Chick-fil-A Salads Menu 2026: Calories, Dressings & Builds
Chick-fil-A sells three entrée salads: the Cobb Salad (830 calories), the Spicy Southwest Salad (680) and the Market Salad (550). Those official numbers include the toppings and a full packet of the recommended dressing. Each salad typically costs $10.25 to $12.45, depending on location, and is served from 10:30 AM until close, Monday through Saturday.
Here is what most menu pages miss: roughly half to two-thirds of each salad’s calories come from the dressing and crunchy toppings, not the greens or chicken. This guide breaks down every salad component by component, shows you which of the nine protein options and seven dressings to pick, and gives ready-made builds for protein, low calories, low carb and vegetarian diets. For the rest of the menu, see our full Chick-fil-A menu with prices.
The Three Chick-fil-A Salads, Component by Component
All three salads are built fresh each day on a bed of mixed greens. The “as served” figure is Chick-fil-A’s official total. “Without dressing” is that total minus the default dressing packet.
| Salad | Default protein | As served | Without dressing | Protein | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobb Salad | Sliced Chick-fil-A Nuggets (hot) | 830 cal | 520 cal | 41 g | $10.25–$12.45 |
| Spicy Southwest Salad | Spicy grilled chicken (cold) | 680 cal | 390 cal | 33 g | $10.25–$12.45 |
| Market Salad | Grilled chicken breast (cold) | 550 cal | 320 cal | 28 g | $10.25–$12.45 |
Cobb Salad
The heartiest of the three. Breaded nuggets are sliced and served hot over greens with roasted corn, a Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend, crumbled bacon, sliced hard-boiled egg and grape tomatoes. It comes with charred tomato and crispy red bell peppers (80 calories) and Avocado Lime Ranch (310 calories). It also has the most protein, at 41 g, and the most fat, at 60 g.
Spicy Southwest Salad
The one with the most texture and heat. Cold spicy grilled chicken sits on greens with grape tomatoes, cheese, and a roasted corn, black bean, poblano and red pepper mix. It comes with seasoned tortilla strips (70 calories), chili lime pepitas (80 calories) and Creamy Salsa dressing (290 calories). It is the lowest in carbs, at 27 g.
Market Salad
The lightest and sweetest. Sliced grilled chicken comes with crumbled blue cheese, red and green apples, strawberries and blueberries. It includes harvest nut granola (70 calories), roasted almonds (60 calories) and Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette (230 calories). The fruit and granola give it the most carbs, at 42 g.
Where the Calories Hide: Dressings and Toppings
The greens, vegetables and chicken are the light part of every Chick-fil-A salad. The extras are where the numbers climb:
| Salad | Dressing | Crunchy toppings | Share of total calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobb | 310 | 80 (crispy bell peppers) | 47% |
| Spicy Southwest | 290 | 150 (tortilla strips + pepitas) | 65% |
| Market | 230 | 130 (granola + almonds) | 65% |
Chick-fil-A offers seven salad dressings, and the gap between them is huge:
| Dressing | Calories per packet | Best match |
|---|---|---|
| Avocado Lime Ranch | 310 | Cobb (default) |
| Creamy Salsa | 290 | Spicy Southwest (default) |
| Garden Herb Ranch | 280 | Cobb, Southwest |
| Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette | 230 | Market (default) |
| Fat-Free Honey Mustard | 90 | Cobb, Market |
| Light Balsamic Vinaigrette | 80 | Market |
| Light Italian | 25 | Any salad |
Two easy habits cut calories without ruining the salad. First, use half the packet: you will still coat the greens. Second, keep one crunchy topping and skip the other. On the Southwest, dropping the tortilla strips alone saves 70 calories.
Best Chick-fil-A Salad Builds by Goal
The calorie figures below are worked out from Chick-fil-A’s official component numbers.
| Goal | Build | Approx. calories |
|---|---|---|
| Lightest possible | Market Salad, Light Italian, no granola | 275 |
| Light but filling | Spicy Southwest, Light Italian, no tortilla strips | 345 |
| Sweet and light | Market Salad with Light Balsamic Vinaigrette | 400 |
| Spicy, moderate | Spicy Southwest with Light Italian | 415 |
| Hearty, still sensible | Cobb Salad with Fat-Free Honey Mustard | 610 |
| Full indulgence | Cobb Salad as served | 830 |
Most protein: the Cobb Salad, at 41 g as served. Swap the breaded nuggets for Grilled Nuggets to keep the protein high and cut fat and breading. The app shows the exact numbers for your build.
Lowest carb: the Spicy Southwest Salad, at 27 g as served. Drop the tortilla strips to lower it further. On the Cobb, skipping the corn and crispy peppers helps.
Vegetarian: every salad can be ordered with No Chicken. The Market Salad works best this way, since its fruit, blue cheese and almonds still make a full meal. Remember the Cobb includes bacon, so remove it too.
Most food for your money: the Cobb Salad. It carries the most protein, cheese, egg and bacon at the same price as the other two.
Customizing Your Salad: Proteins, Swaps and Smaller Options
Every Chick-fil-A salad can be ordered with any of nine protein choices, not just its default:
- Chick-fil-A Nuggets or Grilled Nuggets
- Chick-fil-A Filet or Spicy Filet (breaded)
- Grilled Filet, warm or cold
- Spicy Grilled Filet, cold
- Chick-n-Strips
- No Chicken
Warm versus cold matters more than people expect. A warm grilled filet wilts the greens slightly and makes the salad feel like a hot meal. Cold chicken keeps everything crisp, which is better if you are taking the salad back to your desk.
You can also remove any topping, ask for dressing on the side (it always comes in a packet), and ask for an extra packet if you like it saucy (some stores charge for it). The app is the easiest place to make these changes.
Side Salad and Kale Crunch Side
Not hungry enough for a full salad? The Side Salad is listed at 470 calories, a figure that includes a dressing, so choosing a light one brings it down sharply. The Kale Crunch Side is listed at 170 calories and swaps into most meals in place of fries.
Salad or Cool Wrap?
The Cool Wrap packs grilled chicken, greens and cheese into a flatbread. It is easier to eat on the go, but it is not automatically lighter. The Market Salad with a light dressing comes in well under the wrap’s calorie count, so the salad wins if calories are your priority.
Ordering Tips, Group Orders and Allergens
A few things regulars do to get a better salad:
- Go earlier in the day. Salads are made fresh daily, so a lunchtime salad is closer to prep than one late at night.
- Keep the dressing sealed until you eat. If you are not eating right away, the greens and crunchy toppings stay crisp much longer.
- Check the bag for the toppings. Tortilla strips, pepitas, granola and almonds come in separate packets and are easy to miss in a busy drive-thru.
- Salads are not served at breakfast. They join the menu when the switch to lunch happens at 10:30 AM.
For office lunches, Chick-fil-A catering offers salad and wrap options, including packaged meals and side salad trays. See our Chick-fil-A catering menu for tray sizes.
Allergy notes
- Tree nuts: the Market Salad’s granola and roasted almonds contain tree nuts, including pecans and walnuts.
- Peanut: breaded nuggets, filets and Chick-n-Strips are cooked in fully refined peanut oil. The Southwest’s pepitas are roasted in a vegetable oil blend that may contain peanut oil.
- Milk and egg: all three salads contain cheese; the Cobb has hard-boiled egg, and the Creamy Salsa dressing contains egg yolk.
- Wheat: any breaded chicken contains wheat, and so does the Cobb as served. Grilled chicken with no granola or tortilla strips is the safer route.
Always confirm with the official nutrition and allergen tool before ordering for someone with a serious allergy.
Chick-fil-A Salad FAQs
What is the healthiest salad at Chick-fil-A?
The Market Salad. It is the lowest-calorie salad as served (550), and with Light Italian dressing and no granola it drops to about 275 calories while keeping grilled chicken, fruit and almonds.
Which Chick-fil-A salad has the most protein?
The Cobb Salad, with 41 g of protein as served. The Spicy Southwest has 33 g and the Market Salad 28 g.
What dressing comes with each salad?
The Cobb comes with Avocado Lime Ranch, the Spicy Southwest with Creamy Salsa, and the Market Salad with Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette. You can swap to any of the seven dressings, usually at no extra cost.
Can I get a Chick-fil-A salad with fried chicken?
Yes. Any salad can be made with Nuggets, Chick-n-Strips, or the original or spicy breaded filet. The Cobb already comes with breaded nuggets.
Can I order a Chick-fil-A salad without chicken?
Yes. Choose “No Chicken” in the app or at the counter. The Market Salad is the most satisfying meat-free option.
How much does a Chick-fil-A salad cost?
Most locations charge between $10.25 and $12.45 for any of the three entrée salads. Airports and malls usually sit at the top of that range.
Does Chick-fil-A have a kale salad?
Not as an entrée. The Kale Crunch Side (170 calories) is a small kale salad sold as a side and can replace fries in most meals.
