Salads and Vegetables: Salads: Chicken Wild Rice Salad

Whether served cold as a summer side salad or hot as a main course, this rice salad is sure to delight!

Author: Sarah Burns, CalorieKing.com member
Date: January 22, 2008

Suggestions: * If serving hot, for best results, use regular cherries instead of dried cherries.

This recipe makes a large quantity; if desired, freeze the remaining, since it freezes well.

Serves: 18 person(s)
Yield: 18 x 3/4 cup servings

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
Extra Time: 2 hrs (for refrigeration, if serving cold)

Ingredients:

4 cup reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth (divided)
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
4 cooked skinless, boneless double chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs), cubed
1 cup water chestnuts, diced
2 oz dried cherries *
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp minced parsley
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth (extra) (optional)

Directions:

In a pan combine 3 cups chicken broth with wild rice, cook as directed. In a separate pan, combine 1 cup chicken broth with brown rice, cook as directed. All broth should be soaked up by the rice, if not, drain rice.

In a bowl, combine cubed chicken, water chestnuts, cherries, black pepper, and parsley; stir.

If desired, add lemon zest to sweeten or the extra 1/4 cup chicken broth to salt it (note: with wild rice the flavor is always a little different).

If serving cold - refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Variations:

To further lower the sodium content of this recipe, water can be substituted for the broth, if desired.

As a tasty stuffing recipe, omit the chicken and use as a stuffing for pork chops, pheasant or turkey.

Serving suggestions are not included in the nutritional analysis.