An optical coherence tomography (OCT) system including an optical compensating element for chromatic dispersion compensation is presented. The system includes an optical source and an optical splitting element. The optical compensating element includes a plurality of optical elements and a plurality of waveguides. The optical splitting element is configured to generate at least a first beam of radiation and a second beam of radiation. The plurality of optical elements is configured to identify one or more optical paths amongst a plurality of optical paths for the first beam of radiation to travel. One of the plurality of waveguides disposed in one of the plurality of optical paths has group delay and dispersion coefficient properties per unit length that are different from group delay and dispersion coefficient properties per unit length of another one of the plurality of waveguides disposed in another one of the plurality of optical paths. The group delay and dispersion coefficient properties per unit length compensate for a chromatic dispersion associated with the second beam of radiation.