Farm Fresh Field Greens with Crispy Chicken Tenders at LongHorn Steakhouse

Quick Facts

Introduction

The Farm Fresh Field Greens with Crispy Chicken Tenders at LongHorn Steakhouse isn’t trying to be fancy. That’s the point. It’s a big bowl of soft greens with golden, hand-breaded tenders piled on top, and somehow it ends up being one of the most ordered salads on the lunch menu.

I’ve eaten my share of chicken tender salads at chain steakhouses. Most feel like an afterthought, like the kitchen pulled something off the kids’ menu and dumped it onto lettuce. This LongHorn chicken tender salad isn’t that. The tenders come out hot, the greens stay crisp under them, and the toppings actually give you a reason to keep digging.

If you’re trying to figure out whether this dish is worth your money or your calories, this guide walks through what’s in it, how it tastes, what to pair it with, and what to know before you order.

Key Takeaways

• What it is: A LongHorn Steakhouse entrée salad topped with hand-breaded crispy chicken tenders, bacon, egg, cheddar, and field greens.
• Calories: ~1,070 with honey mustard; drops to ~540 with grilled chicken, no bacon, no croutons, and a light vinaigrette.
• Price: $13.99–$15.99 at most U.S. locations.
• Best for: Lunch diners who want protein-heavy comfort food in a salad format.
• Skip if: You’re on a low-sodium diet (2,100 mg standard build) or strict keto plan.
• Pro tip: Order dressing on the side and eat hot; the breading loses its crunch fast.

What Is the Farm Fresh Field Greens with Crispy Chicken Tenders Salad?

The Farm Fresh Field Greens with Crispy Chicken Tenders is a composed entrée salad served at LongHorn Steakhouse, the steakhouse chain owned by Darden Restaurants. The base is a blend of soft baby lettuces, mostly baby romaine, baby spinach, and a touch of arugula. On top, the kitchen layers diced Roma tomatoes, sliced cucumber, hard-boiled egg, shredded cheddar, smoky bacon crumbles, and seasoned croutons. The headline ingredient is the crispy chicken tenders, whole-muscle chicken breast, hand-breaded, fried to order, and laid over the salad while still hot.

It comes with a side of dressing. Honey mustard is the default pairing, though most locations will swap it for ranch, blue cheese, Caesar, balsamic vinaigrette, or light Italian at no extra cost.

This isn’t a side salad. It’s a full entrée meant to fill you up. The portion is generous, the protein is hearty, and the toppings push it well past the “rabbit food” label some diners try to slap on salads.

Main Ingredients in the LongHorn Field Greens Salad

Here’s what actually goes into the bowl:

• Field greens. A blend of young, tender lettuces, baby romaine, baby spinach, and arugula, softer than chopped iceberg, with a slight bitter edge.
• Hand-breaded crispy chicken tenders. Whole-muscle chicken breast strips, breaded in seasoned flour, and fried until the crust shatters under the fork.
• Applewood-smoked bacon. Cooked crisp, chopped into bits. The smoky, salty hit that ties everything together.
• Diced Roma tomatoes. Bright and slightly acidic, used in modest amounts.
• Sliced cucumber. Half-moons for cooling crunch.
• Hard-boiled egg. Usually sliced into wedges. Adds richness and a bump of protein.
• Shredded cheddar cheese. Sharp, sometimes mixed with Monterey Jack.
• Seasoned croutons. Garlic-herb, baked-style, with real bite.
• Honey mustard dressing. The classic LongHorn pairing sweet, tangy, and thick enough to coat a forkful of greens without drowning them.

Taste and Flavor Profile

The first bite tells you everything. You hit the crunch of the breading, then the soft give of the chicken, then the cool snap of the greens. The bacon kicks in next, smoky and salty against the sweetness of the honey mustard. Cheddar smooths it all out.

The salad runs warm and cool at the same time, which is harder to pull off than it sounds. The tenders come out hot enough to slightly wilt the greens directly under them, but the rest of the bowl stays crisp. Tomatoes pop. Cucumbers stay cold.

Flavor-wise, it leans rich. Salt, fat, and a soft sweetness dominate the profile. If you’re someone who likes acid or heat, this salad won’t fully satisfy that on its own, but a squeeze of lemon or a side of LongHorn’s steak sauce fixes that fast.

It’s comfort food dressed up as a salad. No point pretending otherwise.

Nutritional Information

LongHorn doesn’t publish exact macros for every salad build, but based on the standard version with honey mustard, here’s a fair estimate:

A few things worth knowing.

The dressing hides more calories than people expect. Honey mustard alone adds roughly 280 calories and 16 grams of sugar to the bowl. Swap it for balsamic vinaigrette, and you’ll drop the total under 850 without losing much enjoyment.

The chicken tenders, even breaded, still deliver real protein. Between the tenders, egg, bacon, and cheese, you’re looking at about 55 grams of protein, more than most entrées on the menu and well above USDA daily targets for an average adult.

Sodium is the trade-off. A salad built on bacon, cheese, and breaded chicken is going to run salty. If you’re watching salt intake, skip the bacon or ask for half the dressing.

How the Numbers Change Based on How You Order

Allergen and Dietary Info

If you’re managing food sensitivities or following a specific eating plan, here’s a quick reference:

Always confirm with your server. LongHorn kitchens use shared fryers, so cross-contact risk exists for severe gluten or allergen sensitivities.

Why People Love It

A few reasons keep this dish on the regulars’ radar.

It feels like a “sensible” order without actually being one. You’re eating greens, technically. There’s protein, vegetables, and dressing on the side if you want it. But you also get fried chicken and bacon, so nobody at the table judges you. That balance, indulgent but framed as healthy, is exactly why entrée salads sell so well at steakhouses.

The portion is enormous. For around $14, you walk out full. That matters when some dinner entrées at the same table push past $25.

The tenders themselves are also genuinely good. LongHorn fries them to order rather than holding them in a warmer, so the breading stays crisp instead of going soggy on the way out of the kitchen. That single detail puts this salad ahead of most chain competitors.

And honestly, it’s just easy to like. Sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy. It hits the same notes as a chicken sandwich and fries, but in a format that feels lighter when you’re done.

Best Side Dishes and Drink Pairings

Most people order this salad as a standalone entrée, and at this size, that makes sense. But if you’re hungrier than usual, a few sides round it out without overdoing it.

Sides that work:

• Seasoned steakhouse fries. Pair surprisingly well with the leftover honey mustard.
• Sweet potato. A lighter, slightly sweet counter to the savory salad.
• Loaded baked potato. Heavy, but works if you’ve shown up for the calories.
• Cup of French onion soup. A sleeper hit, beefy, rich, and a nice warm contrast to the cold greens.
• Honey wheat bread basket. Already on the table, but worth mentioning, the soft, slightly sweet loaf pulls double duty as a palate reset.

Drinks

• Unsweet iced tea with lemon. Cuts through the dressing and resets the palate.
• Chardonnay. A buttery white that matches the richness of bacon and cheese.
• Light lager or pilsner. Refreshes between bites of fried chicken.
• Strawberry lemonade. If you want to lean into the sweet side, this works better than expected.

If you’re trying to keep the meal balanced, skip the loaded potato, stay with iced tea, and let the salad do its job.

Variations and Popular Versions

The Farm Fresh Field Greens salad shows up in more than one form at LongHorn Steakhouse, and a few regular swaps can make it your own.

The default pairs the salad with crispy tenders, but most locations will also build it with grilled chicken, the same toppings, just a flame-grilled chicken breast instead of the breaded tenders. That switch cuts roughly 300 calories and most of the saturated fat. The trade-off is texture; you lose the crunch that makes the dish memorable.

Common modifications regulars ask for:

• Sub blue cheese crumbles for the cheddar
• Add avocado (seasonal at some locations)
• Hold the croutons or egg for a lower-carb version
• Sub balsamic vinaigrette or light Italian for honey mustard
• Add a side of buffalo sauce for a sharper finish

Dressing Comparison Chart

Choosing the right dressing changes the calorie load more than any other single decision. Here’s how the standard LongHorn options stack up:

If you like this dish, the LongHorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken is worth your next visit, same breaded-chicken family, but baked as a full entrée. Fans of the tenders themselves should also check out the LongHorn Spicy Chicken Bites appetizer, which trades the salad format for a bolder, sauce-heavy bite.

How It Compares to Other Chain Steakhouse Salads

If you’re choosing between chain steakhouses for a chicken salad lunch, here’s how the LongHorn version stacks up against its closest competitors:

The LongHorn version stands out for two reasons: it’s the only one in this group offering a fried tender option (texture wins), and it’s the most topping-loaded bacon, egg, cheese, and croutons all in one bowl. If you want lighter, Texas Roadhouse is the cleaner pick. If you want the most food for your dollar, LongHorn wins.

Tips Before Ordering

A handful of small choices change the experience of this dish more than you’d expect.

Ask for the dressing on the side, even if you plan to use all of it. The salad arrives looking like a small mountain, and pre-dressed greens collapse fast under the weight of warm tenders. Dress it yourself in stages, and the texture holds up.

Eat it hot. If you’re sharing or distracted, the tenders cool fast, and the breading loses its snap within about ten minutes. This dish rewards attention.

Watch the dressing if you’re counting calories. The easiest single swap is here, honey mustard adds close to 300 calories on its own. Balsamic vinaigrette or light Italian dressing saves a meaningful amount without making the salad boring.

Splitting works. Two lighter eaters can share this with a side of fries and walk out full. Most servers will accommodate a split plate at no charge.

Takeout holds up but barely. If you’re ordering for pickup, ask the kitchen to pack the tenders, dressing, and greens separately. Assembled-in-box salads turn soggy within fifteen minutes.

And one more thing, ask whether the tenders are cut from a whole chicken breast. LongHorn uses whole-muscle, but it never hurts to confirm if you care about that.

For diners coming in hungry, this salad also works as a lighter intro before something like the LongHorn Renegade Sirloin or the Outlaw Ribeye, though that’s a real commitment portion-wise.

Is It Worth Ordering? The Verdict

Yes, if you go in clear-eyed about what it is. The Farm Fresh Field Greens with Crispy Chicken Tenders isn’t a diet salad and was never meant to be. It’s an honest, well-built entrée that costs less than most steaks on the menu, delivers more protein than most entrées, and rewards the small ordering tweaks above. For lunch crowds, light eaters splitting a plate, or anyone who wants chicken tenders without ordering off the kids’ menu, this is one of the smartest picks on LongHorn’s lineup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Farm Fresh Field Greens with Crispy Chicken Tenders a healthy meal?

It depends on how you order it. The greens, egg, and vegetables give you fiber and micronutrients, and the protein count is solid. But the breaded tenders, bacon, cheese, and honey mustard push the standard version above 1,000 calories. Swap to grilled chicken with a vinaigrette and you bring it under 700 calories without losing much flavor.

How many chicken tenders come with the salad?

Most LongHorn locations serve three to four crispy chicken tenders on the salad, depending on tender size that day. Portions can vary slightly by store.

Can I order this salad without bacon or egg?

Yes. Both are easy to remove at the time of ordering. Skipping the bacon also drops the sodium and saturated fat noticeably.

What dressing comes with the LongHorn Field Greens salad?

Honey mustard is the standard pairing. You can swap it for ranch, blue cheese, Caesar, balsamic vinaigrette, or light Italian at no extra cost.

Is the chicken hand-breaded or pre-frozen?

LongHorn uses hand-breaded, whole-muscle chicken breast for its tenders, and they’re fried to order. That’s why the crust comes out crisp instead of soggy.

How much does the salad cost at LongHorn Steakhouse?

Pricing varies by location, but most LongHorn restaurants charge between $13.99 and $15.99 for the full entrée salad. Lunch combo pricing at some stores runs a few dollars less.

Is this dish available all day or only at lunch?

It’s served at both lunch and dinner. Some locations feature it on the lunch combo menu at a slightly lower price during midday hours.

Is the Farm Fresh Field Greens salad gluten-free or keto-friendly?

No to gluten-free as standard, the breaded tenders and croutons both contain wheat. For keto, you can modify by switching to grilled chicken, skipping the croutons, and choosing a vinaigrette, which brings carbs down significantly but still won’t be strictly keto-compliant due to trace carbs in the dressing and toppings.

Can I get this salad to go?

Yes, it’s available for takeout and delivery through LongHorn’s website or third-party apps. Ask the kitchen to pack the tenders, greens, and dressing separately so the salad holds its texture during the drive home.

Does bread come with the salad?

Yes. LongHorn brings fresh-baked honey wheat bread to the table with every meal, salad orders included.

Conclusion

The Farm Fresh Field Greens with Crispy Chicken Tenders is one of those rare chain restaurant salads that earns its spot on the menu. The tenders are hot and crisp, the greens are fresh, the toppings make sense, and the price delivers a full meal for what most steakhouses charge for an appetizer.

It’s not the lightest thing on the menu. Anyone calling a fried-chicken salad “diet food” hasn’t looked at the numbers. But ordered with a vinaigrette and a smart side, it’s an honest entrée that doesn’t try to be more than it is.

If you’re walking into LongHorn Steakhouse for lunch and you want something filling without going full steak-and-potatoes, this is the order.