Wild Rice Chicken Salad
Elevate your lunch game with this vibrant and wholesome Wild Rice Chicken Salad—a delightful balance of hearty textures, fresh produce, and zesty flavors. Packed with nutty wild rice, tender shredded chicken, and a colorful medley of diced red bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion, this salad is as visually appealing as it is nourishing. Sliced almonds and dried cranberries add delightful crunch and sweetness, while a tangy homemade dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey ties it all together beautifully. Perfect for meal prep or a refreshing and satisfying dinner, this protein-packed salad is a crowd-pleaser that’s ready in under an hour. Serve it chilled for the ultimate flavorful experience—ideal for picnics, potlucks, or light family meals.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 pieces chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 0.5 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 0.25 cup sliced almonds
- 0.25 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Rinse the wild rice under cold water and drain well.
In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water or chicken broth to a boil. Add the rinsed wild rice, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Drain any excess liquid and set the rice aside to cool.
While the rice is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Cook and shred the chicken breasts if not already done. Dice the red bell pepper and cucumber, finely chop the red onion, and chop the fresh parsley.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing. Adjust seasoning to taste.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled wild rice, shredded chicken, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, parsley, sliced almonds, and dried cranberries.
Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine all ingredients evenly.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flavors meld together. Garnish with extra parsley or almonds, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1859 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 73.3 g | 94% | |
| Saturated Fat | 11.1 g | 55% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 250 mg | 83% | |
| Sodium | 1507 mg | 66% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 187.8 g | 68% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 24.0 g | 86% | |
| Total Sugars | 41.7 g | ||
| Protein | 120.9 g | 242% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 326 mg | 25% | |
| Iron | 11.0 mg | 61% | |
| Potassium | 2567 mg | 55% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
