Missing Chick-Fil-A's Coleslaw? They Just Revealed Their Recipe and Fans Say It's Delicious
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Let's be honest—it's never too early to start thinking about all the recipes you want to make this summer. As soon as the first sunny spring day hits, we start dreaming about crunchy cucumber sandwiches, juicy tomato salads and tender chicken fresh off the grill. And there are plenty of backyard barbecues and parkside picnics to plan for, too.
Whether you're hosting the shindig or hanging out on someone else's back porch, it's always good to have plenty of summer side dish recipes in your back pocket. We're partial to some of our own go-tos, like Cantaloupe Salad with Lime, Pepitas & Cotija and Pasta Salad with Black Beans & Avocado Dressing, but we're always open to adding something new to our rotation—especially a restaurant copycat recipe.
Related: 27 Side Dishes You'll Want to Make All Summer Long
A Chick-Fil-A location in Carrollton, Georgia, is helping us out with this year's cook-out menus by sharing the official recipe for Chick-Fil-A's coleslaw, which the chain recently retired from the menu. Even though the restaurant took the slaw off of it's menu, it still has plenty of devoted fans. Folks chimed in on the Facebook post to send their compliments to the chef and plead one more time for side dish to return.
But even the most devoted fans (and the least talented cooks) will be thrilled at how easy the slaw is to replicate. Here's what you'll need to make a batch of Chick-Fil-A's signature coleslaw:
4 tsp. distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mayonnaise
2 10-ounce bags of finely shredded cabbage, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, diced
Related: 17 Restaurant Copycat Recipes to Pack for Lunch
Start the dressing by combining the vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt in a large bowl. Whisk them together until the sugar has dissolved in the vinegar. Then add the mayo and continue whisking to combine. Add your cabbage and carrots and mix everything together until the veggies are evenly coated, then chill for at least two hours before serving. Each batch serves six to eight people.
With a recipe this simple, it would be easy to put any twist on it you like—lower the added sugar for folks who have to be mindful about their intake, add in a different blend of seasonings to fit the rest of the menu or add slices of fresh jalapeños for an extra kick. You could even add in more veggies, like chopped sweet peppers, fresh raw corn or red onion for a veggie-packed side that could even help you clean out the fridge, if necessary. Adding whatever fresh herbs you have, like chopped basil, cilantro or even scallions, can also amp up the flavor.
Related: 26 Fresh Tomato Salads You'll Want to Make This Summer
But keeping the recipe in its classic form will win you fans, too. Ardent coleslaw lovers say this simple side is the "perfect complement" to a chicken sandwich, while others say it goes best with Chick-Fil-A's chicken salad—another retired menu item that you can make at home with an official recipe. Pair them both with the retired carrot-raisin salad for a lunch that feels like a fast-food throwback. Or pair this coleslaw with other fun summer dishes, like our Creamy Cucumber, Radish & Tomato Chopped Salad, some Grilled Bell Pepper-Bun Turkey Burgers with Avocado Goddess Sauce and Quinoa Avocado Salad for a summer feast.
No matter how you serve up this easy-peasy recipe, you'll know you've got a tried and true classic on your hands. Just add it to your summertime to-make list along with other favorite Chick-Fil-A copycat recipes, like our Copycat Chick-fil-A Fried Cauliflower Sandwich and Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Salad.
