Mandarin Chicken #EntreeSalad

The key to a really great entree salad is a really great salad dressing. This recipe for an Asian vinaigrette is doing double duty for this meal – acting as both a salad dressing and a marinade for the chicken. The fresh simplicity of this meal is perfect for a hot summer day, as the only cooking is done on the grill! Mandarin Chicken Entree Salad is sure to keep your family happy on those summer weeknights.

You are definitely going to want to keep the recipe for this Asian vinaigrette handy. It is a great way to switch up your lunch salads. You can also use it to make a pasta salad (just add dressing, red bell peppers, and red onion to cooked rotini pasta!). It also works to marinate pork or beef as well. I always like to use mason jars to mix up my dressings – because you can really shake the heck out of it to get everything combined without worrying about making a mess.

I like to use fresh mandarin orange segments for this recipe. I don’t take the extra time to supreme them, but you certainly could if you are inclined. You can also use mandarin oranges from a can, just be sure to drain off most of the liquid so that you aren’t getting the salad too wet. When I separate my orange segments, I do my best to remove all the pith – the white stringy bits – so that you do get the bitter bites.

When I say Entree Salad, I mean it. This is a very filling salad and should be plenty to make everyone happy. If you need a side for this, I would suggest some spring rolls or potstickers. This salad is also great for meal prepping. I would just suggest that you keep the crispy wontons separate, as well as wait to dress the salad until you are ready to eat it.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Mandarin Chicken Entree Salad

A homemade Asian Vinaigrette used to marinate chicken and dress an entree salad full of bell peppers and mandarin oranges.

Course Entree Salad, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword asian vinaigrette, Chicken, crispy wonton strips, green onions, mandarin oranges, marinated chicken, red bell peppers, vinaigrette

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1½ lb Chicken Tenders
• 6 cups Romaine Lettuce chopped
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper julienned
• 6 stalks Green Onions chopped
• 6 Mandarin Oranges peeled & separated (remove as much pith as possible)
• 1 cup Crispy Wonton Strips

For the Asian Vinaigrette

• 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp Grated Ginger
• 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbsp Lime Juice
• ½ cup Sesame Oil
• ½ cup Soy Sauce
• ½ cup Chicken Broth
• ½ cup Rice Vinegar

Instructions

• Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a quart-sized mason jar. Secure lid and shake vigorously.
• Add chicken to gallon-sized zipper bag and half of vinaigrette. Seal and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes (up to 24hrs).
• Heat grill to High. Once hot, place marinated chicken on grill (discard marinade). Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before chopping.
• In a large bowl, add lettuce, bell peppers, green onions and half of crispy wontons. Add ⅔ of remaining vinaigrette and toss to combine.
• Add portion of dressed salad to bowl. Top with orange segments from one orange. Add portion of chicken, sprinkle of crispy wontons and drizzle of remaining vinaigrette. Repeat with remaining salads.