Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

Discover a vibrant and nutritious meal with this Chicken and Wild Rice Salad, a perfect harmony of bold flavors and wholesome ingredients. Featuring tender wild rice, shredded chicken breast, and a colorful medley of baby spinach, red bell pepper, celery, and sweet dried cranberries, this salad combines texture and taste in every bite. The addition of toasted slivered almonds lends a satisfying crunch, while a zesty homemade vinaigrette made with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and a hint of honey ties it all together. Ready in just over an hour, this gluten-free dish is ideal for meal prepping, light lunches, or crowd-pleasing potlucks. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a refreshing, protein-packed option that’s easy to customize and bursting with flavor!

Nutriscore Rating: 77/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:45 mins

Total Time:65 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup Wild rice
• 3 cups Water
• 2 cups Cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
• 2 cups Baby spinach leaves
• 1 large Red bell pepper, diced
• 2 Celery stalks, sliced thinly
• 1 cup Dried cranberries
• 1 cup Slivered almonds, toasted
• 0.25 cup Olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the wild rice under cold water using a fine mesh sieve.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, combine the wild rice and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the rice is tender and the grains have split open.

Step 3

Drain any excess water from the cooked wild rice and set it aside to cool to room temperature.

Step 4

While the rice is cooking, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 5

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, baby spinach leaves, diced red bell pepper, sliced celery, dried cranberries, and toasted slivered almonds.

Step 6

Once the wild rice has cooled, add it to the mixing bowl with the other salad ingredients.

Step 7

Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated.

Step 8

Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Step 9

Transfer the salad to a serving dish or individual plates. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 day for the flavors to meld.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(2136.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	3138.2

Total Fat 137.6g	0%
Saturated Fat 18.4g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.3g
Cholesterol 405.6mg	0%
Sodium 1935.4mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 283.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 40.7g	0%
Total Sugars 116.3g
Protein 196.3g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 563.5mg	0%
Iron 14.1mg	0%
Potassium 3762.6mg	0%

*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.

Source of Calories

Fat: 39.2%

Protein: 24.9%

Carbs: 35.9%