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    Urban Bliss Life » All Recipes » Salad Recipes » Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

    Published: October 15, 2018 / Updated: May 19, 2023 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

    380 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    grilled honey orange chicken salad

    Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad is a flavorful, tasty meal for busy school nights. With grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, red bell peppers, almonds, and a bed of greens, it's a healthy satisfying meal or a tasty side dish.

    two bowls of mandarin orange chicken salad with two forks and a green and white napkin.

    When it comes to satisfying our taste buds with a burst of flavors and textures, few dishes can rival the delightful appeal of a Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad. It's one of my favorite salads!

    This vibrant and refreshing crunchy salad brings together the perfect combination of succulent grilled chicken, crisp vegetables, and the juicy sweetness of mandarin oranges. And it's all dressed in a tangy vinaigrette.

    With its harmonious blend of savory and citrusy notes, this salad has earned its rightful place as a beloved favorite among food enthusiasts worldwide - including me!

    This Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad recipe is a delicious salad to serve as a main dish for two people. It's a large salad, so you can also serve it as a side salad for 4-6 people.

    Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and elevate your salad game to new heights. Let's dig in!

    Jump to:
    • 🍊Ingredient notes
    • ✅ Step-by-step instructions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • 🍷 Wine pairing
    • 🍽 Serving ideas
    • More chicken recipes
    • Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Salad

    🍊Ingredient notes

    glass of white wine with two bowls of mandarin orange chicken salad with two forks and a green and white napkin.

    There are four components to this dish: the marinade, the chicken, the salad, and the dressing. But don't worry: you only need a few ingredients to make this chicken salad recipe. And it all comes together quickly!

    • For the chicken, you'll need boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken breast tenders.
    • To make the marinade, you'll need orange juice, garlic, thyme, and honey.
    • For the salad, you'll need romaine lettuce (or your favorite greens), red bell pepper, sweet mandarin oranges, and sliced almonds. Feel free to add other favorite crunchy vegetables, such as red cabbage, sliced red onion, bright green onion, fresh ginger.
    • Salad dressing ingredients include orange juice, white wine vinegar or rice vinegar, and olive oil. You can substitute sesame oil for the olive oil for a richer flavor.

    Optional: add sesame seeds and sliced green onions to garnish the salad. You can also top this Chinese chicken salad with crispy chow mein noodles, sunflower seeds, and/or wonton strips.

    ✅ Step-by-step instructions

    This mandarin chicken salad is simple and easy to make.

    chicken breasts marinating in honey orange sauce in ziplock bags.
    four chicken breast tenders grilling on an indoor grill pan.
    jar of honey orange dressing for salad.
    1. Marinate the chicken for several hours. You can either start marinating the chicken the night before, or in the morning before you head off to work. This makes the meat so tender and juicy, and truly helps it soak up the citrus garlic flavors.
    2. Grill the chicken either on your outdoor grill or on an indoor grill pan.
    3. Make the dressing.
    4. Add your greens and vegetables to two bowls, top with 2 or 3 grilled chicken pieces, and serve with the dressing.

    Recipe FAQs

    two bowls of mandarin orange chicken salad with two forks and a green and white napkin.
    Can I use leftover chicken?

    Yes! Leftover rotisserie chicken is a great option to use instead of grilled chicken in this salad.

    What kind of oranges should I use?

    You can either use fresh mandarin oranges or a can of mandarin oranges for this mandarin salad.

    🍷 Wine pairing

    bowl of mandarin orange chicken salad with almonds on a bed of greens with glass of white wine.

    This tangy mandarin orange chicken salad pairs deliciously with a white wine such as a dry Riesling or a Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris.

    🍽 Serving ideas

    If serving this mandarin orange salad as a main course, add a side of homemade French bread or some air fryer garlic bread.

    If you are serving this as a side salad, it goes well with Thai Curry Pizza or Cauliflower Carrot Soup.

    More chicken recipes

    • bang bang chicken skewers on a plate with herb garnish.
      Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
    • tandoori chicken skewers.
      Tandoori Chicken Skewers
    • Balsamic Chicken Salad.
      Balsamic Chicken Salad
    • chicken and chorizo orzo in a pan.
      Chicken and Chorizo Orzo

    Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

    grilled orange chicken salad with honey and veggies.

    Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Salad

    5 from 14 votes
    Prep Time: 25 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 6 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
    Marinade time: 6 hours hrs
    Total Time: 7 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    This salad is tangy and flavorful, perfect for a weeknight meal or as a side salad!
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 288kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE 🤍 SAVESaved!

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
    • 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange zest
    • ⅓ cup orange juice plus 2 tablespoons divided
    • 6 cloves garlic minced, divided
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme crushed
    • ½ teaspoon salt divided
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped shallot
    • 4 cups torn baby salad greens
    • 1 medium red bell pepper thinly sliced
    • 2 medium oranges peeled and sectioned
    • Sliced almonds toasted (optional)

    Instructions

    • Place chicken in a sealable plastic bag. Combine orange zest, ⅓ cup orange juice, 4 cloves minced garlic, honey and thyme. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.
      Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Prep grill pan with olive oil, then grill chicken for about 8-10, until chicken is no longer pink, turning once halfway. Slice chicken crosswise; set aside on a plate.
      Meanwhile, in a screw-top jar, combine oil, vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice, the remaining 2 cloves minced garlic, the shallots and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Cover and shake well.
      Divide greens among four dinner plates. Top with bell pepper slices. Arrange chicken and orange sections over greens. Drizzle with dressing. If desired, sprinkle with almonds.

    Notes

    Storage: Grilled chicken salad with keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 747mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1628IU | Vitamin C: 97mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Julie says

        June 10, 2019 at 8:00 pm

        5 stars
        Delicious recipe! I LOVED this salad— it’s good enough to be featured on a classy restaurant menu. I had my oranges in the refrigerator to keep them cold and they were just right on the salad. Toasted almonds are a must. Nice nutty flavor. Delicious! This will be a go to summer meal.

        Reply
      2. Carolyn M Vollmer says

        May 24, 2019 at 3:50 pm

        5 stars
        looks so yummy

        Reply
      3. Andy Bishop says

        October 31, 2018 at 2:14 am

        5 stars
        I'm making this for dinner later. I'm sure the hubby will love it! Thanks!

        Reply
        • Kim says

          September 15, 2021 at 5:32 pm

          5 stars
          This sounds really good. I'd like to add quoina to it. Do you think the mixed greens will hold up or should I use kale instead?

        • Marlynn Jayme Schotland says

          September 15, 2021 at 7:44 pm

          5 stars
          This reply is to Kim, since you replied to Andy's comment :) I haven't tried it with quinoa, but I think it depends on how much quinoa you put in, and how long you let the salad ingredients all sit together. If you do try it, please let me know how it goes!

      4. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

        October 17, 2018 at 5:53 pm

        5 stars
        I love all the toppings on this salad Marlynn! Plus, the shallot dressing? It sounds so yummy!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          October 17, 2018 at 10:00 pm

          Thanks so much, Erin!

      5. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

        October 16, 2018 at 1:29 pm

        Mmm! This will be great for a healthy, hearty dinner. The DORI app looks really great!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          October 17, 2018 at 9:59 pm

          It is! I am loving it! :)

      6. Mary says

        October 16, 2018 at 11:56 am

        5 stars
        Fresh and healthy! LOVE this salad recipe!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          October 17, 2018 at 9:59 pm

          I love a good, healthy salad! Thank you, Mary!

      7. Brittany Poulson says

        October 16, 2018 at 11:22 am

        I bet that dressing makes the dish! This looks so yummy! Chicken is always a great addition to salads!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          October 17, 2018 at 9:58 pm

          It really does! It's' so good!

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      Hi! If you're looking for easy, fast, delicious family-friendly recipes, wine pairings, and travel tips, you've come to the right place! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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