Warm Chicken and Rice Salad
Warm Chicken & Rice Salad with browned mushrooms, cranberries, arugula & a bright apple cider-Dijon vinaigrette. Easy to customize & great for meal prep.*Quick Note Before You Dive In: This recipe card covers the basics, but if you want to know how to choose the best rice, customize the ingredients, or prep it ahead for meal prep, scroll back up! Everything you need for foolproof results is in the post.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- ⅔ cup (132g) uncooked long-grain white rice such as basmati
- ⅓ cup (60g) uncooked wild rice or wild rice mix
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips from about 3 chicken breasts
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- ½ cup (58g) dried cranberries plus extra for garnish, if desired
- 16 ounces (454g) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup (143g) chopped onion from 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic from 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup (118ml) medium-dry or dry sherry
- 3 ounces (85g) washed arugula leaves
For the Vinaigrette
- ⅔ cup (160ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80ml) apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together ½ cup olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Set the vinaigrette aside.
- Cook the white rice and wild rice in two separate pots, following the package directions. Once cooked, let each rest covered for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork, and transfer to a large serving bowl.
- While the rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large 15-inch cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Cook on one side until the chicken begins to turn opaque. Flip the chicken, add the cranberries, and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until the chicken is nearly cooked through. Do not overcook; it will finish cooking in step 10.
- Transfer the chicken, cranberries, and any accumulated juices to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt. Don't worry if the skillet seems crowded; the mushrooms will shrink considerably as they cook.
- The mushrooms will release liquid as they cook. Once the liquid has evaporated, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the onions, and dried thyme. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes, until fragrant and the mushrooms are deeply browned.
- Pour in the dry sherry and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer until the sherry has reduced by about half.
- Return the chicken, cranberries, and reserved juices to the skillet. Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F and is warmed through. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken and mushroom mixture, along with any juices, to the bowl of rice and stir to combine.
- Pour 3/4 of the vinaigrette over the rice and toss gently until evenly coated. Add more vinaigrette to taste. If you expect to have leftovers, reserve a little vinaigrette for serving the next day.
- Just before serving, add the arugula and toss gently. Garnish with cranberries if desired.
Notes:
A note on kosher salt: This recipe uses Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you’re using Morton's Kosher Salt or table salt, use half the amount. Diamond Crystal kosher salt has larger, airier crystals that take up more space, so a teaspoon of kosher salt actually contains less salt by weight than other types of salt.
Arugula: Add the arugula just before serving. The warmth from the chicken, mushrooms, and rice will slightly wilt the leaves while preserving some of their peppery flavor and texture.
Rice: Basmati or another long-grain white rice works best because the grains stay light and distinct when tossed with the vinaigrette. Jasmine rice also works, but the salad will be slightly softer and stickier. Avoid medium- or short-grain rice, which is more likely to clump. The white rice will usually finish cooking before the wild rice; simply fluff it and set it aside until ready to assemble.
Wild rice: Much of the wild rice sold in supermarkets is actually a blend of wild rice with other grains, such as brown rice or brown basmati. Either true wild rice or a wild rice blend works well in this recipe. Follow the package directions, since cooking times can vary considerably between the two.
Dry sherry: Use a medium-dry or dry drinking sherry. Avoid sweet sherry and cooking sherry, which can overpower the other flavors. You can also substitute a dry white wine.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for professional dietary advice
Nutrition
Serving: 320gCalories: 823kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 43gFat: 52gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 35gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 1541mgPotassium: 1195mgFiber: 4gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 236IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 3mg
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