I’m a huge fan of salads for dinner – they fill you up but keep you light. They also offer plenty of room for experimenting with different flavour combos, which is my favourite part! This Marinated Chicken Salad is built around a fresh, vibrant and citrus-y combination of orange juice and ground coriander. Mustard, thyme and garlic deepen the flavours of the marinade whereas soy sauce and raw honey are added to the dressing for a balanced finish. Carrots, avocado and fresh orange segments create a wonderful mix of textures – crunchy, creamy and juicy.
The Flavour Affair:
Orange + Ground Coriander + Mustard + Thyme + Garlic + Soy Sauce + Honey + Greens + Carrots + Avocado
Both the marinade and the dressing have a base of orange and coriander, but each is enhanced with a different set of complementing ingredients.
Orange: we will use both fresh juice and orange segments for this recipe.
Ground Coriander: I prefer whole coriander seeds which I grind myself. The scent is amazing, and the slightly coarser bits help create a nice coating when the chicken is being fried.
Mustard: adds pungent and slightly sour notes.
Thyme and Garlic: I use fresh thyme sprigs and a few bruised garlic cloves to infuse the marinate with deeper, savory aromas. I also add them to the pan during frying.
Soy Sauce: its salty, umami flavour pairs greatly with sweet and tart orange juice in the dressing.
Raw Honey: we need just a little bit to balance the sweetness of the dressing. You can also use brown sugar instead.
Optional: I always like the presence of some heat in my dishes. This time, I finished the plate off with a couple of grinds of mixed peppercorns mill. Alternatively, consider adding 1/3 tsp of red chili flakes into the dressing.
Greens: a mix of salad greens works great here, but you can always throw in extra spinach leaves.
Carrots: I use the wide part of the grater to get long, crunchy ‘ribbons’.
Avocado: adds more substance and a nice variation of texture.
Preparation Tips for Marinated Chicken Salad:
- If possible, marinate the chicken beforehand. It will improve the flavours and help give the chicken a nice golden-brown finish. It only needs half an hour but you can also leave it in the fridge overnight.
- Fry the chicken over medium heat. This will prevent the marinate from burning and help the meat cook more evenly.
- You can reserve the excess marinade, pour into a pan and reduce over high heat until it thickens into a glaze. Brush the glaze over the chicken for an extra boost of flavour and a glossy finish.
- To assemble the salad, first prepare the dressing. Combine the greens with the carrot ribbons and toss with 3/4 of the dressing.
- For a spectacular presentation, cut each the chicken breast into about 0.5cm thick slices and arrange on one side of the plate. Place the greens into the middle and follow by another semi-circle of sliced avocado and orange segments:
- Drizzle the salad with the remaining 1/4 of the dressing.
- However, it you are short on time, the flavour won’t be any less if you just mix everything together!
- Finish off with a few grinds of mixed peppercorns mill.
This plate makes an awesome lunch or a light dinner. For more loaded salads, check out my Thai Beef Salad recipe, New Style Nicoise or Pan-Fried Prawns in Orange & Balsamic Glaze!
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Marinated Chicken Salad with Orange and Coriander Dressing
Equipment
- 1 large pan
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless chicken breasts approximately 200g each
- 1/3 cups of fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp of ground coriander see notes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 tsp rock salt
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- A couple of sprigs of thyme
- 3-4 garlic cloves lightly bruised
For the salad:
- A pack of mixed salad greens
- 1 cup of carrot ribbons
- 2 avocados halved and sliced
- 1 orange segmented
- Mixed peppercorns
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp raw honey or brown sugar
- 1/3 tsp red chili flakes optional
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together 1/3 cups orange juice, 1 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/3 tsp rock salt and 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard.
- Place chicken breasts into a ziplock bag and pour over the marinade. Pop in thyme sprigs and garlic cloves and shake to combine.
- Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for half an hour or overnight.
- When ready to cook, shake off the excess marinade and reserve it.
- In a large pan, heat 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil to medium. Add the chicken breasts and fry for 10-12 minutes, turning periodically, until the meat is cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the pan, add the reserved marinade and turn the heat up. Simmer until the liquid has reduced and thickened to a glaze, then use a silicon brush to apply the glaze over the cooked chicken.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking together 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp honey or brown sugar, 1 tbsp of olive oil and chili flakes, if using.
- In a large bowl, combine salad greens and carrot ribbons. Toss with the 3/4 of the dressing.
- Cut chicken breasts into approximately 0.5cm slices.
- Arrange 1/4 of the salad greens and carrots mixture in the middle of a serving plate. Place sliced chicken breast on one side and orange segments with avocado on the other. Drizzle with a little extra dressing.
- Repeat with the other three plates.
- Serve seasoned with a few grinds of mixed peppercorns mill.
Notes
- While you can use ground coriander, I prefer whole seeds which I grind myself. The aroma is amazing, and the tiny coarser bits help create a nice coating while the chicken is being fried.
- The chicken can be cooked in advance and used cold the day after.
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