal is to lightly moisten the greens, allowing their inherent freshness and crispness to shine through, perfectly complemented by the dressing.

Step 3: Assemble the Flavorful Salad Base

Once your greens are perfectly dressed and glistening, carefully transfer them into your individual serving bowls. This forms the vibrant foundation upon which your magnificent salad will be built. Next, take your toasted sesame seeds and generously sprinkle them over the dressed greens. These tiny seeds add a subtle nutty flavor and a pleasing visual texture. Then, artfully arrange the drained mandarin orange slices on top. Their vibrant orange color and sweet, juicy bursts provide a beautiful contrast to the green base, adding a refreshing and exciting element to each forkful.

Dressed greens are placed in a serving bowl, then garnished with toasted sesame seeds for enhanced flavor and appearance.

Sweet and juicy mandarin orange segments are carefully added to the top of the salad.

Step 4: Add the Protein and Ultimate Crispy Toppings

Finally, complete your salad by layering on the remaining star ingredients. Place your succulent, sliced grilled chicken breast generously over the oranges and greens. Then, for that signature crunch and texture, generously scatter the crispy wonton strips and the toasted sliced almonds over the entire salad. This delightful combination of textures – tender chicken, juicy oranges, and satisfyingly crisp wontons and almonds – is what truly makes this salad a standout and a favorite. I personally love to add a particularly generous amount of wonton strips for maximum crunch in every bite!

The final step: grilled chicken, crunchy wonton strips, and toasted sliced almonds are added to complete the Panera Asian Sesame Salad.

For an extra flourish, give it a final drizzle of additional dressing over the chicken if you like, and perhaps a sprinkle more sesame seeds for garnish. Serve immediately and savor every fresh, flavorful, and wonderfully crunchy bite of your homemade Panera Asian Sesame Salad!

Expert Tips & Clever Notes for Your Best Asian Sesame Salad

Mastering this Panera-inspired salad is easy, and with a few clever tips, you can make it even better, more convenient, and perfectly suited to your needs. This recipe is designed to yield four substantial salads, making it incredibly versatile for various meal scenarios, from quick lunches to satisfying dinners.

Meal Prep Perfection Made Simple

If you’re planning to enjoy these delectable salads throughout the week, they are fantastic for meal prepping. The critical secret to successful salad meal prep is to keep certain components separate until just before serving to maintain optimal freshness, prevent sogginess, and preserve that delightful crunch. Here’s how to do it efficiently:

Prepare All Components: Chop and thoroughly dry your romaine lettuce. Cook and slice your chicken breast. Have your wonton strips, sliced almonds, mandarin oranges, and sesame seeds ready to go.
Individual Storage: Store the lettuce and all other solid ingredients (chicken, almonds, wontons, oranges) in separate airtight containers. You can portion them directly into individual meal prep containers, layering the heartier ingredients on the bottom with lettuce on top, but still keeping dressing separate.
Dressing on the Side: Crucially, always keep the dressing in a separate small container. This prevents the greens and crunchy toppings from becoming soggy and ensures everything stays fresh until you’re ready to eat.

When lunchtime or dinner rolls around, simply combine everything from your meal prep containers, toss with dressing, and enjoy a fresh, delicious, and healthy meal that tastes like it was just made!

Host Your Own Interactive Salad Bar

For gatherings, family dinners, or simply to encourage picky eaters to customize their meals, setting up a “salad bar” style presentation is a brilliant and engaging idea. This approach allows everyone to be their own chef, ensuring satisfaction for all tastes. Prepare all the ingredients in individual bowls or platters. Lay out the fresh greens, cooked chicken, mandarin oranges, wonton strips, sliced almonds, sesame seeds, and the dressing. This way, each person can construct their own salad, adding as much or as little of each topping as they desire. It’s interactive, fun, and ensures everyone gets exactly what they love in their salad – truly celebrating personal customizations!

Grilling Chicken for Optimal Flavor Enhancement

While the overall salad assembly is delightfully quick, the only part that typically requires actual cooking is the chicken. To infuse your chicken with maximum flavor and ensure it perfectly complements the Asian theme of the salad, I highly recommend a quick marination step. Simply season your boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then, drizzle a generous amount of your chosen Asian sesame dressing over the chicken pieces and let them marinate for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. This brief marination period allows the savory and aromatic flavors of the dressing to penetrate deeply into the chicken, resulting in a more tender, juicy, and incredibly delicious protein that elevates every bite of your salad. Grill until cooked through and slightly charred for extra depth of flavor and appealing grill marks.

Versatile Substitutions to Customize Your Salad

One of the absolute best aspects of making this Panera Asian Sesame Salad at home is the freedom to experiment and tailor it precisely to your personal preferences, dietary restrictions, or simply what you have readily available in your pantry. Don’t be afraid to make these simple yet impactful swaps to create your perfect bowl!

Greens Variations:

For Added Nutritional Punch: While crisp romaine is my steadfast go-to for its classic texture and ability to hold up well to dressing, you can easily boost the nutritional value and complexity by adding some baby spinach, finely chopped kale, or a vibrant “super greens” lettuce blend. These additions will introduce more vitamins, minerals, and a slightly different earthy flavor profile without significantly altering the overall essence of the salad.
Enhanced Texture Play: If you enjoy a diverse mix of textures, consider incorporating some thinly sliced napa cabbage alongside the romaine. Napa cabbage offers an extra layer of delicate crispness and a slightly sweeter, milder flavor, adding another dimension to your salad.

Herbs & Aromatics Alternatives:

Cilantro Customization: If cilantro isn’t your favorite herb, or if you simply don’t have it on hand, feel free to omit it entirely. The salad will still be wonderfully delicious and flavorful without it. For a different fresh herb note, you could try a small amount of finely chopped fresh mint for a refreshing twist or thinly sliced green onions (scallions) for a milder, subtle oniony kick that complements Asian flavors beautifully.

Dressing Choices:

Your Preferred Dressing: I personally swear by the Bragg Ginger & Sesame Dressing for its exceptional flavor and consistent quality when opting for a store-bought shortcut. However, the true beauty of making this at home is choosing what you love most. Feel free to use your absolute favorite Asian sesame, ginger, or even a light soy-ginger vinaigrette. If you’re feeling a bit more ambitious and have the time, a homemade dressing with a base of toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, grated fresh ginger, minced garlic, and a touch of honey or maple syrup would be absolutely phenomenal and allow for even greater control over the flavor profile.

Fruit Additions and Adjustments:

Mandarin Oranges: I personally adore the bright, sweet, and tangy bursts that mandarin oranges bring to this salad, which is precisely why I always include them. However, if you prefer the traditional Panera version without the fruit, or simply aren’t a fan of fruit in your savory salads, feel free to leave them out. Alternatively, fresh orange segments or even segments of pink grapefruit could also offer a different, refreshing twist and visual appeal.

Protein Power-Ups and Swaps:

Beyond Chicken: While grilled chicken makes this a wonderfully satisfying meal, you have a wealth of other protein options. Omit the chicken entirely for a delightful and vibrant side salad. For alternative main dish proteins, consider perfectly grilled or sautéed shrimp for a lighter option, pan-seared tofu (marinated in a similar Asian dressing for maximum flavor) for a vegetarian-friendly twist, or even thinly sliced cooked pork tenderloin for a heartier meal. Each protein will bring a unique character and texture to the dish, allowing you to truly personalize it.

Crunchy Topping Substitutions:

Wonton & Nut Alternatives: If traditional wonton strips are hard to find in your local grocery store, or if you’re simply looking for something a bit different, crispy chow mein noodles are an excellent and readily available substitute, offering a very similar satisfying crunch. For the nutty component, you could also try crushed peanuts or cashews instead of, or in addition to, the sliced almonds for a different nutty flavor profile and texture. Even a sprinkle of toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds can add a good textural contrast and extra nutrients.

These extensive substitution ideas ensure that your homemade Asian Sesame Salad can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of specific dietary preferences, ingredient availability, or personal taste. Feel free to mix and match to discover your absolute perfect combination and make this salad truly your own!

A close-up of the delicious Panera Asian Sesame Salad, showcasing its vibrant colors, grilled chicken, juicy oranges, and crispy wontons.

More of My Favorite Salad Recipes

If you’ve loved creating this vibrant and flavorful Asian Sesame Salad, you’re in for a treat! My kitchen is full of exciting salad creations that transform simple ingredients into extraordinary, satisfying meals. Whether you’re in the mood for the fresh, zesty flavors of the Mediterranean, the hearty, spicy notes of Tex-Mex, or something uniquely American and comforting, there’s a salad here for every craving and occasion. Dive into these other popular recipes and discover new ways to enjoy fresh, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying salads that will become new staples in your repertoire:

Hearty Greek Chicken Salad: A refreshing and robust blend of crisp vegetables, briny Kalamata olives, creamy feta cheese, and tender grilled chicken, all tossed in a bright and zesty lemon-herb dressing.
Classic Italian Chopped Salad: A robust salad generously loaded with a delightful assortment of Italian cured meats, various cheeses, and crunchy garden-fresh vegetables, all harmoniously tossed in a rich and aromatic Italian vinaigrette.
Fun Taco Salad with Doritos: A playful, incredibly satisfying, and flavor-packed salad featuring perfectly seasoned ground beef, an array of fresh Tex-Mex toppings, and the irresistible, crunchy zest of Doritos.
Smoky BBQ Chicken Salad: A delightful combination of sweet and savory BBQ chicken served over a bed of crisp, fresh greens, complemented by sweet corn, earthy black beans, and finished with a cool, creamy ranch dressing.
Deconstructed Cheeseburger Salad: Enjoy all the beloved flavors of your favorite classic cheeseburger, thoughtfully deconstructed and served over crisp lettuce, without the bun! Features juicy seasoned beef, melted cheese, tangy pickles, and a special secret sauce.
Traditional Asian Chicken Salad: Another fantastic take on vibrant Asian flavors, often featuring a base of crisp cabbage, shredded carrots, and a different style of rich peanut or bright ginger dressing, offering a distinct culinary experience.
Elegant Pepita Crusted Salmon Salad: A sophisticated and incredibly flavorful salad featuring delicate, flaky, pepita-crusted salmon and tender roasted pumpkin, providing an elevated, gourmet touch to your meal.
Simple Dijon Salad with Poached Egg: A rustic yet elegant salad, highlighted by a perfectly cooked poached egg crowning fresh greens, all brought together with a vibrant and tangy Dijon vinaigrette.

Did you fall in love with this recipe and make it your own? I’d be absolutely thrilled to hear about your experience! Please consider leaving a review or a comment below to share your thoughts, tips, and any delightful customizations you made. Your feedback truly helps others! And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get even more delicious, easy-to-follow recipes delivered straight to your inbox every week. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for daily inspiration, behind-the-scenes culinary adventures, and a community of fellow food lovers!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 4 large Salads

Panera Asian Sesame Salad

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups Romain Lettuce, chopped
½ cup Cilantro, rough chopped or torn
½ cup Bragg Ginger & Sesame Dressing
2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds, toasted
1, 11 ounce can Mandarin Oranges, drained
16 ounces Grilled Chicken Breast, sliced
1 ½ cups Sliced Almonds, toasted
1 cup Wonton Strips

Instructions

Toss the romaine, cilantro, and dressing together in a large bowl to coat the lettuce.

Divide the dressed greens between 4 large bowls and top with sesame seeds.

Layer the oranges, chicken, almonds, and wontons on top.

Drizzle on a little more dressing over the chicken, and a sprinkle more sesame seeds and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe is designed to make 4 substantial salads. For meal prep, keep dressing separate from the other ingredients until serving to prevent sogginess. Store chopped lettuce, cooked chicken, and all toppings in airtight containers for easy assembly throughout the week.

For best flavor, marinate the grilled chicken for 20-30 minutes in a little Asian sesame dressing before cooking. This adds an extra layer of savory taste to your salad.

Feel free to customize! Add spinach for extra nutrients, omit cilantro if preferred, or swap wonton strips for crispy chow mein noodles. Mandarin oranges add a delightful sweetness, but can be left out if you prefer a more traditional version.

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Refreshing Asian Sesame Salad