I Tried Every Panera Salad & the Best Was Delightfully Tangy and Crunchy

Panera has long been a go-to destination for salad lovers, but it's gotten even better in recent months, thanks to the "biggest menu transformation" in the bakery-café chain's history, which took place this past spring.

This "new era," as it's been called, ushered in nine new menu items, including the Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains Salad, the Southwest Chicken Ranch Salad, Balsamic Greens with Grains Salad, and Ranch Cobb Salad, as well as many other offerings. It also included upgrades to existing menu options, such as the Caesar Salad with Chicken and Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. Each dish is made with flavorful, high-quality ingredients and plenty of healthy options.

Because of this, I was eager to try out the chain's updated salad offerings, and they did not disappoint. Each salad is exquisitely made and tastes high-quality, from Mediterranean-inspired picks to options that feature healthy, mouthwatering ingredients like whole grains, pickled vegetables, and fresh avocado.

Here's what I thought of each one, starting with my least favorite and counting down to the overall winner.

Greek Salad with Chicken

I'm a Greek salad fanatic, but Panera's version with chicken just didn't do it for me. Even though it tasted delicious and the ingredients were fresh, I found the chicken's consistency lacking. I'd order this $9.49 salad again, just next time without the meat.

The look: This one was a pretty standard Greek salad. It came with chopped romaine lettuce leaves mixed with thinly sliced red onions, whole cherry tomatoes, sliced banana peppers, several Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and white meat chicken slices. It looked well-prepared and had a generous portion of ingredients.

The taste: The ingredients meshed well together, with the banana peppers giving the salad a heat-filled bite, and the olives and feta cheese giving it a briny aftertaste. The dressing was bright and vinegary without bordering on bitter, while the tomatoes were juicy, fresh, and had a subtly sweet taste. The chicken was good, but the texture wasn't as "meaty" as I would have liked.

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Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains

This Mediterranean-inspired salad proves you don't have to go to an expensive restaurant to enjoy a good salad. Made with a combination of whole grains, smooth hummus, grilled chicken pieces, crumbled feta, and shawarma seasoning, this is one dish you can order repeatedly and not get tired of. It costs $10.49 for a half portion and tastes good with a French baguette as a side, which is ideal for dipping into the hummus.

The look: This salad was one of the most eye-catching options. It was made with fresh greens, a dollop of hummus, bright red chopped pepper, thin slices of red onion, crumbled feta, various grains, and a sprinkling of seasoning.

The taste: Exquisite! This salad tasted dynamic and had an undeniable Mediterranean-inspired flavor. It was a little spicy, a touch sweet, and didn't taste rich even though it had a lot going on. The hummus was creamy and fresh, while the red peppers had a saccharine edge to them. Overall, this one was great. Even so, there were many that I liked even better.

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Light and airy, this tasty salad makes an excellent appetizer for the brand's heavier fare, like broccoli and cheddar bread bowls or packed turkey sandwiches. I spent $9.49 on this salad, which was good, but I would have preferred it sans chicken.

The look: Romaine lettuce blended with cilantro, plain sliced almonds, wonton strips, sesame seeds, and white meat chicken pieces. A sesame vinaigrette featuring distilled vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, sugar, dried onion and parsley, rosemary extract, and a dash of stevia extract was served on the side.

The taste: Fantastic, but I would have liked it better without the chicken, as its texture was too soft for my liking. The lettuce tasted fresh and crisp, while the almonds, wonton strips, and sesame seeds offered top-notch texture. The dressing, with its oily, vinegary flavor, was also a nice touch.

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Southwest Chicken Ranch Salad

The first word that comes to mind when I think of this salad is "exciting." With appetizing ingredients like fresh avocado, roasted corn, and chipotle aioli, this pick is one you'd order when you want something out of the norm. It cost me $10.49, and I'd be interested in giving it another go in the near future.

The look: I knew just by looking at this salad that it was going to be tasty. It was made with chopped romaine lettuce and features purple tortilla strips, roasted corn, fresh cilantro, avocado, a dash of smoky orange-hued sauce, which I learned was chipotle aioli, and a side of very thick ranch dressing. It was visually exciting, which was a treat.

The taste: Is it strange to call a salad "fun?" Because this one definitely was. It was flavorful and vibrant, with a variety of desirable textures—crunchy, smooth, creamy, and crisp. The tortilla strips made this salad slightly reminiscent of a taco salad, whereas the orange sauce mixed with the cool ranch dressing matched perfectly. It also wasn't overly salty, which is always a good thing.

Caesar Salad with Chicken

Made with a lettuce blend, black pepper and sea salt, croutons, parmesan, chicken, and a rich Caesar dressing, this salad is excellent, but the chicken wasn't the best. I'd order this $9.49 salad again, but I plan on putting in my own protein I made at home next time.

The look: This one had fresh, chopped romaine lettuce topped with shaved parmesan, cube-shaped croutons, small pieces of white meat chicken, and a side of thick, rich Caesar dressing that was tricky to get out of the plastic container without using a fork.

The taste: This one was very, very good. The cheese, croutons, and lettuce all tasted high-quality, while the dressing had a smooth and creamy texture with a slightly cheesy taste. What I most appreciated was that the croutons weren't too airy or crumbly, but instead were hearty with a great crunch. This salad had great flavor without feeling too heavy. However, the chicken was a bit on the mushy side and I found myself eating around it at some points.

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Green Goddess Chicken Cobb Salad

Green Goddess dressing has a way of making virtually anything taste awesome. This salad, which features a ton of this creamy sauce, paired with fresh avocado, chopped bacon pieces, half of a hardboiled egg, and thinly sliced chicken pieces, is an excellent choice for a meal that doesn't skimp on protein. I paid $10.69 for the half-sized version of this flavorful salad and would probably order it sans chicken next time.

The look: Similar to the other salads, this one came in a clear small- to medium-sized plastic container. It had half a hardboiled egg, crispy bacon pieces, red onions, a quarter of fresh avocado, and crisp lettuce. It was topped with thin white meat chicken slices and came with a pale green dressing on the side.

The taste: Right off the bat, this one tasted fresh and had a healthy flavor—it wasn't too salty or sugary. The dressing was creamy and refreshing and had a bright flavor to it, which really made this salad come "alive." The bacon had a savory edge, the avocado didn't taste soggy or mushy, and the egg was well-cooked. The red onions were also supposed to be pickled but tasted like regular red onions. Although promising, I wish this salad had cheese, as it seemed to be missing one key ingredient to tie the flavors all together. The chicken was also pretty standard but tasted pre-packaged.

Greek Salad

I've ordered this Greek salad more times than I can count—it's been my Panera go-to for years since it's so consistently good. It's fresh, filling, and brimming with flavor thanks to its tangy vinegar-based Greek dressing, juicy grape tomatoes, sharp red onions, salty Kalamata olives, feta, and diced pepperoncini peppers. This one, which I most likely will continue to order repeatedly, cost me $7.39 for a half-size portion.

The look: This salad looked like your standard Greek salad. It had sliced cucumbers, thinly cut pieces of red onion, a few whole cherry tomatoes, and a dash of crumbled feta. All the ingredients looked fresh and vibrant, and there was no water or soggy pieces at the bottom of the container.

The taste: Awesome, but after tasting some of the others, I felt slightly underwhelmed with this one. Although the flavors were fantastic—the red onion had a sharp, in-your-face energy, the tomatoes were sweet and juicy, the dressing had a pleasant sourness to it, and the feta was smooth and briny—it left something to be desired.

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Balsamic Chicken Greens with Grains

Whole grains, pumpkin seeds, pepperoncini peppers, feta, avocado, and a perfectly prepared balsamic vinaigrette dressing—what's not to love about this salad? For $10.49, I got a half-size portion of a tasty salad that I will definitely be ordering again in the near future. However, although I enjoyed this one, I much preferred the version without chicken.

The look: This one also came in a small to medium-sized see-through container with an easy-to-manage top. It had thin white meat chicken slivers, fresh avocado, a mixture of grains, and sliced banana peppers that reminded me of the ones you'd buy in a jar from the grocery store. It was finished off with cucumber slices and a handful of crumbled feta.

The taste: This one had a lot going for it, and, maybe most importantly, nothing was watery or soggy. The cucumber pieces had an excellent crunch, the feta didn't taste powdery or dry, the avocado was smooth and easy to cut, and the banana peppers offered a superb vinegary, spice-filled kick to the dish. The dressing, on the other hand, was slightly sweet, which complemented the other flavors well. I do have to mention again that the chicken wasn't my favorite, and I found myself wanting to pick it off halfway through.

Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

Mixing things up a bit and adding fruit to an otherwise savory-slash-salty salad is such a power move, as I learned with Panera's Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. Although I initially thought it came with fresh chopped apples, I was actually pleasantly surprised that it was dried apples—they gave the salad a more fragrant crunch. This dish cost me $9.49 and was strikingly good.

The look: Light green lettuce pieces packed into a transparent container with dehydrated apple pieces (this threw me off initially as I was expecting them to be freshly cut), a sprinkling of cheese crumbles, thin slices of red onion, and chicken pieces. There was a container on the side with pecans that allowed you to control how much you wanted to add in.

The taste: Wow, better than I expected! The lettuce was fresh, the chicken wasn't chewy or mushy, and the pecans offered a nutty edge. Meanwhile, the dressing was delicate but had an unmistakable apple flavor, which reminded me of cider. And even though the dried apple pieces threw me for a loop at first, they did provide a wonderfully crunchy touch to the dish and matched the chicken, cheese, and dressing well.

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Ranch Cobb Salad

It's easy for a Cobb salad to go wrong for some reason, so I was greatly relieved to learn that Panera's version did not disappoint. Crafted with all the usual Cobb ingredients (you know, a hardboiled egg, bacon, and a handful of cheese), this $7.89 half-sized salad checked off all the boxes.

The look: I was relieved to see that this Cobb salad did not skimp on ingredients. It had a hefty serving of chopped applewood-smoked bacon, a bunch of sliced red onions, half a hardboiled egg, a good amount of feta cheese, and several bright red cherry tomatoes. The container was packed to the brim, which was also a good sign.

The taste: Fantastic—this salad tasted proper, sit-down restaurant-quality. It had pickled onions, which provided an unexpectedly tangy flavor, a creamy dressing with a memorable buttermilk taste, and a touch of saltiness thanks to the chopped bacon. Although it was predictable, tasting like a standard diner Cobb salad, it was delicious nonetheless.

Mediterranean Greens with Grains

Similar to the brand's Mediterranean Greens with Gains, this salad is packed with Mediterranean-inspired flavor, just without the chicken pieces tossed throughout. It cost me $7.89 for a half portion and I would most likely order it again.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The look: A clear container stuffed with a base of mixed greens, a rice and farro blend, sweet peppers, crumbled feta cheese, hummus, shawarma seasoning, and more. It was colorful and appetizing, and didn't look cheap or like it was made from low quality ingredients.

The taste: Fantastic. The hummus has a slightly garlicky taste, the dressing was bright and vinegary with notes of lemon, parsley, and rosemary, and the vegetables, such as the cucumbers and peppers, created a crunchy texture that matched the smooth hummus and crumbly feta wonderfully. All in all, this salad is one of the best on the menu. My only complaint is that since the container was packed so tightly with ingredients, it was tricky to mix the dressing.

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Caesar Salad

You'd be surprised by how easy it is to screw up a Caesar salad, but, thankfully, Panera's has its version down pat. Simple, straightforward, and high-quality, this salad would be a great side to the chain's soups or sandwiches. A half-size portion cost me $7.39, and I would order it again in a heartbeat.

The look: This one was simple and no-frills, but that's kind of what you want with a Caesar salad. It had crispy romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, and medium-sized croutons placed throughout. There were no other vegetables or accouterments, and the dressing was served on the side in a small separate container.

The taste: Wonderful. It was flavorful without tasting too salty, which is sometimes an issue with Caesar salads, due to the cheese and croutons. The dressing was thick and slightly cheesy, whereas the croutons were crunchy and well-seasoned without tasting overbearing. The lettuce wasn't too soft or wilted, and the parmesan tasted high quality. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Even so, there was one salad that I liked even better.

Balsamic Greens with Grains

I absolutely loved this flavor combination, and I'm beside myself as to why I didn't think of putting together these ingredients sooner. Panera's Balsamic Greens with Grains is a fabulous mixture of whole grains, seeds, semi-spicy banana peppers, feta cheese, and more dressed in a mouth-puckering balsamic dressing. Delish! I'm still thinking of this $7.89 salad.

The look: This salad boasted a spring mix of dark green and purple lettuce leaves. It featured a quarter of a fresh-looking avocado, plenty of sliced banana peppers, vibrant cherry tomatoes, a sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese, and a blend of grains and what looked to be pumpkin seeds.

The taste: Impressively good. There was so much to love about this one: the dressing was sweet yet tangy, the grains provided texture and crunch, and the avocado was creamy and smooth and didn't taste wet or flavorless. This salad was awarded the top spot because it was delicious yet unexpected and was an absolute delight for the taste buds. Even though it didn't have chicken, or another type of meat in it, it still felt satisfying, and the texture was next-level. I wholeheartedly look forward to ordering this one again—it's that good!

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