Welcome to a hearty recipe for rice salad with chicken and apple, a nutritious and easy-to-make dish. This salad combines the wholesomeness of wild and brown rice, the crunch of fresh apples, and the savory goodness of chicken. It makes an ideal choice for a healthy lunch or a light dinner.
This recipe is part of my collection of rice recipes you can find on the site, and if you like this one, you might also like a good Wild Rice Soup With Ham, a vegan recipe for Rice and Lentils (Dhal Bat), Yellow Rice With Seafood, or Rice Pilaf With Pork And Vegetables.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Nutrient-Rich: This salad is packed with nutrient-dense ingredients like brown and wild rice, apples, and chicken, providing a balanced mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins.
Great for Leftovers: One of the best things about this recipe is its flexibility. It's an excellent way to use up leftover rice and cooked chicken or turkey, reducing waste and making your meal prep even more efficient. Think about using leftovers after Thanksgiving where you can repurpose turkey meat.
Versatile: The salad can be served at room temperature or chilled, making it a versatile dish that's perfect for any season. It's great for a quick lunch, a light dinner, or even as a side dish during gatherings.
Easy to Prepare: With straightforward instructions and common ingredients, this recipe is easy to prepare. It's perfect for both experienced cooks and beginners in the kitchen.
Flavorful: The combination of savory chicken, sweet apples, and the unique nutty flavor of wild rice, all brought together with a tangy vinaigrette, creates a delicious harmony of flavors.
Ingredients for making this rice salad
Brown Rice: it adds a nutty flavor and chewy texture to the salad. If you don't have brown rice, you can use white rice.
Wild Rice: it adds a unique flavor and texture to the salad. In case you don't have wild rice, increase the amount of brown rice or white rice.
Apple: brings a sweet and crisp element to the salad. Do not skip it.
Celery: Provides a nice crunch and fresh flavor.
Red Bell Pepper: Adds color and a slightly sweet flavor. If you don't have fresh pepper, use roasted pepper instead.
Green Onions: These add a mild onion flavor. If you prefer, you can use a small red onion or shallots instead.
Walnuts: Contribute a crunchy texture and a rich, nutty flavor. Almonds, pecans, or sunflower seeds could be used as alternatives.
Chicken: Adds protein to the salad. This can be substituted with turkey or tofu.
Italian Parsley: Gives a fresh and slightly peppery flavor. If you don't have fresh parsley, you can use dried one.
Vinaigrette: A simple dressing made from apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. You can experiment with different types of vinegar or replace it with lemon juice.
How to cook the rice
Brown rice:
Typically, ⅓ cup of uncooked brown rice yields about 1 cup of cooked rice. For this recipe, you'll need a total of 2 cups of cooked brown rice.
To prepare the rice for this recipe, you'll need to start with ⅔ cups of dry brown rice and cook it in 2 cups of water.
Wild rice:
To cook the wild rice for this recipe, you'll need to use ⅓ cup of dry wild rice and 1 cup of water.
This recipe is also a great opportunity to use up any leftover cooked rice you might have on hand.
For instance, those untouched containers of white rice that often accompany Chinese takeout meals are perfect for this dish. (You know, the ones that usually end up forgotten when you order Chinese food for home?)
Ever thought about that ready-roasted chicken from your local supermarket? It would be an excellent choice for this recipe too!
No matter what you choose for this recipe, you will be pleased with the results. This is seriously a meal by itself, uses healthy ingredients, and, in my opinion, it is a balanced recipe in terms of protein, starches, and fiber.
How to store leftovers
This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Recipe faqs
Yes, this salad can be prepared in advance, making it a great option for meal prep. Just remember to add the vinaigrette just before serving to keep the ingredients fresh and crunchy.
While this recipe uses apple cider vinegar, you can also use other types like white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or just lemon juice.
Yes, while this recipe calls for brown and wild rice, you can use other types of rice like basmati, jasmine, or even black rice. The flavor and texture may vary slightly, but the salad will still be delicious.
Thanksgiving And Christmas Recipes
- Butterscotch Pecan Pie Bars
- Easy No-Boil Mac And Cheese
- Thanksgiving Weekend Cookies
- Pearl Barley Cranberry Pilaf In Instant Pot
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Rice Salad With Chicken And Apple Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice cooked use ⅔ cups uncooked brown rice +2cups water
- 1 cup wild rice cooked use ⅓ cup uncooked wild rice+1 cup water
- 1 big apple diced or 1-2 small apples
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 red bell pepper or roasted peppers chopped
- 2-3 green onions chopped or 1 small red onion
- ½ cup walnuts chopped bite size
- 1 cup chicken cubed cooked or turkey
- 3 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped
Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine brown rice, wild rice, apple, celery, green onion, walnuts, chicken, and parsley.
- In a small bowl whisk together apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to your taste.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and mix to coat everything well.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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