This easy Wild Rice Chicken Salad recipe uses rotisserie chicken! It's made with cranberries, almonds, and a light creamy Dijon dressing.
This Chicken Wild Rice Salad is the perfect dish to enjoy during the summer months. It's made with rotisserie chicken so there's no need to heat the oven. The flavors are bright and it's super easy to prepare!
It's been unseasonably hot here in Minnesota these past few weeks. The upper Midwest usually doesn't reach these temps until mid-July but this year we hit triple digits a month early.
Times like this I like to keep meals light and fresh. I generally don't want to turn on the stove when the air feels like it's melting my face.
This chicken salad makes a great lunch or light dinner. You can whip up a batch and enjoy it throughout the week.
It can be served in a lettuce cup, with bread as a sandwich, added to a wrap, or on its own as a salad.
Jump to:
- Is Wild Rice Actually Rice?
- How To Make Rotisserie Chicken Salad
- How To Make Creamy Dijon Dressing
- Is Rotisserie Chicken Salad Healthy?
- How Much Salad Does This Recipe Make?
- Assemble The Chicken Salad
- What To Serve With Wild Rice Salad
- How Long Does This Salad Last In The Fridge?
- Can It Be Frozen?
- Wild Rice Chicken Salad with Cranberries
Is Wild Rice Actually Rice?
I never met a chicken salad that I didn't like and this one is no exception. Chicken salad is great because it's so versatile and can be customized in so many different ways.
This version is tossed with one of my all-time favorite ingredients - Wild Rice. The wild rice gives it a delicious earthy flavor, excellent texture, and a heartiness that you don't typically find in chicken salad.
Wild rice is not rice but technically a 'water grass seed'. It consists of a grain that is harvested from a species of aquatic grass. Wild rice is grown and harvested across the northern United States and Canada.
It's super healthy and can be added to all kinds of dishes from salads to soups to casseroles.
Wild rice is low in fat, high in protein, and a great source of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. It's also naturally gluten free.
You can use any kind of wild rice you like to make this chicken salad. I went with a wild rice blend - If you go for a blend make sure it doesn't contain any extra sodium or seasonings (especially if you want to keep it gluten free).
- To make this recipe simply prepare 1 cup of wild rice according to package instructions. Wild rice usually requires a water ratio of 3:1 but each brand may differ slightly.
- Drain any excess water from the wild rice, set aside, and allow to cool.
If you prefer not to use the stove check out this recipe for Instant Pot Wild Rice.
How To Make Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Rotisserie chicken is just the thing when the weather is scorching and you don't feel like adding extra heat to your house by turning on the oven.
You can pick up a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store and it's already fully cooked and seasoned (make sure to check the ingredients to make sure it is gluten free).
Rotisserie Chicken is also economical as you can usually grab one for less than $10.00 and stretch it by adding ingredients like wild rice to it.
This recipe calls for a 2 lb. chicken (yields 3-4 cups of meat).
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle remove it from the package, remove the skin, and discard.
- Carefully pull all of the white and dark meat from the bones and place it on a cutting board. Cut the pieces of rotisserie chicken into cubes or shred it. You can cut the pieces as large or small as you like.
- Place the diced chicken into a large mixing bowl.
Ingredients For Wild Rice Chicken Salad
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 1 2 lb. Rotisserie Chicken
- 1 cup uncooked Wild Rice (yields 3-4 cups cooked)
- 2-3 cups Water
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 Shallots
- ⅓ cup Mayo
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- 2 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
- ⅛ tsp. Kosher Salt and Pepper
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries (or dried fruit of choice)
- 1 cup Unsalted Sliced Almonds (or nut of choice)
How To Make Creamy Dijon Dressing
I wanted the flavor of the ingredients to shine through with this Wild Rice Chicken Salad and didn't want to overload it with dressing.
I like the dressing to bring out the flavors in a salad like this and provide a base to sort of tie the whole thing together.
This recipe is made with a little bit of mayo so it's slightly creamy. Dijon mustard is added for a little kick and some white wine vinegar brightens it up.
The dressing can be prepared while the wild rice is cooking or can be made the day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- To make the dressing combine ⅓ cup mayo, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, and ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Stir all of these ingredients together using a small whisk or a fork until completely combined.
- I recommend a Dijon mustard over a grainy country mustard as this can change the texture of the dressing but you can use any variety you like.
- Feel free to use any variety of vinegar you like (avoid malt vinegar if you are gluten free). I like white wine vinegar when making salads like this because the flavors are bright and not overpowering.
Is Rotisserie Chicken Salad Healthy?
This is one of those dishes I like to call healthy-ish. Rotisserie chicken is a healthy choice, especially when it comes to convenience foods.
The sodium levels in rotisserie chicken are higher than chicken prepared at home but overall it's pretty healthy.
This salad has lots of healthy ingredients (minus the mayo) but as far as chicken salads go this one won't weigh you down.
The next step is to mince 2 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots.
- I love to use shallots instead of onions when making chicken salad because they're milder in flavor, less pungent, and a little sweeter than onions.
- You can use any variety of onion if you prefer but you may want to reduce the amount as onions are stronger than shallots.
How Much Salad Does This Recipe Make?
Once all of the ingredients are prepared it's time to combine them in a large bowl.
- Add the diced chicken (3-4 cups), 3 cups of cooked wild rice, and the minced garlic and shallots to a large bowl.
- Drizzle the creamy Dijon dressing over the top and stir until completely combined (you can use as much or as little of the dressing as you like).
Much of the dressing is absorbed by the chicken and wild rice so the texture is not 'creamy' but it does help to bind the ingredients and the flavors of the dressing certainly come through.
This recipe yields 8-10 servings which makes it great for meal prep.
You can cut the recipe in half if you prefer a smaller amount.
The extra rotisserie chicken may be frozen and used at a later time.
- If you would like to cut this recipe in half and freeze the leftover rotisserie chicken simply shred it and place in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Press the air out of the bag, seal, and label with the date. Store up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To thaw, place the chicken in the fridge 24 hours before use.
Assemble The Chicken Salad
The last step is to add some dried cranberries and sliced almonds. I'm normally not a fan of fruit combined with savory foods but these cranberries are one of star ingredients.
They add just the right amount of sweetness and tart flavor. It's a great balance to the richness of the chicken and earthiness of the wild rice.
The almonds provide a nice crunch and added texture.
- Add 1 cup of dried cranberries and 1 cup of sliced almonds to the salad.
- Stir until completely combined.
- You can sub any variety of dried fruit you like for the cranberries. Dried blueberries, cherries, or prunes are great choices.
- Any variety of nuts may be used in place of almonds. Walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, or pecans would all be delicious.
Looking for more lunch recipes? Don't miss these!
- Mustard Egg Salad
- Turkey Rachel Sandwich
- Italian Grilled Cheese
- Curried Chickpea Sandwiches
- Lemon Dill Egg Salad
- Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich
- Lemon Basil BLT
- Chipotle Chicken Panini
What To Serve With Wild Rice Salad
The wild rice gives this chicken salad a hearty quality and makes it feel like a meal. This means it can be enjoyed for lunch, a light dinner, as a side dish, or a salad for a potluck.
I love to serve it in lettuce cups. Lettuce cups are light and don't overpower the flavors of the salad.
It would also be great in a wrap, as a sandwich or half-sandwich, served with crackers, or simply eaten with a fork.
This salad pairs well with fresh raw veggies or roasted vegetables like Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts, Mediterranean Cauliflower, or Roasted Green Beans.
It's perfect with light salads like this Pickled Beet Salad, Balsamic Green Bean Salad, Tomato Mozzarella Salad, Grilled Corn Salad, and Mint Pea Salad.
It feels like a lunch you would order at a bistro served alongside a cheese plate or fresh fruit.
If you like this chicken salad be sure to check out this Mediterranean Basil Chicken Salad and Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad!
How Long Does This Salad Last In The Fridge?
Any leftover chicken salad may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
If using for meal prep simply divide among 4-5 containers, store in the fridge, and enjoy throughout the week.
Can It Be Frozen?
The dressing contains mayo so I don't recommend freezing the assembled chicken salad.
Both rotisserie chicken and wild rice may be frozen separately and then used to make this recipe but it's best to enjoy fresh once assembled.
Love wild rice? Check out these recipes!
Looking For More Chicken Salad Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Deli-Style Chicken Salad
Mexican Chicken Salad
Avocado Chicken Salad
Wild Rice Chicken Salad with Cranberries
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 2 lbs. rotisserie chicken yields 3-4 cups
- 1 cup wild rice yields 3-4 cups cooked
- 2-3 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 1 cup dried cranberries or dried fruit of choice
- 1 cups sliced almonds or unsalted nut of choice
For The Dressing:
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- ⅛ tsp. kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp. pepper
Instructions
For The Salad:
- Prepare 1 cup of wild rice according to package instructions (can also use an unseasoned gluten free wild rice blend). Wild rice usually requires a water ratio of 3:1 but each brand may differ slightly.You can also use leftover wild rice if you have some on hand.
- Drain any excess water from the wild rice, set aside, and allow to cool.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle remove it from the package, remove the skin, and discard.
- Carefully pull all of the white and dark meat from the bones and place it on a cutting board. Cut the pieces of rotisserie chicken into cubes or shred it. You can cut the pieces as large or small as you like.
- Mince 2 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (use sub onion if you prefer but use ¼ of the onion).
For The Dressing:
- Combine ⅓ cup mayo, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, and ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Stir all of these ingredients together using a small whisk or a fork until completely combined.
Assemble The Salad:
- Place the diced rotisserie chicken, 3 cups cooked wild rice, and minced garlic and shallots in a large bowl. Drizzle with desired amount of the dressing. Stir until completely combined.
- Add 1 cup of dried cranberries and 1 cup sliced unsalted almonds to the salad. Stir until combined.
- Garnish with fresh herbs such as chives or parsley (optional).
Liz
Yum!! This is such a great way to turn a rotisserie chicken into something fancy! And I know I can get my kids to eat this recipe too so that's a win win!