By: EatingWell

Photographer: Five-Spice Chicken & Orange Salad

Publish Date: 2008-10-01

Servings: 4

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 35 minutes

Prep Time: 35 minutes

To Make Ahead: Prepare through Step 2. Store the chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Slice and serve chilled.

Recipe Description:

Five-spice powder is a Chinese seasoning shortcut combining multiple flavors in one convenient package. Tossed with orange juice and chicken, it makes a terrific salad with a complex, layered taste that belies the simple recipe.

Recipe Ingredients:

1. 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2. 1 teaspoon five-spice powder, (see Ingredient note)
3. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
5. 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
6. 3 oranges
7. 12 cups mixed Asian or salad greens
8. 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
9. 1/2 cup slivered red onion
10. 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
11. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Recipe Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, five-spice powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture into both sides of the chicken breasts.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn them over and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 165°F), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel and segment two of the oranges (see Tip), collecting segments and any juice in a large bowl. (Discard membranes, pith and skin.) Add the greens, bell pepper and onion to the bowl. Zest and juice the remaining orange. Place the zest and juice in a small bowl; whisk in vinegar, mustard, the remaining 4 teaspoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad; toss to combine. Slice the chicken and serve on the salad.

Recipe Tips & Notes:

1. Note: Often a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, five-spice powder was originally considered a cure-all miracle blend encompassing the five elements (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty). Look for it in the supermarket spice section.
2. Tip: To segment citrus: With a sharp knife, remove the skin and white pith from the fruit. Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes. Squeeze juice into the bowl before discarding the membranes.

Recipe Nutrition:

Per serving: 278 calories; 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 6g mono unsaturated fat); 63 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 7 g fiber; 491 mg sodium; 450 mg potassium

Nutrtion Bonus: Vitamin C (170% daily value), Vitamin A (140% dv), Selenium (30% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 1/2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Recipe Categories:

Course(s)

Lunch

Dinner

Cuisine(s)

American

Asian

Degree of Difficulty

Easy

Special Health Consideration(s)

Healthy Weight

Heart Healthy

Low Sat Fat

High Fiber

Low Calorie

Seasons & Occassions

Winter

Fall

Summer

Spring

Baby Shower

Bridal Shower

Main Ingredient(s)

Poultry

Chicken

Technique(s)

Saute

Roast

Quick

Dish Type(s)

Salad

Main Dish

Recipe Disclaimer(s):

Scaling Disclaimer: EatingWell recipes are tested extensively in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. Eating Well cannot guarantee a recipe that has been scaled to make a different number of servings from the original. Also note that scaling only applies to the ingredient measurements: no adjustment is made to the recipe instructions, so pan sizes and cooking times and ingredient amounts referred to in the text of the recipe only apply to the original number of servings.

Gluten-Free Disclaimer: We have verified that these recipes do not include the following gluten-containing ingredients: wheat (all varieties, including spelt and kamut, wheat germ or bran and other forms of wheat protein), rye, barley (in all forms, including malt, malt flavoring, malt vinegar and malt extract), oats, triticale or beer/ale. However, many processed foods, such as broths, soy sauce and other condiments, may contain hidden sources of gluten. If a recipe calls for a packaged (e.g., canned) ingredient, we recommend that you carefully read the label to be sure it does not contain a hidden source of gluten.