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Fresh Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

A crisp cabbage-and-chicken salad brightened with mandarin oranges and a honey-orange sesame dressing — light, crunchy, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Prep Time25 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Salad

  • 4 cups napa cabbage, thinly shredded
  • 2 cups red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 cup matchstick carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup green onions (scallions), sliced
  • 2 1/4 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
  • 2 mandarin oranges (or clementines), peeled and separated into segments

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp tamari (or regular soy sauce)
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 piece fresh ginger (about a 2-inch piece), peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup sesame oil
  • 1 tsp fresh orange zest

Toppings

  • 1/2 cup roasted salted almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Preparation Steps

  • Make the dressing: combine orange juice, honey, rice vinegar, tamari, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and orange zest in a blender or a jar. Blend or shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth and slightly emulsified, then taste and adjust sweetness or salt as needed.
  • Let the dressing rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mellow while you prepare the salad components.
  • In a very large bowl, toss together the napa and red cabbage, matchstick carrots, sliced bell pepper and green onions so the vegetables are evenly mixed.
  • Add the shredded chicken to the vegetables and pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the mixture. Using tongs or salad forks, toss the salad gently but thoroughly so the dressing coats the leaves and chicken.
  • Fold in the mandarin orange segments and most of the chopped almonds. Taste and add more dressing if you prefer a saucier salad.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle the remaining almonds and the toasted sesame seeds over the top just before serving for extra crunch.
  • Serve right away for maximum crispness, or cover and refrigerate. If storing, keep any extra almonds or sesame seeds separate until serving to prevent them from softening.

Notes

For best texture, store dressing separately and toss with the salad just before serving; keep extra chopped almonds aside to add as a final crunchy finish. The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Fresh Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.