Rice Wild Chicken Salad

Hearty and satisfying Wild Rice Chicken Salad made with leafy arugula, warm wild rice, shredded chicken, sliced almonds, and green onions all tossed with a bright lemon tarragon vinaigrette!

You are going to keep this wild rice chicken salad! We are swapping out mayonnaise that is typically used in traditional chicken salad recipes and using this fresh lemon tarragon dressing that brightens up the whole dish. So hearty, flavorful and comes together super quickly for the reliable lunch, side dish or even as a main dish!

Feel free to add in other mix-ins like sliced grapes, dried cranberries, raisins or you could even sprinkle in some feta cheese!

What goes in

• 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• 4 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 recipe lemon tarragon dressing

How it comes together

1. To make the wild rice on the stove: Rinse wild rice in cold water and bring a medium pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add the wild rice and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, until rice is tender and starts to split open. Drain the rice. (See instructions above for making wild rice in the Instant Pot to save time!)
2. To make wild rice in the Instant Pot: Combine 3/4 cup wild rice, 3/4 cup of water (or broth) and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the bowl of your Instant Pot. Close the lid and lock (making sure the valve is on sealing and not venting), select the Manual setting and set the timer for 28 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for about about 9 minutes then fluff with a fork.
3. While the wild rice is cooking, make the lemon tarragon dressing and assemble the rest of the salad ingredients.
4. Add the cooked rice, drizzle with lemon dressing and toss everything together. You can either serve this salad warm or let the salad chill for a bit in the fridge before serving.