We got an early look at the new Chicken Salad Chick in Sevierville, Tennessee, just 18 minutes from Dollywood and sitting near a Food City in the area, before it opened to the general public. If you are planning a Smoky Mountains trip and looking for a fresh, family friendly lunch stop, this is one we think is worth building into your route.

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Chicken Salad Chick first opened its doors in Alabama back in 2008. Since then the brand has grown to more than 340 stores across over 25 states, and this Sevierville location is one of the newest additions to that list. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

Chicken Salad Chick

There are no fryers and no grills in this kitchen. Everything centers on freshly made sides, soups, and a lineup of twelve chicken salad flavors, each one named after a member of the founding family. We learned from a manager on site that once a new flavor gets developed, it earns a family member’s name, so there is real thought behind who ends up attached to which chicken salad on the menu.

The flavors are grouped to make ordering easier: traditional options, fruity and nutty combinations, savory choices, and spicy varieties. The printed menu shows a photo for each one, so you can see roughly what you are getting before it lands on your plate. Every chicken salad can be ordered as a scoop, piled onto a sandwich, or paired with a side for a full meal.

We tried nearly every flavor, here is how they ranked

We went in with a group and ordered a wide spread of chicken salads so we could compare almost everything on the menu in one sitting. Here is what stood out.

Classic Carol

Classic Carol is the base recipe the rest of the lineup builds from, creamy and straightforward with nothing extra mixed in. It kept winning for us. Even after working through the bolder flavors, more than one person in our group circled back and said this was still the best of the bunch. If you like your chicken salad to simply taste like chicken salad, start here.

Sassy Scotty

Sassy Scotty takes the classic base and adds ranch, shredded cheddar, and bacon. The manager told us it is one of the most popular flavors in southern markets, and we understood why after tasting it. Every component came through clearly in each bite, the ranch, the bacon, the cheddar, none of it got lost. This one landed just behind Classic Carol as our group favorite.

Kicking Kalin

Kicking Kalin builds on the Sassy Scotty base with buffalo flavor, jalapeno, and hot sauce mixed in. The manager named this one alongside Sassy Scotty as a personal go-to order, and it is easy to see why if you want real heat with your chicken salad instead of a mild version dressed up with sauce on the side.

Dixie Chick

Dixie Chick is the classic recipe with onion folded in, and it split our group right down the middle. Some of us found the onion a little too assertive. Others ranked it as their favorite flavor of the entire visit, putting it ahead of even Classic Carol. If you like a sharper, more savory edge to your chicken salad, this is the one to try first.

Fruity Fran

Fruity Fran mixes the classic base with apple, grape, and pineapple. One of us does not usually go for fruit mixed into savory food and ended up genuinely liking it here. At the same time, it landed at the bottom of another taster’s personal list, not because anything was off about it, but because the other flavors simply pulled ahead in comparison.

Lauren’s Lemon Basil

Lauren’s Lemon Basil leans into citrus and herb, with a basil flavor strong enough that it becomes the defining note of the dish. We agreed this one is really built for people who already like basil. The chicken itself tasted great, but how much you enjoy this flavor comes down almost entirely to how you feel about that herb.

Sandwich and bread options

Any flavor can be built into a sandwich on a croissant, white bread, or wheat bread, in addition to being served as a plain scoop. We tried the Classic Carol on a fresh croissant and it held up well, soft and buttery with a flaky texture that was noticeably lighter than a typical bakery croissant, while still standing up to a generous scoop of chicken salad.

Full lineup of sides

Beyond the chicken salad itself, this location offers six sides, plus a rotating soup and bagged chips for anyone who wants something quicker.

Broccoli salad: Fresh broccoli topped with bacon and cheese, dressed much lighter than the mayonnaise-heavy versions you find at most potlucks. That lighter dressing was the whole reason this side worked so well for us. It let the broccoli, bacon, and cheese actually come through instead of drowning in sauce, and it ended up as one of the most consistently praised items across our whole group.

Grape salad: Grapes tossed with pecans, brown sugar, and a yogurt-based sauce that coats everything without turning heavy or gluey. We went in skeptical about this one and came out converted, with at least one of us going back for a second helping. It is not something you find on many fast casual menus, and that alone made it worth ordering again.

Mac and cheese: Solid, dependable, nothing flashy. It will not be the item you remember most from the meal, but it is a safe pick for kids or anyone who just wants comfort food alongside their chicken salad.

Pasta salad: This one leans hard into Italian seasoning, with basil coming through clearly, similar in spirit to the Lauren’s Lemon Basil chicken salad. One of us compared it to pasta salad made during years working at a fire station, noting this version leans more on seasoning than the vegetable-heavy versions made at home. The seasoning dominates, and we did not consider that a downside.

Potato soup: A rotating soup changes weekly, but potato soup is a standing option that is always on the menu. It was one of the best things we tried all day, full of flavor, and exactly the kind of thing worth bringing home instead of cooking from scratch on a cold afternoon.

Chips: A bagged chip option is available too, for anyone who just wants something familiar and fast.

Soups and limited time offers

Beyond the potato soup, the soup selection rotates on a regular schedule, and the location also rolls out new limited time offers each quarter. At the time of our visit, a Maui Wowi flavor was on the menu, with a Nashville hot flavor set to follow later in the year. If you visit more than once, there is a good chance something new will be waiting for you the second time around.

Kids menu

The kids menu runs $6.99 for a half sandwich, a side, and a drink, or a half sandwich with a cookie and fruit instead. Mac and cheese was a popular pick among the younger kids in our group. We all agreed the price makes this an easy call for families traveling with children.

Gluten free options

There is no gluten free bread at this location, but several items are naturally gluten free, including the grape salad and broccoli salad. Chicken salad can also be served over a bed of lettuce instead of bread for anyone avoiding gluten. Staff told us to flag any dietary restrictions when ordering so the kitchen can use fresh scoops and separate prep areas to avoid cross contamination with bread.

Desserts

Three desserts are on offer here: a mini buttercream frosted cookie, a white cake, and a crispy rice bar made with chocolate. Desserts were not fully stocked during our visit, so we only got to try the cookie. It had a classic buttercream flavor, with a texture close to the bakery cookies sold at large grocery chains, minus the artificial aftertaste those often carry. It is a good sized treat to close out a meal without going overboard.

Drinks

Coca-Cola fountain products are on hand, along with sweetened and unsweetened tea and strawberry and classic lemonade made with Minute Maid. Fresh lemons sit at the drink station too, so it is easy to build your own Arnold Palmer by mixing the tea and lemonade.

Rewards app and discounts

The Chicken Salad Chick app lets you earn points on every visit toward free chicken salad, free meals, and the occasional piece of merchandise like koozies, cups, and coolers. Around National Chicken Salad Day, the app has offered free scoops to members with a qualifying purchase. During grand opening week here in Sevierville, the location planned to give free chicken salad for a year to the first 100 customers on opening day, along with daily merchandise giveaways all week long.

There is also a military discount, plus a 10 percent local discount with valid ID, which makes this a reasonably budget friendly spot for people living in the Sevier County area, not just visitors passing through.

Inside the restaurant

The interior leans into local history rather than generic chain decor. As soon as you walk in, there is information about the original Chicken Salad Chick and its founder, tracing back to the brand’s 2008 start. Photography around the space highlights downtown Sevierville, including black and white historical shots, a gazebo, and a butterfly mural set up as a photo spot. There is also a family photo on display explaining how each chicken salad flavor got its name, which ties the whole menu back to the people behind it.

Ordering happens at a counter, with a grab and go section for anyone who wants to skip the line and a pickup window for drive-thru orders. Even with a steady stream of orders during our visit, the kitchen ran efficiently, which is a good sign for wait times once the doors open to the general public.

How ordering works at this location

You can build a plate around one or two scoops of chicken salad paired with a side, similar to a two scoop plate that lets you pick two flavors and two sides. We ordered one plate that combined Sassy Scotty and Lauren’s Lemon Basil with broccoli salad and grape salad on the side, which turned out to be an easy way to sample two flavors and two sides without ordering multiple full meals.

Drink cups are handed out at the counter and you fill your own at a self-serve station stocked with Coca-Cola products, sweet and unsweetened tea, and Minute Maid lemonade in strawberry and classic flavors. Fresh lemons sit right there too, so mixing your own Arnold Palmer takes about ten seconds.

Crackers come with every order, which we appreciated for tasting the chicken salad on its own before deciding whether to eat it with a fork or build it into a sandwich.

Tips for first time visitors

If you are not sure where to start, go with Classic Carol first. It gives you a clear read on what the chicken salad actually tastes like before you branch out into bolder flavors like Sassy Scotty or Kicking Kalin. Pairing your plate with broccoli salad and potato soup is close to a guaranteed win based on how consistently both were praised in our group, and the grape salad is worth trying even if you usually steer clear of fruit mixed into savory food.

Families with kids can lean on the $6.99 kids meal, which is enough food for younger appetites without overordering, while older kids or bigger eaters will probably do better with a full sandwich and side.

If you would rather skip the counter altogether, the grab and go section near the entrance covers that, and the pickup window works well for a drive-thru order instead of sitting down to eat.

Community involvement and grand opening promotions

During the friends and family preview ahead of the public opening, the restaurant did not charge for meals. Instead, they collected donations for a local cause connected to Isaiah 119. That gave the kitchen and front of house staff a full run-through before the real grand opening crowd showed up, and the kitchen handled the volume well from what we saw.

As part of the promotion tied to our visit, one lucky follower was set to win a $20 gift card toward a future meal at the new location, with entries collected through comments mentioning Chicken Salad Chick Sevierville. The grand opening itself carried a bigger giveaway on top of that, with the first 100 customers in line getting free chicken salad for an entire year, plus daily merchandise giveaways of koozies, cups, and coolers throughout opening week.

Location and grand opening details

The new location sits near a Food City in Sevierville, about 18 minutes from Dollywood, making it a convenient stop whether you are heading to the park or leaving it. The grand opening drew a friends and family preview day, and the first 100 customers on the official opening day were promised free chicken salad for a full year as part of a week full of giveaways.

Pairing your visit with a Dollywood day

Given the 18 minute drive from Dollywood, this location fits naturally into a park day without adding much extra travel time. Stopping here on the way in means you get a lighter lunch under your belt before a full afternoon of walking and rides, and stopping here on the way out gives you an easy dinner option without needing to decide on a restaurant while everyone in the car is tired. Either way, the drive-thru pickup window and grab and go section make it simple to keep the stop short if you are working around park hours.

Our final take on the new Chicken Salad Chick in Sevierville

For anyone exploring the Smoky Mountains, this new Chicken Salad Chick gives you a fresh, family friendly alternative to the usual fast food stops near Dollywood. Classic Carol remains our pick for the best chicken salad flavor if you want something straightforward, while Sassy Scotty and Dixie Chick both earned real praise for their bolder profiles. On the side of the plate, broccoli salad and potato soup were the clear favorites for us, and the grape salad ended up surprising more than one skeptic in our group.

Between the rewards app, rotating limited time flavors, gluten free friendly options, and a kids menu priced under $7, this location is set up to work for a wide range of visitors, whether you are stopping in for a quick lunch on the way to Dollywood or building a full family meal into a longer Smoky Mountains trip.

Who this new location is good for

If you are the kind of traveler who plans meals around a theme park day, this location earns its spot on the route mostly because of how quick and light the food is compared to a typical fried option near Dollywood. A scoop of chicken salad with a couple of sides does not leave you feeling weighed down before an afternoon of walking, which matters if you are heading into the park right after lunch rather than winding down for the day.

It also works well for anyone traveling with a mix of picky and adventurous eaters in the same group. Kids can stick with a mac and cheese side and a mild classic scoop, while someone else at the table orders Kicking Kalin for the heat or Lauren’s Lemon Basil for something a little different. That range in the flavor lineup is really what makes this restaurant easy to recommend to a group instead of just a solo diner.

For locals in Sevier County, the combination of a rewards app, a local discount, and rotating limited time flavors gives a reason to come back on a regular basis rather than treating it as a one time stop. A new soup each week and a new limited time flavor each quarter means the menu will look at least a little different every few visits, even for someone who already knows the full lineup.

Frequently asked questions

What are the chicken salad flavors at Chicken Salad Chick in Sevierville? The menu includes Classic Carol, Sassy Scotty, Kicking Kalin, Dixie Chick, Fruity Fran, and Lauren’s Lemon Basil, along with other flavors grouped into traditional, fruity and nutty, savory, and spicy categories.

What time does the new Chicken Salad Chick in Sevierville open? It is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

How far is Chicken Salad Chick from Dollywood? This location is about 18 minutes from Dollywood and sits near a Food City in the Sevierville area.

Does Chicken Salad Chick offer gluten free options? There is no gluten free bread, but the grape salad and broccoli salad are naturally gluten free, and chicken salad can be served over lettuce instead of bread. Let staff know about dietary restrictions when ordering.

What sides does Chicken Salad Chick offer? Sides include broccoli salad, grape salad, mac and cheese, pasta salad, potato soup, and bagged chips, along with a rotating weekly soup.

How much is the kids meal at Chicken Salad Chick? The kids meal is $6.99 and includes a half sandwich, a side, a cookie, fruit, and a drink option.

Does Chicken Salad Chick have a rewards program? Yes, the app lets you earn points toward free chicken salad and meals, and it has offered free scoops or merchandise during special promotions in the past.

What desserts does Chicken Salad Chick offer? Three desserts are available: a buttercream frosted cookie, white cake, and a crispy rice bar made with chocolate.

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