Chicken Salad Chick — Restaurant in East Peoria

I ordered carry out for lunch. I ordered a sandwich (Fancy Nancy) with a side of broccoli salad and decided to make it a trio with the loaded potato soup so I could try more and I was STARVING. Which means no matter what I ate, it would be delicious, right? Not the case at all.

First the sandwich...The chicken salad was absolutely flavorless and paper thin on an oversized croissant. I expected the chicken to at least be seasoned, roasted or something flavorful. It was not in the least bit. It also had WHOLE grapes on it. Every fabulous chicken salad I've ever had that contained grapes, the grapes were sliced in half so you can get equal parts and a well balance of savory chicken and sweet grapes. This was as if they were trying to give you less chicken salad and more grapes. The grapes also were slightly soft (not fresh and crisp). And I'm not sure what type of mayonnaise they use but I assure you they did not "Bring Out The Best" with Hellman's! I was totally expecting and hoping the chicken to be rotisserie and was sadly disappointed.

On to the Broccoli salad. This was not bad. However the homemade broccoli salads I've made and have had - all had way more. Same dressing, but this was lacking ingredients for sure. This was broccoli, shredded cheese and bacon crumbles with a sweet dressing. I expected it to compete with my own version, which additionally has red onion (ok I get not EVERYONE likes onion - skip to the next ingredients then!) cauliflower, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper. And I would expect fresh ingredients. This one had very limp broccoli, as if it had been sitting for several days.

The last thing I ordered was the loaded potato soup. This was actually the best of what I had (not be confused with the best ever!!), although it did NOT taste homemade at all. That might be why it was actually good. I think maybe GFS topped with cheese?

Lastly, they gave me a free cookie. It was adorably wrapped in their branded name on a cellophane wrapper. Has to be good, right? I was actually thinking before I even took a bite "maybe they should lean more toward BAKING rather than cooking??" And then I took a bite. I say bite (singular) because that's all I could stomach after the flavorless sandwich, mediocre broccoli salad and ok soup I just ate. The cookie was soft, so I had hope. But it quickly crumbled into a mound of dust. It was dreadful. I tossed it in the garbage.

So there you have it...my expectations and reality of what I got from Chicken Salad Chick. My prediction - they won't be around long. Not when chicken salad is a staple in most American kitchens and we who make it - KNOW how to make it right with flavor!!!

All this being said - I really was sadly disappointed in the main fact that I was SO hungry when I made this order and had high expectations for something so simple and it turned out tasteless. I hate when that happens. And no - I don't have Covid....

I absolutely love this place. The food is amazing, even if it is mostly chicken salad. You'll definitely be able to find your next addiction here if you like chicken salad. So many different flavors to choose from. And those names are perfect for them. My favs are Cranberry Kelli, and Sassay Scotty 😍. I always get the broccoli salad as my side because it's absolutely amazing 🔥On a cheat day I'll choose the grape salad because that too is amazing and sweet! You can choose to have it as a sandwich or just the scoop. They'll add crackers also, unless you ask to hold them. People were great, really helpful. Atmosphere was welcoming, a friend of mine, me and my cousin stayed here for a few hours visiting. I believe it was the manager that came out and visited with us and told us a little about the company and welcomed us to stay as long as we like. Probably because my friend had her and her crew laughing cause he was just extra hilarious that day 🤣 Good place, great people, great food....yeah I'll be back again and again. Oh yeah! They also have rewards 😘 get on that! And something free for your birthday when you sign up! Scan your receipt...

This is the place to call home about! I have yet to find something that I do not prefer. I highly recommend their grape salad! It is the best side that you can get with your chicken salad. Their strawberry lemonade is very addictive. It is a great place to get full on healthier food. In the winter time for me, their potato soup is really good and cheesy. Today we ate inside. It was the perfect temperature being crazy Illinois weather but it has always been that way when we go. I do not know how they donit but it has been very clean every time we have gone and I have been there previously to COVID. The ladies at the counter were both very helpful and let my young child try different flavors of chicken salad. They never once said that he could not try a different one, and he tried more then a few. Do places now a days let you try the food before you buy it other then ice cream? My husband the pickiest eater in the world loves their cookies! I can not say enough...