Mendocino Copycat Citrus and Goat Cheese Salad

I’ve been obsessed with this salad for years. It’s a copycat of Mendocino Farms’ “Seasonal GOAT Salad”: a mix of greens and torn fresh mint, topped with orange segments, tender rotisserie chicken, thinly sliced fennel, pickled onions, and crushed honey-roasted almonds. A generous scoop of herbed goat cheese softens and melts into the salad, finished with hot honey and balsamic vinaigrette. It’s incredible.

A colorful salad bowl with sliced grilled chicken, orange segments, mixed greens, pickled onions, cheese, nuts, and fresh herbs, served with a small jug of dressing and a bowl of orange slices nearby.

Summer has been a whirlwind—swimsuits all day, endless snacking, late mornings—and full of fun adventures. We traveled to Italy with friends and had a family reunion in Colorado. Little moments like these make lighter meals and fresh salads especially appealing.

A large group of people, young and old, gather indoors, smiling and posing closely together, some showing off matching temporary tattoos on their arms, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere.

I also volunteered as a counselor at Girls Camp this summer. It’s chaotic in the best way—canoes, songs, card games, braid-trains, and the occasional midnight tap dance routine. These easy, bright salads are perfect after a long, busy day.

A hand pours dark dressing over a salad bowl with grilled chicken, greens, red onions, orange slices, nuts, and a cheese-topped ball on a woven mat.

The Seasonal Goat copycat

Mendocino Farms makes an unforgettable seasonal salad known as the Seasonal GOAT. This version recreates that balance of textures and flavors: fresh mint, a trio of greens, honey-roasted almonds, citrus segments, rotisserie chicken, thin fennel slices, pickled red onions, a soft dollop of herbed goat cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, and a drizzle of hot honey. The combination seems unlikely on paper, but it works beautifully: sweet, savory, tangy, crunchy, and herbaceous.

A close-up of a vibrant salad with sliced chicken, orange segments, goat cheese, pickled onions, fennel, kale, nuts, and fresh mint leaves.

Make it a party

Restaurants can include many components easily because they prepare ingredients in bulk. At home, assembling a salad with a dozen elements is easier when you make it a group activity. One person slices chicken and segments oranges, another preps fennel and nuts, and someone softens and whips the goat cheese. It’s a fun, communal process and makes a satisfying summer meal.

A close-up of a fork holding a bite of salad with grilled chicken, orange slices, kale, pickled red onions, and creamy dressing. Other salad ingredients are visible in the background.

Important ingredients

A few key components lift this salad to another level:

Fennel: Use a whole fresh bulb, sliced very thin. Fennel adds a crisp, slightly anise-like note that pairs wonderfully with citrus.
Orange segments: Fresh navel oranges add bright sweetness and juiciness. In peak stone fruit season, ripe peaches can be a great substitute.
Herb-crusted goat cheese: The soft, creamy goat cheese is essential. Soften it and stir in a little cream or milk so it melts into the salad and becomes part of the dressing.
Mint leaves: Tearing fresh mint into the greens adds a bright, aromatic lift that balances the rich goat cheese and sweet honey.

How to make it

Below are notes on preparation and assembly. While it looks like many steps, most are quick: slice fennel and oranges, chop greens, soften goat cheese, and assemble. The photos show the general process and final presentation.

A variety of fresh ingredients including kale, romaine, fennel, oranges, mint, blue cheese, rotisserie chicken, pickled onions, hot honey, and almonds, arranged on a white surface.

Plan for four servings. The amount of goat cheese may look generous, but it softens and spreads into each plate, creating the salad’s signature creaminess.

Two images: Top—hand holding a bowl with two rolls of herb-coated goat cheese. Bottom—herb-coated goat cheese being mixed with a spatula in the same bowl on a wooden surface.

Let goat cheese come to room temperature and stir in 2–3 tablespoons milk, cream, or half-and-half until smooth. It should be soft, not chalky.

Two images: The first shows cream being poured into a bowl of herbed mixture with a spatula. The second shows the mixture after being blended, now smooth and creamy, with the same spatula resting in the bowl.

Trim and chop kale, removing the stems, and chop romaine if not using pre-chopped lettuce. For mint, simply tear the leaves—no fine chopping needed. Slice fennel as thin as possible to avoid large, overwhelming pieces. Chop almonds by pulsing in a food processor for a mixture of coarse bits and fine almond dust.

Two photos: the top shows kale being sliced on a wooden cutting board; the bottom shows a hand holding a pile of freshly chopped kale next to a large knife.

A bunch of fresh mint leaves tied with a rubber band is placed on a wooden cutting board, with a bowl of leafy greens in the background on a marble countertop.

A hand holds a sliced fennel bulb above a cutting board with a knife nearby. Below, thin fennel slices are shown next to more unsliced fennel.

Use any cooked chicken you prefer—rotisserie chicken is convenient. Remove skin and slice breasts thinly. Segment and slice oranges by trimming the peel and cutting into bite-sized pieces.

Sliced roasted turkey breast on a wooden cutting board with a knife, showing juicy white meat and crispy brown skin.

Dress a mixture of the greens and fennel lightly with balsamic vinaigrette, then layer the oranges, chicken, pickled onions, and almonds on top. Use an ice cream scoop to add a generous dollop of the softened herbed goat cheese to each plate. Finish with hot honey, a little extra balsamic if desired, and crushed red pepper for heat.

A hand scoops herbed cheese in the top image. The bottom image shows a salad with greens, orange slices, chicken, pickled onions, and a scoop of herbed cheese in a white bowl.

A honey dipper drizzles honey from a glass bowl onto a fresh salad topped with cheese, greens, nuts, and pickled onions.

Toss gently and serve immediately—this salad is summer at its finest.

A colorful salad bowl with sliced chicken, orange segments, pickled onions, mixed greens, sliced fennel, nuts, and a dollop of creamy dressing, garnished with fresh herbs.

How to store leftovers

If you won’t eat the whole salad at once, store components separately. Keep the greens, orange segments, goat cheese, chicken, pickled onions, and dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Almonds can be kept in a small container at room temperature for a few weeks. Reassemble individual portions when ready to eat. The chicken freezes well if you want to save it longer.

A vibrant salad bowl with orange slices, grilled chicken, pickled onions, nuts, greens, goat cheese, and dark dressing, surrounded by extra pickled onions and citrus in small bowls.

More salads that are a meal

A substantial salad with a good balance of protein, fats, and fresh produce makes a satisfying meal. This Citrus and Goat Cheese Green Salad pairs bright citrus and herbs with crunchy nuts and creamy goat cheese for a filling, refreshing dinner or lunch.

Citrus and Goat Cheese Green Salad (Mendocino Copycat)

Servings: 4

A salad bowl with sliced grilled chicken, mixed greens, orange segments, red onions, nuts, seeds, and a scoop of herb butter, all drizzled with dressing.

This copycat of Mendocino Farms’ Seasonal GOAT Salad combines greens, mint, orange segments, fennel, pickled onions, chicken, honey-roasted almonds, herbed goat cheese softened with cream, balsamic vinaigrette, and hot honey for a bright, satisfying meal.

Ingredients

8 ounces Romaine lettuce, chopped (about 8 cups)
8 ounces spring mix (about 8 cups)
4 leaves kale, stems removed and chopped
1 large fennel bulb, sliced very thin
1 bunch mint leaves, torn off the stems
4 navel oranges, segmented and sliced
1 cup honey roasted almonds, roughly chopped
2 (4-ounce) packages herb-crusted goat cheese (or 4 oz plain goat cheese + 2 tsp Italian seasoning)
3 tablespoons heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
1 batch pickled red onions (reserve just the onions)
1 batch balsamic vinaigrette, or store-bought
1/4 cup hot honey
2 cooked chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken, sliced
Crushed red pepper, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the pickled onions a few hours ahead if possible so they turn pink and develop flavor. Short pickling is still tasty if time is limited.
Prepare the balsamic vinaigrette in advance or use a store-bought version.
Soften the goat cheese: place 4 ounces herbed goat cheese in a bowl, let it come to room temperature, and stir in 2–3 tablespoons milk, cream, or half-and-half until smooth.
Chop and portion the romaine and spring mix across four serving plates.
Prep the kale: remove stems and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces; divide among the plates.
Slice the fennel very thin, removing core and stem, and divide between the plates.
Tear the mint leaves into pieces and divide among the plates.
Dress the greens and fennel lightly with balsamic vinaigrette.
Segment and slice 4 navel oranges and divide the pieces so each plate receives about one orange.
Pulse 1 cup honey-roasted almonds in a food processor until a mix of coarse pieces and fine almond dust forms. Add about 1/4 cup chopped nuts to each plate.
Remove skin from the rotisserie chicken breasts and slice thinly against the grain; divide among the plates.
Spoon or scoop 1/4 of the softened goat cheese onto each plate.
Add a healthy spoonful of pickled onions to each plate (about 1/4 cup or more, without the pickling liquid).
Drizzle hot honey over each serving and finish with extra balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle crushed red pepper if you like heat.
Toss gently and enjoy immediately.

Notes

If you can’t find herbed goat cheese, use plain goat cheese and stir in 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.

Nutrition

Calories: 496 kcal | Carbohydrates: 34 g | Protein: 37 g | Fat: 26 g | Fiber: 8 g