One of my favorite meals at the Disneyland Resort is the Sonoma Chicken and Apple Salad that is found at the Pacific Wharf Cafe in Disney California Adventure.   Yes, it is a salad, but it is still hearty and filling because it is served in a huge, fresh sourdough bread bowl that is baked right next door at the Boudin Bakery.

A great thing about Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park is that they still serve soups, chowders and salads in sourdough bread bowls.  The Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom (WDW) used to serve their chowder in bread bowls, but sadly stopped the practice several years ago. 

Here is a picture of the actual salad at the Pacific Wharf Cafe…

 

 

Looks good, right?  It is a fairly easy salad to assemble and can be even easier with a few minor changes to the recipe.  This recipe will easily fill 4 small bread bowls. 

Here are the ingredients (minus the romaine lettuce which I decided not to use)…

 

 

First, in a medium pot, boil 4 cups of water.  Add two chicken bouillon cubes and stir to dissolve.  Lower the heat to a simmer and add one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast.  Cover the pot and cook for about 8 minutes (until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees).   Place the chicken in your refrigerator to cool it. 

 

 

 

Thinly shred about a 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, or purchase bagged lettuce that is preshredded. 

Place a 1/4 cup of diced celery, 1 granny smith apple that has been peeled and sliced into wedges, 1/4 cup walnut halves, 2/3 cup honey mustard dressing (I used Ken’s because that is the brand that is often available in the Disney parks) into a medium bowl and mix. 

 

 

Dice the cooled chicken into small (1/4 inch) pieces and add to the mixture in the bowl.  Stir.

 

 

I found nice bread bowls at Panera bread, and although they are about half the size of the bread bowl you will get at Disneyland, it is still plenty of bread.  Cut the top off of each sourdough bread bowl and scoop out some of the insides, leaving a nice border of bread. 

 

 

Fill the bread bowls with your shredded lettuce and place the chicken salad in the center. 

 

 

Top with some dried cranberries and some chives.  Pretty!

I did find the chicken to be a little bit chewy and I think that some leftover baked chicken or some meat from a rotisserie chicken would be easier and tastier.  I don’t think the extra step of poaching in broth was worth the hassle.  Also, I thought the full amount of dressing left the chicken slightly overdressed, so you could try a bit less and see if it is dressed enough for your taste.  You can always add more.  I used full fat honey mustard dressing, but obviously a light or fat free dressing could be used instead.  Enjoy! 

 

 

Do you think everything tastes better in a sourdough bread bowl?

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