This Chick Fil A coleslaw recipe is an easy copycat that’s sweet, tangy, and ready for all your summer cookouts. Made in minutes with crunchy cabbage and carrots in a creamy dressing, you can serve it on the side of grilled meats or pile it high on pulled pork sandwiches.

Wooden bowl of coleslaw with a wooden spoon, a chicken sandwich on a plate in the background.

Confession: the coleslaw is my favorite item on the Chick-fil-A menu. Yes, even more than the chicken. So when they discontinued it (RIP), I knew I’d need a copycat coleslaw in my back pocket.

This copycat recipe gives the original a run for its money.

Close-up of finely chopped cabbage and carrot coleslaw with creamy dressing in a clear bowl.

Perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, and weeknight dinners, homemade Chick-fil-A coleslaw comes together quickly and chills well in the fridge. We love it served with slow cooker BBQ brisket and on hot honey chicken sandwiches, but it’s so good, you could eat it with a spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tastes like the real deal. This Chick-fil-A coleslaw copycat recipe nails it.
Simple ingredients. Nothing is hard to find, and you may already have what you need.
Quick and easy. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill.
Versatile. Great as a side, a topping, and with a variety of main dishes.

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Shredded cabbage – You can shred your own cabbage with a knife or food processor, or grab pre-shredded as a shortcut. Walmart has 10-ounce bags (they call it angel hair coleslaw), or you can use 24 oz of a coleslaw mix or tri-color coleslaw mix instead of the cabbage and carrots individually.
Shredded carrots – If you’re not buying them pre-shredded (or not using the tri-color mix), you can shred them using a box grater or food processor.
Coleslaw dressing – The Chick-fil-A coleslaw dressing is what brings it all together. It’s a simple mix of mayonnaise, sugar, white vinegar, ground mustard, and salt, whisked smooth.

How to Make Chick Fil A Coleslaw at Home

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

Four-step process collage: chopping cabbage, whisking the dressing, mixing the coleslaw, and serving with a wooden spoon.

Step 1: Use a knife or food processor to chop the cabbage (and carrots, if you haven’t already) into fine pieces so that they are all uniform in size. Just like Chick-fil-A’s version.

Step 2: Whisk together the sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, and salt in a large bowl. Once the sugar has dissolved, whisk in the mayonnaise until smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Toss in the cabbage and carrots and mix until evenly coated in the dressing. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Top-down view of finely shredded cabbage and carrot coleslaw mixed in creamy dressing in a glass bowl.

Storage

Refrigerator: Keep the coleslaw covered airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing.

Tips for the Best Copycat Chick-fil-A Coleslaw

Make sure to chop your cabbage and carrots finely for that classic Chick-fil-A texture.
It’s even better when made ahead. Letting it sit and chill gives the flavors a chance to meld and the salad gets even creamier.
Double the recipe for a larger crowd.
Adjust to taste at the end. Just before serving, once it’s had a chance to develop its flavors, increase the sugar or vinegar to suit your tastes.

Serving Suggestions

A creamy, tangy coleslaw can be enjoyed in all kinds of ways, whether indoors or outside, especially with grilled meats like hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, and grilled pineapple chicken skewers.

It’s also the best piled high on sandwiches made from Root Beer pulled pork, slow cooker BBQ beef, and barbecue pulled pork in the oven.

Or, go all out with the Chick-fil-A theme and enjoy it with a crispy chicken burger and waffle fries.

Chicken sandwich plated with coleslaw on the side, a bottle of Chick-fil-A sauce in the background.

Additions and variations

Add black pepper. Although not in the original recipe, I like to sprinkle with black pepper just before serving.
Swap the vinegar. Apple cider vinegar works in place of the white vinegar, but will have a slightly different flavor (again, not the original).
For a lighter version, swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt.

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Close-up of a wooden spoon lifting a heaping scoop of finely shredded coleslaw from a wooden bowl.

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