Mandarin Orange Salad

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.

Servings:

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

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

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.

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 69mgPotassium: 362mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 872IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg

Author: Chef Billy Parisi