Citrus Almond Salad – Romaine lettuce is tossed with fresh orange segments, sliced almonds, feta cheese, diced chicken, dried cranberries, and a homemade citrus vinaigrette.
The weather is finally warming up and I am all about the fresh produce now. I’ve been making homemade grapefruit soda, eating oranges nonstop, and even whipping up a peach cobbler because I was craving a fruity dessert.
Because of my overwhelming love for produce right now, I was inspired to make one of my favorite salads ever. I used to order it from the Cheesecake Factory years ago, but it’s no longer on the menu. I loved how loaded the salad was with fresh orange pieces and crunchy almonds.
Now, I make that salad for myself at home, including the refreshing citrus vinaigrette. Without further ado, here is my version of their Citrus Almond Salad!
What’s in this salad
The best part of this salad is hands-down the fresh orange segments. They’re bursting with juice in every bite. Along with the orange segments, there are a few other yummy ingredients in this salad:
- Sliced almonds
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Dried cranberries
- Diced chicken
- Romaine lettuce
All these ingredients comes together with help from the homemade citrus vinaigrette.
Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing
This is one of the easiest vinaigrettes you’ll ever make. Using only shallots, orange and lemon juices, white wine vinegar, and olive oil, this vinaigrette will come together in no time at all.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to roast the almonds before adding them to the salad. This gives them a perfect crunch. I roast them in a pan on the stove to make it quick. It only takes about 5 minutes.
- This recipe is all about the citrus. Therefore, I really really insist that you use fresh orange segments and not those mandarin oranges you find soaking in syrup or juice. The fresh orange segments make all the difference in the world!
Citrus Almond Salad
Ingredients
For the citrus vinaigrette:
- 1 small shallot minced or pressed
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- pinch salt and pepper
For the salad:
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 small navel oranges
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds roasted and salted
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup diced chicken breast
Instructions
- Add all the dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk together. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Cut tops and bottoms off the navel oranges. Place the cut bottom of one of the oranges onto a cutting board. Using a knife, cut off the rest of the orange peel so the white membrane is removed, Cut out the segments using a pairing knife. Place segments in a large bowl. Repeat with second orange.
- Add other salad ingredients to the large bowl with the oranges. Add half of the dressing to the salad and toss it all together. Taste the salad and add more dressing, if necessary. Serve immediately.
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The homemade citrus vinaigrette sounds bright and refreshing. The whole recipe comes together in just 15 minutes, which is perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
The combination of crunchy toasted almonds, juicy oranges, and tangy feta is just perfect.
All the goodies in this salad are amazing! It’s so hearty and filling, and full of flavor. Such a great summer salad to make all season long. Thank you for the great recipe!
What an interesting flavor combo and mix of fruits and veggies. I absolutely love it. This is perfect summer salad. Can’t wait to give it a try.
I can see why this was your favorite salad! These textures and flavors are absolutely incredible!
The textures in this salad sound incredible, as do the flavors! And that vinaigrette sounds amazing — can’t wait to make this next week!
I vote yes for any salad that has cranberries in it. The citrus touch also sounds amazing.
This sounds and looks so good, and the colors and flavors look amazing! Yummy!
This Citrus Almond Salad was amazing and my family really enjoyed all the flavors and textures. My sister in law demanded I give her the recipe too! LOL! This was one of the best salads I have had in a while.
Aw that’s so great! I am so glad to hear it! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
This Citrus Almond Salad is perfect for the warmer weather! It’s so crunchy, fresh, and delicious! The vinaigrette is mouth watering!
I LOVE cranberries and almonds in salad. And this looks delish!
Such a light and fresh salad perfect for Spring. Can’t wait to make it.
I love it that your citrus almond salad is so versatile and I can make it vegan but still preserve the awesome core ingredients and make it tasty. A beautiful idea for this Spring. yum
Oh my gosh yumm!! what a tasty salad I wlll have to try making it
This looks really good, and somewhat easy to make! I am excited to try this out next week!
So good! The vinaigrette is amazing! Perfect for a healthy lunch
I really like how many crunchy yummy things there are in this salad. It’s a little like a treasure hunt while eating it. The slivered almonds are a great addition.
Oh my goodness! I’ve never seen a salad look so tasty and hearty! Definitely making this one! 🙂
This looks so good! It would make the perfect lunch. 🙂
I adore this salad!! SO delicious, can’t wait to make it all summer!