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Recipe for Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

Sweet and crunchy Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad with chow mein noodles and sesame dressing developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service and menu planning.

Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page. Share your results with us on Twitter @CDENutrition External link opens in new window or tab..

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 3 gallons and 3 quarts of Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad to make 50–9.5 ounce salads.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 6 pounds and 4 ounces frozen fully-cooked diced chicken (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 11 pounds and 3 ounces as purchased (AP) or 5 gallons and 1 quart and 3½ cups fresh romaine lettuce
  • 2 pounds fresh ready-to-use green shredded cabbage
  • 8 pounds and 6 ounces or 3 quarts and ½ cup drained canned mandarin oranges
  • 7 pounds and 1 ounce AP fresh whole pears (USDA food item)
  • 2 cups of citrus-based juice, such as orange juice
  • 13 ounces fresh green onions
  • 2 pounds and 8 ounces or 3 quarts and ½ cup fresh ready-to-use shredded carrots
  • 1 pound and 7 ounces or 1–24 ounce can chow mein noodles
  • 50 Asian sesame dressing packets, 2 ounces each

Directions

  1. Thaw diced chicken in refrigerator. Remove thawed diced chicken and place in one–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans. Critical Control Point (CCP): Hold in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
  2. Rinse lettuce under cold running water and trim. Chop lettuce into strips to measure 3 quarts and ½ cup.
  3. Place lettuce and cabbage into separate 18 inch by 26 inch by 9 inch or 13 gallon food containers.
  4. Add shredded cabbage. Mix.
  5. Drain mandarin oranges into colander. Place mandarins into one–12¾ inch by 6⅞ inch by 4 inch pan.
  6. Rinse and dice pears into ¼ inch cubes to measure 3 quarts and ½ cup. Place into one–12¾ inch by 6⅞ inch by 4 inch pan. Pour citrus-based juice, such as orange juice, in pan to keep pears from turning brown.
  7. Rinse green onions and chop to measure 3⅛ cups. Place into one–12¾ inch by 6⅞ inch by 4 inch pan.
  8. In two separate 12¾ inch by 6⅞ inch by 4 inch pans, place shredded carrots and chow mein noodles.
Assembly
  1. Arrange and stage ingredients in sequence on Ameri Pac Machine or work table to build salad.
  2. In 3 cup capacity or larger individual serving container: Portion 2 cups lettuce-cabbage mix, top mix with ½ cup or one number 8 scoop diced chicken, ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop shredded carrots, 1 tablespoon chopped green onions, and ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop chow mein noodles.
  3. Cover or wrap salad. CCP: Hold in refrigerator 41°F or lower.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 251
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 34.4
  • Protein, in grams: 21
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 1
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 5.2
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 174

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Thursday, July 17, 2025
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