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Food June 25, 2024

Learn to make chef Melba Wilson's mandarin chicken salad for summer

WATCH: Chef and author Melba Wilson makes Mandarin Chicken Salad

Chef Melba Wilson, known for the iconic Melba's Restaurant in Harlem, is opening more locations across New York.

The Food Network personality, who has been called Harlem's soul food queen and queen of comfort food, dropped by "GMA3" recently to cook up a delicious, refreshing mandarin chicken salad.

Scroll below for the full recipe and try it at home in your own kitchen.

Mandarin Chicken Salad

PHOTO: Chef Melba Wilson drops by "GMA" to cook up her Mandarin chicken salad.
Chef Melba Wilson drops by "GMA" to cook up her Mandarin chicken salad.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 whole skin-on boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 ripe Hass avocado, diced
3 fresh mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned, or one 11-ounce can of mandarin orange sections, drained

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Directions

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper and mix well.

Add the chicken breasts, massaging the mixture under the skin and into all surfaces until well coated.

Close the bag and refrigerate for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Drain the marinade and transfer the chicken to a baking pan.

Cover with foil and cook in the preheated pan for 15 minutes.

Remove the foil, return to the oven, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is white all the way through and a meat thermometer reads 165 F.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.

Remove and discard the skin and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.

In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mandarin orange, avocado and the chicken.

Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if needed.

Refrigerate for one hour before serving.