A simple salad with a ton of flavour! Featuring curry-spiced chicken, fresh spinach, juicy oranges, toasted almonds and a sweet mango chutney vinaigrette.
“Well, that’s like summer in a bowl!”
– Joey Tribbiani, F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Okay, so maybe this salad isn’t what Joey was talking about that one time on FRIENDS. But in my humble opinion, this recipe is worth the shout-out.
Ring in the warmer weather with this fresh, juicy bowl of goodness. No sad salads here with:
HOW TO MAKE SPINACH SALAD WITH ORANGES AND ALMONDS
It’s called “simple” spinach salad for a reason:
brush the chicken with oil and a few spices and throw in the oven to roast
toss the almonds on a pan and into the oven they go, too!
segment the oranges or drain some canned mandarins if you’re feeling suuuper simple
blend up some Mango Chutney Vinaigrette (that is, if you don’t already have a jar hanging out in your fridge..)
then grab a big bowl, pile in the spinach, top with all the goodies & a drizzle of dressing
ENJOY!
IS SPINACH SALAD WITH ORANGES AND ALMONDS HEALTHY?
While salads are generally seen as the epitome of “healthy food”, not all contain a good balance of ingredients that both nourish our bodies AND keep us full and satisfied.
Leave behind those super low-cal lettuce salads that only stave off hunger for an hour. Adding almonds and chicken boost fiber and protein content, giving this salad some staying-power.
Dark leafy greens like spinach are also a good source of dietary iron. To increase our absorption of non-heme iron (aka iron that comes from plants rather than animal sources), pair with a food rich in vitamin C. Like an orange!
Coincidence? I think not.
But even more importantly, with sweet & savory flavours and a variety of satisfying textures this is a salad that you’ll actually want to eat!
A simple salad with a ton of flavour! Featuring curry-spiced chicken, fresh spinach, juicy oranges, almonds and a sweet mango chutney vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
For the Orange Almond Salad
6 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup almonds (toasted and chopped (see note))
2 medium navel oranges (segmented)
Mango Chutney Vinaigrette ((see note))
Instructions
Prep the chicken: Combine the oil, lemon juice and spices. Place the chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush both sides of each breast with the oil mixture.
Bake the chicken: Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Allow to rest five minutes before slicing against the grain.
Make the salad: Arrange the spinach in a large bowl and top with the sliced chicken, orange segments and almonds. Toss with mango chutney vinaigrette and serve!
Notes
Almonds: To toast the almonds, spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the 400F oven alongside the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool before chopping.
