Welcome to FGCU Eats,
There’s something charmingly nostalgic about walking into Chicken Salad Chick in Estero, Florida. The pastel green walls, the dainty red flowers collected by the registers and the logo bringing back memories of a simpler time.
Coming from someone who is not a Florida native, I’ve never seen one of these chain restaurants before. Some may not think too much of it, but it feels less like a fast-casual restaurant and more like the set of a 2000s rom-com. I expected to see Jane Nichols in a pencil skirt, balancing a to-go cup and a phone call about bridesmaids dresses, humming Natasha Bedingfield with wired earbuds (27 Dresses reference).
Originally a small South Eastern chain, Chicken Salad Chick has quietly expanded beyond its roots from 2008, bringing a gentle feel of comfort food to college towns and northern suburbs. There’s something refreshingly unapologetic about a menu that circles around, literally, chicken salad: mayo, protein, crackers and maybe grapes if you’re feeling extra whimsical that day.
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For college students, Chicken Salad Chick feels slightly like the grown-up evolution of “girl dinner.” You get a basket with a medley of scoops, sides and a small little sweet treat that hits every note of the snack symphony: salty, savory, creamy, crunchy and sweet. It’s 100% a meal that says: I have work to do, but I’m going to eat healthy while doing it.
When it came to the order, I didn’t overthink it. I went with one scoop and two sides, practical but indulgent. My scoop of choice was the Sassy Scotty, a confident name for what’s essentially the loaded baked potato cousin of traditional chicken salad. It’s shredded chicken folded into a mix of cheddar, bacon and ranch seasoning. For someone who is picky when it comes to pieces of chicken, I approve, no chunky or funky pieces of chicken in sight.
For my sides, I went with two different salads, the pasta salad and the grape salad. Pasta salad, no one can do wrong. The tri-color rotini is coated in an Italian-style dressing that’s rich but tangy, sprinkled feta, parmesan, black olives and even artichoke hearts. It’s chilly feeling pairs well with a warm sunny day.
Then there’s the grape salad, the wildcard, the dessert disguised as a salad. It was a creamy, glossy mix of red and green grapes tossed in a cream cheese mixture, sprinkled with brown sugar and pecans. It feels like an aunt’s secret weapon at a birthday party, coming from experience. Not too sweet, soft vanilla accents that feels like a healthy indulgence.
This meal comes with a complimentary mini buttercream-frosted cookie. Now, this miniature cookie was perfectly soft and yet not crumbly. A small enough sweet treat, but rich enough to make a passionate impression. The way it melted and tasted, reminded me of soft-serve vanilla ice cream. The kind of bite that makes you want a white picket house with blue shutters, a room overlooking the river that looks like a painting (The Notebook reference).
Altogether, the meal was both immensely filling and freshening. Just wholesome enough to feel like comfort food, but light enough that I wished I’d gone to yoga or pilates beforehand. It’s easy to imagine grabbing Chicken Salad Chick after a morning workout or between classes or even if it’s an afternoon when you want to feel like a main character in a rom-com listening to You’re So Vain by Carly Simon (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days reference).