Fire up the grill and get cooking! We’re going to make a fresh, bright, homemade Grilled Mandarin Chicken Salad. From the quick marinade to the made-from-scratch dressing, you’re going to love this simple, elegant dish.
Traeger Grilled Mandarin Chicken Salad
This salad is light, fresh, uses tender grilled chicken breast, and is a perfect taste of summer and sunshine no matter what time of year it is. Mandarin oranges are available year-round, so don’t let the weather stop you from whipping up this incredible salad!
This works well for a quick lunch or a light weeknight dinner. Great for a potluck or get-together, too. If you are buried in snow or it is -18° outside, this can definitely be cooked on the stovetop, in the oven, or even in the airfryer too. Just make sure you don’t overcook the chicken and you’ll be good-to-go.
Get all of our Traeger Recipes here!
Mandarin Chicken Salad shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- soy sauce
- balsamic vinegar
- chicken breasts
- salt & pepper
- olive oil
- salad greens
- mandarin oranges
- cherry tomatoes
- onion
- red cabbage
- parsley
- honey
- lemon
- Dijon mustard
Make some Fresh Baked Rolls with this salad!
How to make Traeger Mandarin Chicken Salad
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Marinate
Mix together the marinade ingredients and place into a baggie with the chicken breasts. Let marinate overnight, or for at least 30-60 minutes if you aren’t a planner (like me).
2
Preheat
Preheat your grill to 375°.
3
Season
Remove the chicken from the marinade, pat dry, and season the chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper.
4
Grill
Cook the chicken for 10-12 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
5
Prepare Dressing
Mix together all of the dressing ingredients until combined.
6
Assemble
Assemble all of the salad ingredients and toss with your dressing. Enjoy!
How about some Homemade Caesar Dressing too?
Mandarin Chicken Salad FAQ
What’s the best way to store leftovers?
Only assemble and dress the amount of salad that will be eaten in one sitting for best results. Store any extras separately and assemble right before eating.
Can you use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Chicken thighs are a great option for this salad, and tend to stay more moist than chicken breasts, even if you DO get a little overly-excited (or distracted) and overcook them by a few degrees. My advice would be to make sure that you do a really good job trimming off any fat from the boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Are there any substitutions for mandarin oranges?
You can use regular navel oranges in this, but I would recommend freshly squeezed juice instead of the bottled stuff.
Eat this with a Grilled Tomahawk Steak!
More grilled recipes on the lighter side to enjoy!
- Grilled Lingcod
- Traeger Grilled Pork Chops
- Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters
- Traeger Chicken Kabobs
- Grilled Steak Kabobs
- Traeger Lobster Tail
- Grilled Venison Backstrap
- Lemon Pepper Traeger Salmon
- Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Skewers
Grilled Mandarin Chicken Salad
This fresh, delicious salad has big bright flavors and is perfect to make into a meal!
Ingredients
Marinade
- Juice from 2 mandarin oranges
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Chicken and Salad Stuff
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups green lettuce mix
- 4 medium mandarin oranges
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 small onion, sliced
- ½ cup red cabbage
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 cup croutons (optional, and not pictured)
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Mix together the marinade ingredients well and place with the chicken into a large baggie. Let sit for 30-60 minutes. Remove from the marinade and season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat your grill to 375°.
- Place the chicken breasts directly on the grill rack. Cook for 10 minutes and then flip over. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165° with an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- In a large bowl, add your salad greens, mandarin oranges, cherry tomatoes, onion and red cabbage. Top with the sliced chicken breasts.
- Prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until creamy and emulsified. Pour over the salad.
- Toss salad then serve.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 482Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 937mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 6gSugar: 35gProtein: 23g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.