Southern Chicken and Rice Salad
User Reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Excellent
Southern Chicken and Rice Salad
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This light Southern Chicken and Rice Salad is a satisfying dish that's perfect for easy summer dinners or a fancier lunch with the ladies. The marinated chicken, sweet fruit, crunchy almonds, and hearty brown rice, offer a variety of flavors and textures for the ultimate crowd-pleasing dish!
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Ingredients
For the Chicken:*
- 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (about 3 cups cooked and diced)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (or additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or sub with white or cider vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
For the Salad:
- 3 cups cooked brown rice**
- 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can mandarin orange slices, drained
- 1 cup halved red grapes
- 1 cup diced celery
- ¼ cup mayonnaise***
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Prepare the chicken at least 1 hour in advance (or overnight):
- In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and orange juice. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place chicken in a large zip-top bag. Pour marinade into the bag and gently toss to coat chicken. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
- Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet and allow the chicken to cook on one side, undisturbed, for at least 4-5 minutes. Flip, and cook the chicken for about 5 more minutes, or until it is nicely browned on both sides and cooked through.
- The chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F, or when juices run clear.
- When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest.
- Once chicken has cooled to the touch, diced into bite-sized pieces.
Prepare the salad:
- Place diced chicken in a large bowl. Add pineapple, oranges, celery, and grapes. Fold in cooked rice. Add mayonnaise and sour cream; season with salt and pepper, to taste. You can stir in additional mayonnaise, as needed, to reach desired consistency.
- Stir in almonds just before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- *For a shortcut, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. You can skip the marinating and cooking, and just use 3 cups of cooked, diced chicken!
- **For another shortcut, I used microwaveable cups of Minute Rice.
- ***I used light mayonnaise and non-fat plain Greek yogurt for purposes of nutritional information. Any type of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or sour cream will work fine!
- Cooking Just for Two? You can cut the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller salad for a smaller group! Cooking instructions remain the same.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1cup
Calories
298.1kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
31.5g
(11%)
Protein
24g
(48%)
Fat
8.8g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
1.3g
(7%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2.6g
Monounsaturated Fat
3.6g
Cholesterol
52.1mg
(17%)
Sodium
139.8mg
(6%)
Potassium
441.7mg
(13%)
Fiber
3.1g
(12%)
Sugar
10.7g
(21%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 2981 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 298.1kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 31.5g | 11% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 8.8g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.3g | 7% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.6g | 15% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3.6g | 18% |
| Cholesterol | 52.1mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 139.8mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 441.7mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3.1g | 12% |
| Sugar | 10.7g | 21% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
6 reviews
Excellent
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