Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad with Crispy Rice

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 5 minutes
• total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice (cooled (I used jasmine rice)

1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sesame oil (or olive oil)

1/3 cup sesame oil

3 Tablespoons tahini

3 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (or 1 tsp ginger paste)

1 clove garlic (grated or minced)

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon orange zest

4 cups green cabbage (about 1 small head)

2 cups red cabbage (1/2 of a small head)

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 cup edamame (shelled and thawed)

2 cups shredded chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)

3 fresh mandarin oranges (peeled and separated)

1/3 cup slivered almonds

For serving: sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro,

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the crispy rice: Add the rice to the sheet pan and drizzle with oil and soy sauce. Toss to coat and spread into a single layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and very crispy. Allow it to cool slightly when it’s done. Make the dressing, chop, and assemble the salad while it's cooking to maximize time.

Combine the dressing: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a medium bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until completely combined.

Assemble the salad: Add the cabbage, carrots, green onion, edamame, mandarin oranges, chicken, and almonds to a bowl. Finish with the crispy rice. Pour the dressing over top right before serving and toss well. Serve with more green onions, fresh cilantro and sesame seeds.

Nutrition

• Calories: 356 kcal
• Total Fat: 19 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Trans Fat: 0.001 g
• Cholesterol: 26 mg
• Sodium: 730 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 32 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 12 g
• Protein: 16 g