Southern Chicken and Rice Salad

User Reviews

5

4 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    30 mins

  • Additional Time

    1 hr

  • Total Time

    30 mins

  • Servings

    8 cups

  • Calories

    2981 kcal

  • Course

    Dinner

  • Cuisine

    American

Southern Chicken and Rice Salad

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

Servings

For the Chicken:*

  • 1.5 lbs. chicken tenderloins about 3 cups cooked and diced, boneless, skinless
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil or additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or sub with white or cider vinegar)
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice freshly squeezed

For the Salad:

  • 3 cups brown rice cooked
  • 1 pineapple chunks 8 ounce can, drained
  • 1 mandarin orange slices 15 ounce can, drained
  • 1 cup red grapes halved
  • 1 cup celery diced
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup almonds slivered
  • fresh parsley optional garnish, chopped

Instructions

Prepare the chicken at least 1 hour in advance (or overnight):

  1. 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).
  2. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade.
  3. 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.
  4. The chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F, or when juices run clear.
  5. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest.
  6. Once chicken has cooled to the touch, diced into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare the salad:

  1. 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.
  2. 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 (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%)

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.

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5

4 reviews
Excellent

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