Spiced Citrus Roasted Chicken Salad
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This wonderfully crafted Roasted Chicken Salad has all the right components for texture, flavor and visual appeal. Adding roasted chicken bumps this one up to a full meal, and with a few of my own additions, is my spin off one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes.
Roasted Chicken Salad?
What grabbed my attention first off in the recipe was of course roasting brussels sprouts. LOVE them! I envisioned a combination of grapefruit and oranges over the non existent recommended pomelo at my market, and would roast a few of them as well, for a little caramelization. A handful of pistachios, pomegranate arils, fresh, bright herbs like cilantro and mint, and I was ready for this amazing Fall inspired meal.
The kicker for this Roasted Chicken Salad is a simmer a syrup that that the citrus marinate in, which is made of sugar, cinnamon and star anise. First you supreme the citrus. Supreming is a technique where you remove the thin, white membrane from citrus fruit so it can be served in slices. Skinless grapefruit and oranges soak in this wonderful, exotic spiced syrup and add another, rich texture to this dish.
Crunch appeal comes in the form of pistachios, pops of bright flavor hit you from the pomegranate and the roasted vegetables add a richness with the rotisserie chicken. I hope you enjoy this Cinnamon Star Anise Citrus with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Rotisserie Chicken as much as I did. Just look at this beauty!
Bring the water, sugar, cinnamon and star anise to a simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and set aside to cool. When cool, discard cinnamon sticks and star anise.
Peel the citrus fruit and supreme into segments by cutting away all white pith and slice into each segment to release fruit from each membrane. Take half the supremed oranges and add to a bowl with the sliced brussels sprouts and shallots. Cut the remaining fruit into bite size pieces and add to the cooled syrup to marinate for 60 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Toss the brussels sprouts, shallots and orange with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the edges.
Shred the chicken breast meat and place in a bowl. Chop the cilantro and mint, rinse the pomegranate arils and add to chicken. Add the roasted vegetables and the marinated fruit. Drizzle with reserved syrup and toss to evenly coat and distribute. Season to taste and serve.
Like I said, this isn’t your average Roasted Chicken Salad!
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Spiced Citrus Roasted Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 star anise stars
- 7 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup grapefruit
- 2Â oranges separated
- 1 lb brussels sprouts cut in half
- 2 shallots sliced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp each salt and fresh black pepper
- 2 rotisserie chicken breasts shredded
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/2 cup roasted pistachios
- 1/4 cup chopped mint and cilantro each
Instructions
- Bring the water, sugar, cinnamon and star anise to a simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and set aside to cool. When cool, discard cinnamon sticks and star anise.
- Peel the citrus fruit and supreme into segments by cutting away all white pith and slice into each segment to release fruit from each membrane. Â Take half the supremed oranges and add to a bowl with the sliced brussels sprouts and shallots. Cut the remaining fruit into bite size pieces and add to the cooled syrup to marinate for 60 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Toss the brussels sprouts, shallots and orange with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the edges.
- Shred the chicken breast meat and place in a bowl. Chop the cilantro and mint, rinse the pomegranate arils and add to chicken. Add the roasted vegetables and the marinated fruit. Drizzle with reserved syrup and toss to evenly coat and distribute. Season to taste and serve.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This looks and sounds so fantastic. I love a salad that can be the whole meal and this would be that.
Sorry for the late reply Cathy as I’ve been gone the last 2 weeks in India, but am back sifting emails and replying here. Thanks and I so agree. Salads pumped up make an entire meal for me. This salad just rocks with that reserved syrup as a dressing. 🙂
I am a HUGE chicken & cinnamon fan!!!!! I love meat and cinnamon these days, so flipping tasty! This recipe looks out of this world good too! Those brussels sprouts are calling to me!
Me too, I first fell in love with the combination making my Moroccan Smothered Chicken and Barley years ago. Try it and let me know what you think! Thanks for stopping by and your kind words Gigi, made my day. 🙂
WANT. LOVE. NEED this in my life. The flavors you have going on here … it doesn’t get much better. 🙂 Pinning!
Thanks so much Lauren, it’s one tasty – and filling, salad. The syrup is heaven on pancakes, too 😉
This is a stunning recipe.
Thank you so much Valentina, you made my day! 🙂
You are killing me Kevin!!! I go absolutely bonkers for salads like this!! The colours AND flavours are so on point, that I can’t stop drooling!
I have some brussel sprouts in the fridge and now I know what I’m going to make with them 😀
Dini, that is indeed one big flavor explosion of a salad. I hope you give it a go and enjoy!
I’m loving all the flavours here, it sounds like a dish that would be perfect to liven up a cold January day, pinning!
Indeed Lucy, thanks for stopping by my site. Not only is it a filling meal, but quite healthy as well. I need variety and big bold flavors whenever I can! 🙂
What an amazing blend of flavors…seriously..I am sure it tasted amazing…wonderful shots and so tempting..
Thank you so much Manal. So many good things and textures, it’s a house favorite. 🙂