Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad

broccoli salad with bacon and cheese in a white bowl

Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad

A simple and delicious copycat recipe for creamy broccoli salad from Chicken Salad Chick made with fresh broccoli florets, shredded cheese, and bacon tossed in a sweet and creamy dressing

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Chillling Time 1

Total Time 1 11

Servings

Calories 320kcal

Author Amee

Equipment

large pot

Ingredients

8 oz bacon
32 oz broccoli florets about 3 heads, chopped into bite-size florets
salt
1 cup mayonnaise Duke's mayo recommended for traditional southern flavor. You can cut calories and go with light mayo or avocado oil mayonnaise for a healthier alternative
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup sugar
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded from block
4 oz mozzarella cheese shredded from block
coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Optional classic add-ins: raisins (or dried cranberries), sunflower seeds (chopped pistachios are also amazing here), and finely chopped onion

Instructions

Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate (save the grease for cooking brussels sprouts!) and set aside.
Add salt to a large pot of water and bring it to a full boil.
Add the broccoli florets and blanch for 60 seconds (see notes)
Quickly drain and immediately transfer the florets to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. I add ice and cold water to a large bowl until chilled and drain again. Florets will be a beautiful bright green color.
Place the florets into a salad spinner and spin dry. Spread the florets out on a baking sheet and pat them dry with paper towels to remove any remaining water.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, sugar, and vinegar until smooth.
Add the broccoli and toss well to coat.
Stir in the shredded cheese, cover and chill for at least an hour.
Top with crumbled bacon right before serving.

Notes

- Blanch no longer than 60 seconds – If the broccoli is left in the simmering water any longer than a minute, it will quickly lose its crisp-tender *snap* and begin to taste like soggy, boiled broccoli.

- Blanched vs. raw broccoli – You can skip the blanching step and make this with raw broccoli florets. However, blanching the broccoli makes it easier to digest, neutralizes bitter flavors, and gives it a nice clean, crisp bite.

- Dry the broccoli thoroughly – If you don’t dry the florets completely, you’ll end up with floppy broccoli and a soggy salad. If you aren’t in a rush, you can spread the blanched florets on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and set it in the fridge to help dry out the moisture.

- Don’t skip the chill time – As tempting as it may be to dig in, it’s important that you let the salad chill for at least an hour so the dimensional flavors can wake up and bind together and the dressing has time to seep into every nook of the broccoli florets.

Nutrition