Journey to chicken salad mecca in Warner Robins

I’ll admit it, the idea of a restaurant that only serves chicken salad seemed strange to me. After trying a majority of the 16 different flavors offered at Chicken Salad Chick in Warner Robins, I see the wisdom in the business plan.

People love chicken salad, but they usually have a preferred recipe — with fruit, maybe nuts, with a little heat or a hint of smoke. Chicken Salad Chick serves it all of these ways, with clever names and a Southern style that’s very popular right now.

Our favorites were the original Classic Carol with just mayo, celery and seasoning; the Fancy Nancy, with Fuji apples, pecans and grapes; and the Buffalo Barclay, similar to a buffalo chicken dip. We also enjoyed the slightly spicy pimento cheese, with just a “smidge” of mayo to hold the cheddar and pepper jack together. Other flavors include Barbie-Q, an old Southern version with sweet pickles and egg, a super hot one with cayenne and bacon, and the Nutty Nana with just pecans and cashews.

Other than all the choices of chicken salad, the menu is pretty simple. Choose a soup and sandwich for $6.79; an Original Chick, including a sandwich or scoop with a side and a cookie, for $7.49; the Gourmet Chick with two sides and a cookie for $8.79; or the Chick Trio (our recommendation) with three scoops and/or sides for $8.79. While you can choose a side salad, pasta salad or fruit, we recommend the sweet grape salad and the interesting broccoli salad as sides.

If you go with someone who just can’t stand chicken salad, they have a few standard deli sandwiches and soups as well. Another favorite feature is the daily cookie: Monday and Friday are chocolate chip, Tuesday is lemon, Wednesday is snicker doodle, Thursday is white chocolate macadamia, and Saturday is a wild card.

Another surprise was the cute decor, with wainscoting and light colors, outdoor seating and a private room for small groups. Chicken Salad Chick is a smart idea with a deserved loyal following and a great product.

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This story was originally published October 13, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Journey to chicken salad mecca in Warner Robins."