The fresh citrus flavor in this Mandarin Chicken Salad with Creamy Ginger Dressing is over the top delicious. The sweet-savory flavors combined with the creamy element from the dressing makes a dinner salad everyone loves! This salad is all fresh ingredients and vibrant flavor, but it couldn't be easier to make.
1poundboneless skinless chicken thighsoven roasted or grilled
10small mandarin orangespeeled and separated into sections, 3 cups or 1 1/2 pounds
1/2cupthinly sliced green onionsor slivered red onion
2cupsfinely chopped purple cabbage
Optional: 1 red bell pepperseeds removed, and thinly sliced
1cupslivered almondstoasted
1/2cuproughly chopped cilantro
Creamy Ginger Dressing:
1/2cupavocado oilsesame oil (not toasted) or neutral tasting oil of your choice
3tbspminced fresh ginger
1/4cupfinely chopped red onion
1/3cupfreshly squeezed orange juice or mandarin juicefrom 1-2
2tbsptahinitoasted not raw
1/2cupchopped celery2.5 ounces
1/4cupgluten free soy saucetamari, or coconut aminos
1/4cupfreshly squeezed lime juiceor rice vinegar
Instructions
Start by cooking the chicken if you're not using leftover roast or rotisserie chicken. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and roast the chicken thighs until no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly then chop into bite sized pieces.
Next make the dressing. Place all the dressing ingredients except the avocado oil into a blender. Blend until smooth.
Then add the oil in a drizzle at low speeds until completely combined and emulsified. Set the dressing aside/refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
Place the baby spinach in a large serving bowl. Add the chopped chicken, Mandarin oranges, green onions, purple cabbage, and optional bell pepper to the bowl.
Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and cilantro. Serve with the dressing on the side, or toss as much as you'd like together with the salad.
Keep each salad item separate if you know you'll have leftovers to store!
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Notes
The recipe for the Creamy Ginger Dressing makes about 2 cups. You will probably have a bit leftover and it can be frozen and used as a future stir fry sauce or dressing for 1-2 servings of salad.To keep this Whole30, use coconut aminos and fresh lime juice instead of rice vinegar. You may need to add salt to taste because coconut aminos isn't as salty as soy sauce.The red bell pepper is optional because they're sometimes not available or really expensive. This salad is super tasty without them when it's not practical.For an fun variation try my 'Peanut Sauce' from my Summer Roll Bowls for a dressing or your favorite bottled option.