Chick-fil-A’s market salad comes with a variety of fresh salad greens and vegetables, topped with their signature zesty apple cider vinaigrette dressing. The tangy, sweet dressing perfectly complements the salad and is a big part of what makes the market salad so delicious.
The Ingredients in Chick-fil-A’s Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Chick-fil-A’s apple cider vinaigrette is a homemade style dressing made fresh in their restaurants every day. The main ingredients include:
- Apple cider vinegar – provides tangy flavor
- Vegetable oil – adds richness
- Dijon mustard – gives the dressing a spicy kick
- Honey – lends sweetness to balance the acidity of the vinegar
- Spices like garlic and onion powder – extra flavor
Chick-fil-A carefully blends these ingredients together in the right proportions to create a dressing with the perfect sweet yet tart apple cider taste.
Nutrition Facts for Chick-fil-A’s Vinaigrette
The apple cider vinaigrette is lower in calories and fat compared to creamy dressings like ranch or blue cheese. Here are the nutrition facts for 2 oz serving of Chick-fil-A’s apple cider vinaigrette:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 180 |
| Total Fat | 18g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 150mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 8g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Sugars | 4g |
| Protein | 0g |
As you can see, the dressing is high in healthy unsaturated vegetable oils. It has no cholesterol or trans fats either. The sugar content is moderate at 4g per serving. Overall, it’s a lighter, tangy dressing that complements the freshness of the market salad.
How the Apple Cider Vinaigrette Complements the Market Salad
The market salad contains a variety of salad greens, shredded red cabbage, carrots, diced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and more. Some tasty mix-ins like bacon pieces or bleu cheese crumbles can also be added. The salad is crammed full of different colors, textures, flavors and crunchy veggies.
The zing from the cider vinegar dressing really brings the salad to life. It unifies all the ingredients and adds a bright pop of flavor. The sweetness balances out any bitter notes from the greens while the acid cuts through the richness of add-ons like cheese or bacon bits. The spices also enhance the freshness of the vegetables.
The dressing has just the right consistency too. It’s smooth and coats each component without being too heavy or dripping off the leaves. This allows the natural flavors of the individual ingredients to still come through while getting an apple cider tang in each bite.
How to Make a Chick-fil-A Style Vinaigrette at Home
You can recreate the delicious apple cider vinaigrette dressing at home with just a few simple ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the vinegar, mustard, honey, shallot, garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until blended.
- Continue whisking while slowly drizzling in the oil until combined and emulsified.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more honey for sweetness or vinegar for tang.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Shake or whisk before tossing with your favorite salads!
This easy homemade dressing can be tweaked and customized to suit your tastes. Try experimenting with different vinegar and oil varieties or extra herbs and spices.
Other Chick-fil-A Salad Dressings
In addition to the signature apple cider vinaigrette, Chick-fil-A also offers a few other lighter salad dressing options like:
- Italian: A blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano and black pepper.
- Honey Mustard: Made with mustard, honey, and vinegar for a sweet and tangy flavor.
- Light Balsamic Vinaigrette: With a base of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Fat Free Honey Mustard: A lighter zero fat version sweetened with honey.
Their diet lemonade vinaigrette is currently unavailable but was a fan favorite lighter dressing choice. Customers can request any of the dressings on the side with a market salad or grilled nuggets meal.
Get Creative with Salad Toppings
One of the great things about the market salad at Chick-fil-A is how customizable it is. You can keep it simple and healthy with just veggies or kick it up a notch with mix-ins like:
- Diced grilled chicken
- Bleu cheese crumbles
- Candied pecans
- Dried cranberries
- Bacon pieces
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Avocado
The apple cider vinaigrette pairs well with any of these additions. The tanginess cuts through the rich cheeses, nuts or bacon while the sweetness balances salty flavors. Feel free to get creative with crunchy, savory or sweet mix-ins to make each salad unique.
Turn Leftover Vinaigrette into a Marinade
Don’t let excess apple cider vinaigrette go to waste. The tangy dressing doubles as a quick and easy chicken or veggie marinade.
To use as a marinade, simply whisk together equal parts vinaigrette and olive oil with some oregano, thyme, garlic and onion powder. Brush over chicken breasts, fish fillets, shrimp, pork chops or firm tofu. Let marinate 15-30 minutes then cook as usual.
For veggies, marinate chopped peppers, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms or other produce for 1-2 hours before roasting or grilling. The vinaigrette’s acid helps tenderize while infusing everything with flavor.
Conclusion
Chick-fil-A’s market salad is a customer favorite, thanks in large part to the delicious apple cider vinaigrette dressing. This homemade style dressing strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy while complementing the salad’s bounty of fresh veggies and toppings. Its lighter ingredients set it apart from heavy, creamy dressings. Fans can recreate the magic at home by whisking up this easy DIY recipe. Beyond salads, the versatile dressing can also be used as a quick marinade for chicken, fish, shrimp or veggies. However you use it, Chick-fil-A’s zesty apple cider vinaigrette is sure to become your new favorite salad dressing.