Panera Fuji Apple Chicken Salad: Price, Calories and Nutrition (2026)

Fuji Apple Chicken Salad is the salad that made Panera’s salad menu worth ordering, and it is still the one regulars recommend to first-timers. Mixed greens topped with chicken, apple chips, pecans, blue cheese, red onions, and a white balsamic Fuji apple vinaigrette. The sweet-savory balance is the whole appeal: crisp apple and honeyed vinaigrette against salty blue cheese and toasted pecans. In 2026 a half runs from $6.29 at most US cafes, with 280 calories per half according to Panera’s official menu boards.

Panera prices vary by cafe and market, and delivery orders run higher with fees and tips. Menu aggregators have listed the half at $6.29 in 2026, and the February 2026 value-menu Mix and Match lists halves at $4.99, so the from $6.29 figure is a market-varied estimate. The whole salad runs 560 calories. The half is the standard Pick Two size and the right serving for a lunch.

Last updated: June 13, 2026

Table of contents

• What is in the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad
• Fuji Apple Chicken Salad nutrition facts
• Fuji Apple Chicken Salad ingredients and customization
• Allergens
• Fuji Apple Chicken Salad vs Caesar Salad with Chicken
• Getting the best value on the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad
• Frequently asked questions

What is in the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

Mixed greens, grilled chicken, dried apple chips, toasted pecans, crumbled blue cheese, and sliced red onions, tossed in a white balsamic Fuji apple vinaigrette. Every component has a job: the greens are the base, the chicken is the protein, the apple chips and vinaigrette bring the sweetness, the blue cheese brings the salt, and the pecans bring the crunch. It is a composed salad, not a pile of lettuce, and the balance is what keeps people reordering it.

At 280 calories for a half with 15 grams of protein, it is a genuinely reasonable lunch salad. The 17 grams of fat sounds high for a salad until you see the source: pecans and blue cheese, both calorie-dense but both doing real flavor work. The 10 grams of sugar comes mostly from the apple chips and the vinaigrette, which is the honest cost of the sweet-savory profile.

The whole at 560 calories is a full meal and not an unreasonable one. But the half is the smarter order for most people: it leaves room for a soup or sandwich half in the Pick Two, which is how this salad is usually eaten.

Fuji Apple Chicken Salad nutrition facts

Full nutrition breakdown for one half Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, based on Panera’s official nutrition values, consistent with 2026 menu boards.

Nutrient	Amount per half salad
Calories	280
Total fat	17g
Saturated fat	3.5g
Trans fat	0.1g
Cholesterol	40mg
Sodium	310mg
Total carbohydrates	17g
Dietary fiber	3g
Sugars	10g
Protein	15g

The 280 calorie half is 14 percent of a 2000 calorie day, and the 310 milligrams of sodium is refreshingly low for a restaurant salad. The 3 grams of fiber comes from the greens, pecans, and apple. The 15 grams of protein is solid for a half salad and explains why this one actually fills people up.

Context against the whole: 560 calories, which doubles everything and is still a defensible dinner. Compared with the Caesar Salad with Chicken’s 220-calorie half, the Fuji Apple runs 60 calories heavier but carries more fiber and a more interesting flavor profile. The 0.1 gram of trans fat is a trace amount Panera discloses in its official values.

Fuji Apple Chicken Salad ingredients and customization

The standard build is mixed greens, grilled chicken, apple chips, toasted pecans, blue cheese crumbles, red onions, and white balsamic Fuji apple vinaigrette.

Customization is where Panera salads shine. Dressing on the side is the standard calorie-control move, and the vinaigrette is sweet enough that half a portion goes a long way. Dropping the blue cheese or the pecans cuts fat fast, though both are core to the flavor. Adding extra chicken boosts protein for a few dollars. The Pick Two pairing with a cup of Chicken Noodle Soup is the classic light lunch: roughly 380 calories total for a genuinely satisfying meal.

Allergens

This salad contains milk (blue cheese) and tree nuts (pecans), and the vinaigrette may contain soy depending on the recipe batch, so guests with those allergies should verify with the cafe team. Panera’s kitchens handle egg, wheat, peanuts, fish, and sesame, so cross-contact is possible. The chicken is grilled, not breaded, which keeps wheat out of the standard build, but shared prep areas mean nothing is guaranteed allergen free. Guests with severe allergies should speak to the cafe staff before ordering.

Fuji Apple Chicken Salad vs Caesar Salad with Chicken

Panera’s two signature salads, settled with numbers. Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (half): 280 calories, 17g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 40mg cholesterol, 310mg sodium, 17g carbs, 3g fiber, 10g sugar, 15g protein, from $6.29. Caesar Salad with Chicken (half): 220 calories, 14g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 50mg cholesterol, 390mg sodium, 8g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g sugar, 16g protein, from $6.29.

The Caesar is the lighter pick by 60 calories, with slightly more protein and far less sugar. The Fuji Apple brings more fiber, less sodium, and a much more complex flavor profile. The Caesar is the simple, classic order; the Fuji Apple is the interesting one.

Pick the Fuji Apple when you want the sweet-savory balance, the crunch of pecans and apple chips, and the salad people recommend. Pick the Caesar when you want fewer calories, more protein, and the lowest sugar count of the two. Both halves cost the same.

Getting the best value on the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

• The Pick Two is the value play: a half salad plus a cup of soup or half sandwich costs less than the items bought separately, and it is the standard Panera lunch format.
• The February 2026 Mix and Match value menu lists halves at $4.99 at participating cafes. If your cafe runs it, that is the cheapest way to get this salad.
• MyPanera rewards run salad deals and free-item offers. A free bakery item with your salad is a common promotion.
• Dressing on the side is free and it is the calorie move, but it is also the value move: you use less, the salad still tastes right, and the leftover dressing stretches to a second meal at home.

Frequently asked questions

ManuBite Team. We track fast food prices and nutrition across the USA so you always know what your meal really costs, in dollars and in calories.