Santa Rosa Valley Chicken Wild Rice Salad

Chicken, wild rice, avocado, and fresh vegetables combined in a tangy dressing, this chicken wild rice salad is easy to make and perfect for your next weeknight meal or potluck.

Chicken Wild Rice Salad Recipe
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I first had this recipe at a friend’s backyard party and I kept going back for more. All of the guests, including me, kept raving about the delicious flavor combo of the chicken and wild rice, with avocado, nuts and crunchy vegetables. And let’s not forget the dressing! I’m always a sucker for dressing made with rice vinegar… I love the delicate, mild and sweet flavor it adds to this recipe. I was so grateful when my friend emailed me this Santa Rosa Valley salad, it’s a keeper!

This chicken wild rice salad is perfect for a weeknight meal, potluck, or event like a baby or bridal shower. It also works great as meal prep… you can simply add the chicken and rice mixture into separate airtight containers, keeping the dressing, nuts, and avocado separate to add right before you eat it.

Chicken Wild Rice Recipe

Ingredients for Chicken Wild Rice Salad

Ingredients for Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Long Grain Wild Rice adds the nutty flavored base for this salad. You can use whatever brand you like, I prefer this Lundberg Wild Blend Rice.

Lemon Juice from one lemon adds a little acidity and tangy flavor to this chicken wild rice salad.

Cooked Chicken Breast adds protein to this salad. You can also make a vegetarian version by simply leaving out the chicken.

Green Onions add a nice pop of color and delicate onion flavor.

Bell Pepper is diced and added to this chicken wild rice salad and adds a nice crunchy texture and additional color. The original recipe calls for a red bell pepper, but feel free to use whatever color you’d like! You can also use a few mini peppers in a variety of colors.

Snow Peas are a great source of fiber and nutrients and add amazing flavor in this Santa Rosa Valley salad. If you have a hard time finding snow peas you can substitute with sugar snap peas.

Avocados are added right before you enjoy this wild rice salad. They add creaminess and are an enjoyable way to enjoy this incredibly nutritious fruit.

Walnuts or Pecans are also added right before enjoying this salad for a nice crunch! The original recipe calls for Pecans, but I actually prefer it with walnuts. The nuts taste best when toasted first.

The Santa Rosa Valley Salad Dressing for this chicken wild rice salad can be made ahead of time and includes garlic, Dijon, salt, honey, pepper, rice vinegar, and olive oil.

How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Salad

Chicken Wild Rice Step 1

First, gather and prep your ingredients. Add cooked rice, lemon juice, cooked and diced chicken, chopped green onions, diced bell pepper, and snow peas to a bowl. Combine well. This step can be done ahead of time.

To make dressing add minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, honey, pepper, rice vinegar, and olive oil to a jar. Tighten lid on jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is fully combined.

You can add dressing to salad up to 24 hours before serving. Right before serving add avocado chunks and chopped nuts.

FAQ or Substitutions for Santa Rosa Valley Salad

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Can I use a different oil for this recipe instead of olive oil? You can use different oils as substitutes for this recipe. Vegetable oil, avocado oil, or canola oil also work in this recipe. In the original Santa Rosa Valley salad recipe it simply states ‘vegetable oil.’

Can this salad be made ahead of time? The dressing and salad base can be made ahead of time. You can add the dressing up to 24 hours ahead of time, but wait to add the avocado and nuts right before serving.

Can I adapt the type of rice in this chicken wild rice salad? Yes! A variety of different rices, or even quinoa works well in this recipe.

Chicken Wild Rice Salad Recipe
5 from 5 votes
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Santa Rosa Valley Chicken Wild Rice Salad

This delicious chicken rice salad is full of fresh flavors and can be made ahead of time. Add the avocado and pecans right before enjoying for this delicious main dish.

Course lunch, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, rice
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 411 kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 oz wild rice cooked
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
  • 4-5 green onions chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 oz pea pods (snow peas or sugar snap peas) ends trimmed
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts* chopped
  • 2 medium sized avocados chopped

Dressing

  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

Dressing

  1. Combine minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, sugar, pepper, rice vinegar, and olive oil in jar. Secure lid and shake vigorously until well combined.

    Ingredients for Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Chicken and Rice Salad

  1. Combine cooked rice, lemon, shredded chicken breast, green onions, diced red pepper and snow peas in a large bowl. Combine dressing into mixture. Refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours.

    Chicken Wild Rice Step 1
  2. Before serving mix in diced avocado and chopped pecans.

    Chicken Wild Rice Salad Recipe

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

 

*original recipe calls for toasted pecans.

You can use any type of rice you’d like for this recipe, you can even substitute quinoa. You can also use a seasoned rice box for extra flavor.

For chicken you can cook however you’d like, I prefer to cook mine in my instant pot by adding 1 cup water, and placing chicken breasts in a single layer over trivet with simple spices likes salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook on high pressure for 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness and let it natural release for 5 minutes. You could also use rotisserie chicken for this recipe if that suites you better. 

This makes a great meal prep lunch. Simply divide into meal prep containers and add avocado and pecans to each portion before eating.

Nutrition Facts
Santa Rosa Valley Chicken Wild Rice Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 411 Calories from Fat 284
% Daily Value*
Fat 31.6g49%
Saturated Fat 4.9g31%
Cholesterol 47mg16%
Sodium 261mg11%
Potassium 563mg16%
Carbohydrates 14.5g5%
Fiber 5.6g23%
Sugar 3.5g4%
Protein 21.5g43%
Calcium 39mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Wild Rice & Chicken Salad Recipe

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If you make chicken wild rice salad please snap a photo and share on instagram using hashtag #rainbowdelicious and tag me @rainbowdelicious, I’d love to see how it turns out! If you’d like to have more recipes and delicious content emailed to your inbox please subscribe in the sidebar!

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Comments

  1. Jennifer Allen says

    5 stars
    I love wild rice salads but I’ve never had one with avocado in it before! I know I’m just going to love this – making it tomorrow for dinner!

  2. 5 stars
    This rice dish sounds delicious. Haven’t tried wild before but will sure do so after reading your recipe. Can’t wait to try it.

  3. Marie-Charlotte Chatelain says

    5 stars
    Love how colorful all your dishes are and this chicken salad looks so pretty. Awesome for meal prep!

  4. 5 stars
    This is such a flavorful chicken salad! Holding on to this one for sure 🙂

  5. 5 stars
    This is exactly the sort of recipe I need for weekday meal prep. The perfect lunch for my husband and me! Love wild rice too.

  6. This looks amazing and makes me hungry now. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing Emily.

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