Want a healthy yet heavy meal? You may be craving a salad. It’s perfect for any time of the day, whether you’re on a diet or just want to enjoy Sunday evening. Here are the 12 best fast-food Salads that are worth every buck and that you should try. 🥗
12. Subway Cold Cut Combo
Let’s start the list with Subway’s Cold Cut Combo – this could be one of the strangest items on this list, why? The salad is almost made with vegetables with very few other ingredients, nothing of a big deal but when you have a taste, you’ll never be disappointed. One thing to note though is that food items like this Salad made by typical fast-food joints are made to order, which means there are processed ingredients.
Calorie: 360 kcal/cal
11. Dairy Queen Crispy Chicken Strips Salad
Next is Dairy Queen’s Crispy Chicken Strips Salad – you might be thinking, “Do they have salads?” Yes, they do! And it’s something you might want to try, not just their signature ice cream. The Crispy Chicken Strips Salad is not too special – it’s a mixed of lettuce, diced tomatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, and chopped-up chicken strips. It’s simple but it’s also delicious as a salad.
Calorie: 380 kcal/cal
10. Panera Citrus Asian Crunch Salad with Chicken
Next up on our list is Panera’s Citrus Asian Crunch Salad with Chicken – I know, the name is so long, lol. This one though is unique and not the kind of salad you’re used to. It is a combination of, I’d say, ‘rare’ ingredients: chopped broccoli, carrots, kale, cilantro, edamame, romaine, red chopped onions, and some cheese if you want. If you noticed, what makes tha Panera’s salad is the unique blend of the ingredients we typically see on a salad.
Calorie: 310 kcal/cal
9. Boston Market Chicken Caesar Salad
We have one of the most popular salad dressing in the world – Caesar salad from Boston Market. This type of dressing is mostly the type of salad the usual restaurants serve, but this salad from Boston Market has its own unique twist. Nothing special about the ingredients but the way it was made, simple but so good – like drinking your favorite Coca-Cola, a lot of sodas are entering the market, but still nothing beats the OG. Boston Market’s Caesar salad has rotisserie chicken, which gives it juiciness and flavor. Please mind, though, that this salad is one of the highest when it comes to calorie portions.
Calorie: 770 kcal/cal
8. El Pollo Loco Double Chicken Avocado Salad
Another chicken-specialty salad is the Double Chicken Avocado Salad from El Pollo Loco. Guess what? I know you haven’t heard about a salad with avocado, which is not in our usual fast-food restaurants. The good thing about this salad from El Pollo Loco is that it’s somehow a heavy meal with chicken combined with different vegetables. The salad is composed of pico de gallo, corn, lettuce, and cotija cheese.
Calorie: 370 kcal/cal
7. Quiznos’ Classic Italian Salad
We all know that Italians love both pizza and salad and with Quizno’s Classic Italian salad in our seventh place, you might want to have a taste of it if you happen to go to a restaurant that serves it. This salad is being served at a sit-down Italian restaurant. The salad is composed of black olives, banana peppers, onions, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce as the bed of the salad. By the way, If you don’t like Subway’s cold cuts, you’re going to have a change of thoughts after trying Quizon’s salad with the same ingredient.
Calorie: 700 kcal/cal
6. Taco Bell Veggie Power Menu Bowl
Finally, another entry from a popular fast-food chain – Taco Bell’s Veggie Power Menu Bowl is more of a meaty salad with beef inclusion. It has a seasoned rice base, lettuce, black beans, guacamole, cheese, tomatoes, avocado (yes!), and sour cream. Nothing too special, but that overall taste is so good that you’ll crave it when thinking of a salad on a Sunday evening.
Calorie: 420 kcal/cal
5. Chick-fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad
Coming off on our fifth list is the Spicy Southwest Salad from Chick-fil-A. So, is it really spicy? Yes, but not too much. There have been a few debates over the years about Chick-fil-A’s salad since they don’t think it should be a regular item on their famous menu of chicken wings. But yeah, it’s included in our list for one reason – it tastes delicious! The salad is composed of poblano chiles, black beans, and roasted corn with lettuce as the base. What we like about Chick-fil-A’s salad is the grilled chicken.
Calorie: 390 kcal/cal
4. Chopt Classic Cobb Salad
Let’s get back to the classics with Chopt’s Classic Cobb Salad—not the usual classic but a very delicious and creamy one. It comes with grape tomatoes, romaine, bacon, avocado, and blue cheese. You can choose to add hard-boiled eggs and grilled chicken, too. Overall, the Cobb salad is simple and a worth-it contender on the list.
Calorie: 640 kcal/cal
3. Wendy’s Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
Who says Wendy’s only serves burgers, fried chicken, and fries? Their Apple-Pecan Chicken Salad is something you would want to try! Just give it a shot, and you’ll definitely love it. It’s a creative combination of ingredients that is not typical of a classic salad. It has apple mixed into the usual ingredients and lettuce as the base. You’ll also have a taste of pecans to add texture. The remaining ingredients are blue cheese, pomegranate vinaigrette, and some tomatoes.
Calorie: 450 kcal/cal
2. Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad
Entering our second spot is Sweetgreen’s Peach and Goat Cheese Salad which is one of the best salads in the fast-food restaurants. What’s so special about their salad? Well, it has ripe peaches, which makes it one of the best and unique, also has shredded kale together with mint, cucumbers, basil, and roasted almonds. It also comes with goat cheese for added creaminess and the right amount of balsamic vinaigrette. All in all, this salad is soooo good! Plus, you don’t have to worry about your diet because this salad is low on calories too.
Calorie: 375 kcal/cal
1. Saladworks Summer Berry Salad
Of course, we’ll have an item from a restaurant that serves salad as their main dish. The Summer Berry Salad from Saladworks is one of the most creative salad dressings on this list. This salad is refreshing, light, and almost perfect during summer. Personally, I think this salad is one of the top three on the list. It comes with a super green base, then mixed with strawberries and blueberries, which gives some sweet and sour taste. The honey pecans add to the salad’s overall flavor, while the feta cheese compliments the overall texture. Add some grilled chicken for more texture; this salad is really worth your money.
Calorie: 870 kcal/cal
If you want to try a salad out of curiosity, all the items on this list are good for starters. If you’re on a diet, just look for the calories per item. So yeah, here are 12 fast-food salads that you should try!