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8 Comments Fennel is one of my favorite ingredients, especially in a good fennel salad. This fennel and orange salad with chicken combines crunchy fennel with sweet orange, creamy avocado and golden brown chicken. It’s fresh, filling and perfect for a quick lunch.
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
I love fennel when it still has plenty of crunch. For this salad I slice it very thinly, preferably with a mandoline. You can use a sharp knife too, but try to get the slices as thin and even as possible. And don’t throw away those feathery fennel fronds: they’re edible and make a nice finishing touch.
Recipe Ingredients
- Fennel – Raw fennel has a lovely crisp texture and a slightly aniseed-like flavor. Slice it very thinly for this salad so it stays crunchy without becoming too coarse.
- Oranges – The sweetness and acidity of the oranges work really well with the fennel. Segment them over a bowl so you can catch the juice and use it in the dressing. If blood oranges are in season, you can use those too. I love their color, although they’re not always easy to find.
- Chicken thighs – I use chicken thigh fillets because they stay nice and juicy when fried. Chicken breast works too if you prefer.
- Avocado – Adds a creamy element to all that crunchy fennel and fresh orange.
- Arugula – The slightly peppery flavor is a good match for the sweet orange and fennel.
- Lemon pepper – I originally used a ready-made lemon pepper spice mix for the chicken. If you don’t have that, regular black pepper and salt work just fine.
How To Make Fennel Salad with Chicken
Start with the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, season and fry them in coconut oil until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Thinly slice the fennel with a mandoline or sharp knife. The thinner you slice it, the easier it is to eat while still keeping that characteristic fennel crunch.
Next, segment the oranges. Cut away the peel and all of the white pith, then use a sharp knife to cut the individual segments from between the membranes. Do this over a bowl because you’ll need the juice for the dressing.
For the dressing, whisk the reserved orange juice with the lemon juice, cardamom and Italian herbs. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Combine the fennel, arugula, orange and avocado and toss with some of the dressing. Add the chicken and a little more dressing if needed. You probably won’t need all of it, so serve the remainder on the side or save it for another salad.
Fresh mint or a little thinly sliced red onion also works well in this salad.
Storing
This fennel and orange salad is best eaten fresh, especially once the avocado and dressing have been added.
If you want to prepare it ahead, keep the chicken, dressing and salad ingredients separate in the fridge and combine them shortly before serving. The sliced fennel will stay much crunchier that way.
FAQ Fennel Salad with Chicken
Absolutely. Use a sharp knife and slice the fennel as thinly as you can. A mandoline simply makes it quicker and gives you more even slices.
Yes. Chicken breast works well too. Just take care not to cook it for too long, as it dries out more quickly than chicken thigh.
No. The fennel is used raw in this salad, which gives it its fresh flavor and crunchy texture. Slicing it very thinly makes it much more delicate to eat.
You can prepare the individual components in advance, but wait to add the avocado and dressing until shortly before serving. That keeps the fennel and arugula fresh and crunchy.
More Fennel Recipes
Fennel Salad with Chicken and Oranges
Ingredients
- 250 gram chicken thigh fillet
- 1/2 tsp black pepper basically a combination of lemon and pepper together
- 1 tsp Coconut oil
- 1 ripe avocado pitted and cut into little chunks
- 1 head fennel shaved thin
- 2 oranges segmented, juiced saved
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Reserved juice from citrus
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch arugula
How to make the fennel salad
- Start by cutting your chicken in to small pieces and season them with the black pepper. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and once hot bake your chicken golden brown and crispy.
- Peel the oranges with a sharp knife removing all of the rind and the white parts of the outside too. Segment the rest above a bowl to catch the juice. Put the segments into another bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the cardamom, the italian herbs, lemon juice, orange juice that you reserved, salt and pepper and combine. Add the olive oil while whisking and the dressing will come together.
- Slice your fennel very thinly or use a mandoline. Combine the fennel, the arugula, the orange segments and the avocado together and mix. Add some of the dressing but not everything yet. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Mix your chicken in the salad and divide across two bowls. Add a little bit more of the dressing and serve the rest on the side.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
I’ve never heard of the whole30 before, but fennel and oranges and oranges and avocado are always a hit. And some chicken can only make it better.
I can only agree to that!
Love fennel! And use it often in salads. Have never combined it with orange, though. Gotta try that! Thanks.
Thanks John! It’s quite delicious!
This sound simple and delicious Simone! and it’s healthy too, oh my 😉
Yes, aren’t those the best combinations ever? Healthy AND delicious! 😉
A tasty combination and wholesome salad!
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa!