Mandarin Orange Salad
Published January 20, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious Mandarin Orange Salad is loaded with chicken, fresh herbs, and crunchy nuts, all tossed in a light red wine vinaigrette. My family has been making this for decades and I love how it’s light, refreshing, and hearty enough for a full meal. Also not-too-mention it is extremely easy to prepare.
There are so many fun flavors in this mandarin orange salad, it always gets people talking. It’s the same reaction I get when I serve my green goddess salad, my family absolutely loves it!
Mandarin Orange Salad
Mandarin orange salad is a simple dish consisting of greens, assorted nuts, herbs, and oranges tossed in a vinaigrette. It’s a tasty greens salad with a slight Asian flair to it and can be served as a pre-entree meal or can be served as the main dish.
What makes this salad over the top is the mandarin oranges, they add a bright, juicy burst that makes every bite irresistible! Their unique flavor brings just the right touch of sweetness, elevating this dish to the next level.
What I love most about this mandarin orange salad is the light, flavorful vinaigrette, it’s so fresh and balanced, I’m convinced it could make any salad taste amazing. If you’re as obsessed with fresh, vibrant salads as I am, you’ve got to try my Nicoise salad next.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the Salad:
- Lettuce – I used a combination of romaine and red leaf. However, add or swap with iceberg, spring mix, baby spinach, or green leaf lettuce.
- Celery – A few celery ribs complement the nuts and oranges in this salad. Do not skip this critical ingredient.
- Onions – I prefer a milder flavored green onion, but you could also use sweet or red onions. In addition, for something a bit more flavorful, try a pickled red onion. Lastly, chives could also be used.
- Chicken – A few cooked chicken breasts are added to make this salad heartier and suitable for a complete meal. However, you can opt out of this to remain vegan/vegetarian.
- Herbs – I love adding fresh mint and basil for a burst of bright, aromatic flavor.
- Oranges – The hero of this dish is the use of mandarin oranges. While it is best to use fresh, they aren’t always in season, and because of that, canned are perfect for this.
- Nuts – I like using sliced almonds and peanuts in this salad. You can also use pistachios or cashews. If you are allergic or do not like nuts, skip these.
For the Dressing:
- Oil & Vinegar – I like using a neutral-flavored oil like avocado or vegetable oil, paired with red wine vinegar for a balanced tang. If needed, apple cider, white wine, or white distilled vinegar work just as well.
- Sugar – I use regular granulated sugar, which can be substituted with honey or agave.
- Herbs – I mix fresh parsley into the vinaigrette.
- Seasoning – I use only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper.
How to Make a Mandarin Orange Salad
Cook the Chicken: I start by seasoning the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Then, I heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it’s lightly smoking. I sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, flip, and finish cooking in a 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes until fully cooked. Once done, I remove it from the pan, dice it into large pieces, and set it aside.
Make the Vinaigrette: I whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.
Prep the Veggies: I slice the celery and green onions, then wash and chop the lettuce. To finish, I mince the fresh herbs.
Build the Base: I add the freshly chopped lettuce to a large serving bowl, creating the perfect foundation for the salad.
Layer It Up: I add the celery, green onions, nuts, fresh herbs, mandarin oranges, and chicken on top of the lettuce.
Dress & Serve: I toss the salad with the vinaigrette for an even coating or serve it on the side so everyone can add as much as they like.
chef tip + notes
If my lettuce isn’t pre-washed, I always wash it thoroughly and dry it completely before tossing it with the rest of the ingredients. Why? Any leftover water will dilute the vinaigrette, leaving the salad soggy instead of crisp and fresh. I swear by my salad spinner for this, or you can pat the leaves dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Make It Your Own: I love adding extra veggies to this salad – cucumbers, bell peppers, or shredded carrots all work great for extra crunch and flavor.
- Easy Dressing Hack: When I want to save time, I whip up the dressing in my stand mixer or food processor for a perfectly smooth vinaigrette.
- Fresh Herbs Only: I only use dry herbs in the dressing, never in the salad – fresh herbs add the bright, vibrant flavor this dish needs.
Serving Suggestions
In my house, my wife typically pairs this mandarin orange salad with a warm bowl of butternut squash soup, and I have to agree – it’s the perfect mix of fresh and comforting flavors. We all love this combination, it’s a family favorite!
Sometimes, we switch it up and serve it with a creamy carrot soup, which is just as delicious.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For freshness, you can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time. It’s best to keep the ingredients separate after prepping so that everything remains crisp. In addition, it’s best to keep the salad untossed with the vinaigrette.
How to Store: Place this covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Be sure to store the salad separately from the dressing.
More Salad Recipes
Mandarin Orange Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 1 head of cut red leaf lettuce
- 1 head of cut romaine lettuce
- 3 thinly sliced stalks of celery
- 1 thinly sliced bunch of green onions
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into ½” size pieces
- ¼ cup peanuts
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup canned or fresh mandarin oranges
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dressing: Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk vigorously until emulsified. Set aside until ready to use.
- Salad: Add all of the ingredients to a large serving bowl and toss with some of the vinaigrette, salt, and pepper, until combined and serve.
Notes
- Make It Your Own: I love adding extra veggies to this salad – cucumbers, bell peppers, or shredded carrots all work great for extra crunch and flavor.
- Easy Dressing Hack: When I want to save time, I whip up the dressing in my stand mixer or food processor for a perfectly smooth vinaigrette.
- Fresh Herbs Only: I only use dry herbs in the dressing, never in the salad – fresh herbs add the bright, vibrant flavor this dish needs.
what soup would you serve with this salad?
This is a great Salad. I don’t make it as often as I would like to but it really is delicious. Now that you put this back into my memory I will have it a little more often, Thank you Chef…
Thank you!
Sublime Salad!! A wonderful twist!!!
Many thanks!
A Favorite! Served with creamy roasted sesame dressing. Delish. Thank you Chef Billy for the inspiration!!
Thank you for giving it a try!
I’ve made this twice. Quick, light, and delicious.
So good!
Thank you ChefBilly adore your recipe salads 😀😋
Made this for my ladies small group. It’s my new dressing recipe! They ask for it all the time.
fantastic!
Delicious, great for summer.
Love this salad. Had it for lunch and dinner……and love the low 69mg sodium count per serving!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Love this salad!
so good!!
Just love this so much.
it’s a good one!
This is one of our (my wife & I) favorite salads & we eat a lot of salads for dinner. We could eat one weekly. Chicken is our favorite m, but we’ve used Pork, Beef & Cod…
Going to try this ASAP. Have a friend who fancies himself a good cook. His idea of a salad is a bowl of Romaine or arugula with a vinaigrette. IMHO that’s not salad. That’s glorified garnish! Thanks for a real “salad” recipe!