Located at 101 Saloom Farm Rd., Suite 101, Chicken Salad Chick is a nationally owned, fast-casual Southern restaurant chain known for its wide variety of chicken salad flavors, homestyle sides and welcoming atmosphere. With 14 locations in Louisiana, it is safe to say that the Lafayette one is one of the best due to its outstanding customer service and attention to local flavor.
Their menu features an assortment of chicken salads which includes the Barbie-Q, Buffalo Barclay, Classic Carol, Cranberry Kelli, Dixie Chick, Olivia’s Old South, Fancy Nancy, Fruity Fran, Lauryn’s Lemon Basil, Sassy Scotty, Deck the Holly, Jalapeno Holly, Jazzie Julie, Kickin’ Kay Lynne and others including Pimento Cheese, Spicy Pimento Cheese and Egg Salad.
Other menu features include several renditions of chicken salad sandwiches that come with your choice of any of the chicken salads above, as well as other sandwiches such as the Bacon Cheddar Melt, Chicken Salad Melt, The Chick, Chicken Salad BLT, Turkey Club and the Pimento Cheese BLT. Their side dishes include Broccoli Salad, Pasta Salad, Grape Salad, Fresh Fruit and Mac and Cheese, as well as a regular salad.
Chicken Salad Chick began as a small, home-based project in Auburn, Alabama. The brand was founded in 2008 by Stacy and Kevin Brown, who began preparing chicken salad recipes in their own kitchen and delivering them to neighbors and friends.
What started as a simple way to share her favorite Southern comfort dish quickly turned into a full business when demand grew beyond anything she expected.
After being told she could no longer sell food out of her home due to health regulations, Stacy and Kevin decided to officially open a restaurant. Since then, Chicken Salad Chick has opened more than 300 locations spanning across 20 U.S states.
The atmosphere of the restaurant felt welcoming from the moment I walked in. The inside of the restaurant had a bright and calming look, with pastel colors covering the walls and soft lighting that made the space feel cozy. One detail I noticed that I thought was quite appealing was the cooler at the front next to the register with some of their famous, pre-made chicken salad.
Due to a pause in SNAP benefit payments in Louisiana, the Lafayette Chicken Salad Chick location is offering free kids’ meals until SNAP benefits are restored. The offer is: one free kid’s meal per child (dine-in only), no purchase required. According to the company, they’re not doing this for political reasons; they say, “We simply believe that no child should go hungry.” This benefit is not exclusive to Lafayette, as other locations are also offering it.
My colleague and I had the pleasure of visiting this famous national establishment on Thursday, Nov. 13. As we walked in, the employees greeted us and began looking at the menu. After seeing that there are over a dozen different chicken salads, I was a little overwhelmed, but since I am pretty picky with mine, it wasn’t a difficult choice. You had the option of bread that you could get, which included white, wheat and croissant.
After reviewing the entire menu, I decided to order the Chicken Salad BLT on a croissant, with the Classic Carol chicken salad and pasta salad. My colleague opted for just mac and cheese and a drink.
After ordering our food, we sat at a booth near the front door. It wasn’t long before our food arrived, about 10 minutes later.
My meal came out looking fresh and ready to dig into. One thing that this restaurant prides itself on is the freshness of its food, as it is made from scratch every day.
The taste of the sandwich was even better. Every time I eat at one of these restaurants, I consistently enjoy their food. Their chicken salad never fails to taste like your grandmother’s, fresh and savory. The crunchiness of the bacon and the freshness of the lettuce and tomato complemented the chicken salad well. My colleague’s mac and cheese was equally impressive, with it being creamy and rich in flavor.
After we finished our meals, I interviewed Audriande Mouton, head of food prep. “I’ve been working here for about two years. I am mainly on the sandwich line, like I make the sandwiches and prep stuff… It’s not bad here, like the people are nice, especially the manager.”
“It’s an overall good environment… my favorite aspect of working here is the scheduling. They’re very lenient… like if you ask for the day off, they’ll let you have it.”
Overall, my experience at Chicken Salad Chick was enjoyable. The food was flavorful, portions were generous, the staff were friendly and the atmosphere was peaceful. While it’s a simple concept, the restaurant does it exceptionally well. The prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity of food provided.
If you would like to visit this restaurant, it is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
