TREND BITES:
Creative Chicken Salads for Every Concept
Salads sometimes seem like the obligatory "healthy" section of a menu—there for patrons looking for a light or low calorie option and overlooked by everyone else. In recent years, the rise of bowls, wraps, and low carb meals heightened the nutrition of other menu sections so even health-conscious patrons veered away from ordering salad as an entree. Except... that appears to be finally changing.
Salads vs. Bowls
According to Datassential, salads have dropped 2% in menu mentions over the past ten years. It's possible that bowls, with their perception of being newer and more exciting, could be to blame. Bowls offer a variety of bases, veggies, proteins, and cuisine styles, making them more intriguing than traditional salads. However, salads have one key advantage: dressings. Since we know what to expect from salad ingredients, there's more freedom to go bold with dressings. We've seen sauces get bolder and more experimental over the past few years, and dressings are finally following suit.
Get Flavor explains, "Salads are back in the game after ceding the court to bowls for more than a decade... And while careful attention is being paid to all salad components, it's the dressing that's now coming into sharp focus for innovation." Some chefs are even starting with the dressing and building their salad concept around that, instead of choosing a dressing last. Our menu recommendation is to find strong, delicious dressings and make them the focus of your salads.
TIP: Datassential's research shows chipotle ranch (which you can buy premade) and green goddess dressing (We have a Green Goddess Salad recipe!) have had the biggest increase in menu mentions over the past four years.Try these salad recipes!
Pasta salads are always a hit in the summer, especially for patrons who enjoy a salad base other than greens. In this salad, we combined the tiny, fun orzo pasta with arugula and used a lemon vinaigrette dressing.
With Buffalo-Style Diced Chicken, thick-cut bacon, and crunchy, salty pretzel croutons, this salad has the flavors, textures, and colors for maximum menu appeal. Serve it with Caesar dressing or offer Buffalo Ranch for an tangy alternative!
Upgraded Caesar Salads
One of Datassential's "10 Flavors to Watch for 2024" was "Caesar Everything." Their research shows that 34% of consumers are interested in trying "alternative Caesar salads," such as salads made with greens other than romaine lettuce. We made a couple of our own new takes on Caesar salads by using our Italian-Style Breaded Filet in this Breaded Chicken Caesar Salad recipe and our Buffalo-Style Diced Chicken in this Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad recipe.
Salad and Fries?
Drive sales by serving salads with a bundled side like a beverage, soup, breadsticks, or even French fries. Earlier this year, Nation's Restaurant News suggested serving entree salads with a side-sized portion of a traditional main dish like pasta. They also mentioned the recent TikTok trend of pairing a salad with a side of fries. It's perfect for customers who want to enjoy a healthy option, but also indulge in a little treat. Give it a try on your menu!
Our Favorite Chicken Products for Salads
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