Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

The base:

Napa cabbage — mild, tender, best for this style

Red cabbage — firmer crunch, more colour

Romaine lettuce — lighter texture, easier to find

A 50/50 mix of Napa and red cabbage is the most common approach and gives the best visual and textural contrast

The protein:

23 cups cooked chicken, shredded or sliced — rotisserie chicken is the shortcut every experienced home cook uses here

Grilled chicken breast, poached chicken thighs, or leftover roast chicken all work

The citrus

23 fresh mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented — fresh is better than canned if they're available

Canned mandarin oranges in juice (not syrup) are a perfectly good substitute; just drain them well

The vegetables

1 large carrot, julienned or grated

34 spring onions / green onions, thinly sliced

1 small red pepper, thinly sliced (optional but adds sweetness and colour)

Fresh cilantro and/or mint — a small handful lifts the whole salad

The crunch layer:

Crispy wonton strips, toasted slivered almonds, or sesame seeds

Steps:

Shred the cabbage finely. Thin shreds (about 3mm) are easier to eat and absorb dressing better than thick chunks. A mandoline makes this fast; a sharp knife works fine.

Prep all vegetables first. Julienne the carrot, slice the spring onions, and segment the mandarins before you start assembling. Once the dressing touches anything, the clock starts.

Combine the base. Toss the cabbage, carrot, spring onions, red pepper, and herbs together in a large bowl.

Add the chicken. Scatter the shredded chicken across the top — don't mix it in yet.

Add the mandarin segments last (before dressing), placing them across the surface. They're fragile and will break apart if over-tossed.

Dress immediately before serving. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Taste, then add more dressing as needed. Not every recipe needs the full amount.

Add the crunch layer on top — never mix it in, or it'll lose its texture within 5 minutes.

Serve immediately or rest for 5 minutes to let the dressing absorb slightly into the chicken.

Print Options:

Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad