I’m sleepy. This whole daylight savings thing really threw me for a loop last night. I couldn’t fall asleep until almost midnight, and I had to be up by 5:30 this morning (which was my normal 4:30…ugh).
Don’t get me wrong, I am SO excited to have the extra hour of daylight. It is the greatest thing ever this time of year, but the first week of adjustment can be rough.
In need of a pick me up, I made this light and refreshing (but completely flavorful!) salad. The chicken is deeply savory with the sweet tang of orange, and the salad ingredients are made up of a few of my favorite things.
One being canned mandarin orange segments. OMG. As a kid, I used to HOUSE these by the can. And then I would drink the juice/syrup that they came in. So good. I loved them so much that my mom started packing them in my lunches as my “dessert.” The other kids would brag about their Twinkies and Ho-Ho’s, and I’d be perfectly content with my little cup of juicy orange gems. Yum.
I digress.
Back to the salad…
In addition to the mandarin oranges, I’ve thrown in crispy bell peppers and crunchy chow mein noodles (!!!). Love those too. They add an incredible texture to the salad…not to mention tons of flavor. You can find them in the Asian/International section of your grocery store…same place you find soy sauce and teriyaki.
Not only is this salad light and full of flavor and texture, but it’s also extremely PRETTY. Look at all those colors. So springy! Love it.
It’s the perfect dish to ring in the beginnings of spring. I’ll be eating this all week in hopes that it keeps my ass from dragging despite the time change…
Asian Orange Chicken Salad (makes 4 servings)
For the Chicken:
1 lb boneless chicken breasts
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (this was 1 orange for me)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot Chinese mustard
For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
¼ cup soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
⅓ cup olive or canola oil
For the Salad:
1 head of romaine lettuce
1 cup shredded carrots
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
½ cup chow mein noodles
Sesame seeds, toasted
Scallions, chopped
For the Chicken:
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Whisk together the soy sauce, marmalade, orange juice, garlic, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil, and hot mustard. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish or in a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over top and place in the fridge. Marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight (I find that the 8-hour range is perfect).
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the chicken breasts (discard the marinade) and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until a crust has formed on the outside and the inside is thoroughly cooked. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and then thinly slice.
For the Dressing:
Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and puree until smooth. Check for seasonings.
For the Salad:
Combine the lettuce, carrots, bell pepper, and mandarin oranges in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Top with the sliced chicken and serve garnished with chow mein noodles, sesame seeds, and scallions.
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
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