This is a grain-and-greens salad built around wild rice, roasted chicken, dried tart cherries, toasted almonds, and a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette with orange zest. It takes just over an hour start to finish, and the rice and chicken share the same baking sheet, so cleanup is minimal. It works warm, at room temperature, or cold โ which makes it genuinely useful for weeknight dinners and packed lunches alike.
Ingredient notes
- Wild rice: True wild rice (not a paddy-grown blend) takes the full 40โ45 minutes to split and turn tender. A blend labeled โwild rice mixโ will cook faster but has a softer texture and less nutty flavor. Either works, but adjust your cook time.
- Dried tart cherries: These are more sour than regular dried cherries or cranberries. If you substitute sweetened dried cranberries, cut the honey in the dressing by half a teaspoon to keep the balance.
- Honeycrisp apple: Any firm, crisp apple holds up without turning mushy โ Fuji or Pink Lady are good backups. Avoid Red Delicious; it goes mealy fast once cut.
- Baby arugula: Baby spinach or baby kale can replace it if you want less bitterness. The arugulaโs pepper note does a real job here against the sweet cherries and apple, so itโs worth using if you can.
- Smoked paprika: Regular sweet paprika works in a pinch, but smoked paprika adds a subtle depth to the chicken that plain paprika wonโt replicate.
Why this recipe works
Two things make this salad hold together. First, spreading the cooked wild rice on the baking sheet to steam-dry before mixing means the grains stay distinct and chewy rather than clumping into a starchy mass that muddies the dressing. Second, the vinaigrette uses both lemon juice and orange zest โ the juice provides acidity that cuts through the nutty rice, while the zest adds citrus flavor without more liquid, so the dressing clings to the grains and chicken instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
If something goes sideways
- Rice is still hard after 45 minutes: Some wild rice, especially older stock, needs up to 55 minutes. Add a splash of water if the pan looks dry, cover, and keep simmering. The grains should split visibly when done.
- Chicken is dry: Boneless breasts vary in thickness. If yours are thicker than about ยพ inch, they may need a minute or two more โ but pull them at 160ยฐF and let carryover heat finish the job. Slicing too early lets the juices run out before theyโve had a chance to redistribute.
- Dressing tastes flat: Taste it before it goes on the salad. If itโs dull, it almost always needs more salt, not more acid. Add a pinch of kosher salt, whisk again, and re-taste.
- Almonds burned in the oven: Sliced almonds go from golden to scorched in under a minute at 400ยฐF. If youโre already using the oven for the chicken, toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat instead โ youโll have more control.
- Salad is soggy after sitting: Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast, especially once the arugula is in. Keep the dressing separate until youโre ready to serve.
Make-ahead notes
The wild rice and roasted chicken can both be cooked up to three days ahead and stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The dressing keeps for up to five days in a sealed jar. Dice the apple and celery the morning you plan to serve โ both hold fine for several hours in the fridge if stored dry. Add the arugula and pour the dressing over everything only when youโre ready to eat; the greens wilt quickly once dressed, and the apple will start to soften. If youโre packing this for lunch, pack the dressing in a small container on the side and toss it just before eating.
Chicken and Wild Rice Salad
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Chef's Knife
- Cutting board
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl or jar
- Whisk
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice (uncooked) rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 1 cup water
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts ; 2 small breasts
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for chicken
- 1 ยผ tsp kosher salt divided
- ยฝ tsp ground black pepper freshly ground black pepper ; divided
- ยฝ tsp smoked paprika
- ยฝ cup sliced almonds raw; will toast
- ยผ cup extra-virgin olive oil for dressing
- 3 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp shallot finely minced
- 1 clove garlic small ; grated
- 1 tsp orange zest finely grated
- ยฝ cup dried tart cherries roughly chopped
- ยพ cup celery about 2 stalks ; small-diced
- ยฝ cup scallions thinly sliced
- ยฝ cup flat-leaf parsley coarsely chopped
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple peeled optional ; diced
- 3 cups baby arugula loosely packed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set a rack in the center and preheat to 400 b0F / 205 b0C. Line a baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup.
- Cook the wild rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken broth, water, and bay leaf; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the rinsed wild rice, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 40โ45 minutes until the grains are tender and many have split. Drain through a fine-mesh sieve, discard the bay leaf, and spread the rice on part of the baking sheet to steam-dry for 5 minutes.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and the smoked paprika until evenly coated; arrange on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roast the chicken: Roast at 400 b0F / 205 b0C for 16โ18 minutes, or until the thickest part registers 165 b0F / 74 b0C on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes to retain juices.
- Toast the almonds: During the last 6โ8 minutes of roasting, spread the sliced almonds on an open area of the sheet (or a second pan) and toast, stirring once, until fragrant and golden. Cool completely.
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, minced shallot, grated garlic, orange zest, and the remaining 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until emulsified and slightly thickened.
- Dice the chicken: Cut the rested chicken into bite-size cubes, trimming any stray fibers for an even, tender bite.
- Prep the mix-ins: Dice the apple, small-dice the celery, slice the scallions, and coarsely chop the parsley and cherries. Work quickly so the apple doesnt brown; if needed, toss the apple with a spoonful of vinaigrette.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm wild rice, diced chicken, celery, scallions, cherries, apple, and half of the parsley and toasted almonds. Pour over the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly while the rice is slightly warm so it absorbs the dressing.
- Finish and serve: Fold in the arugula gently so it stays perky. Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if desired. Top with the remaining almonds and parsley, and serve warm or at cool room temperature.
Notes
Chef's Tips
- Rice texture: True wild rice varies; start tasting at 40 minutes โ you want tender grains with a pleasant chew. If your rice is very aged, add a splash more water and continue a few minutes longer.
- Make-ahead: Cook the wild rice up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate; rewarm gently so it absorbs the vinaigrette. The dressed salad (without arugula) holds well for 24 hours; fold in greens just before serving.
- Smart swaps: Substitute dried cranberries for cherries, pecans for almonds, or baby spinach for arugula. Add crumbled goat cheese for creaminess, if desired.
- Using rotisserie chicken: Swap in 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken to skip roasting; toast the almonds at 400ยฐF / 205ยฐC for 6โ8 minutes.
- Season like a pro: Keep some vinaigrette back and add at the end if the salad will sit โ it brightens flavors right before plating.
- Knife work: Cut everything to similar bite-size so each forkful carries grain, chicken, crunch, and fruit.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of roasting my own?
Yes, rotisserie chicken works well here. Use about 2 cups of shredded or diced meat from the breast, and skip the olive oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika seasoning step โ just add a small pinch of smoked paprika directly to the finished salad if you want that flavor.
How do I know when the wild rice is actually done?
The grains are done when most of them have split open and curled, revealing a lighter interior, and they feel tender but still chewy when you bite one. If the grains are still firm and havenโt split, they need more time regardless of what the clock says.
Can I make this salad vegetarian?
You can leave out the chicken entirely and the salad still holds up as a meal because the wild rice provides enough substance. Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth when cooking the rice to keep it fully vegetarian.
The dressing recipe makes more than I need โ is that right?
The dressing is sized to coat the full batch of salad generously, but how much you use depends on personal preference. Start with about two-thirds of it, toss, taste, and add more if needed โ leftover dressing keeps in the fridge for up to five days.
Can I serve this warm straight from the oven?
Yes, and itโs good that way. Let the chicken rest for five minutes before slicing so it stays juicy, then toss the warm rice and chicken with the other ingredients and dressing right before serving. Add the arugula last so it just barely wilts from the heat rather than cooking down completely.