Spring has arrived in Minnesota, which makes me crave salads, grilling, long leisurely evenings by the lake, and s’mores.
I created this recipe many years ago – before we had air-conditioning – to be made in the cool of the morning and brought out for supper. It is also handy to make a day ahead. Rice doesn’t absorb liquid the way pasta does, so this salad doesn’t get dry or pasty.
I use Uncle Ben’s brand of wild rice mix. There is the tiniest bit of wheat (in dehydrated soy sauce) in the rice seasoning blend, so if that might be an issue for you, just switch it out with already cooked wild rice. Then you will want to ramp up the seasoning a little bit to compensate for not using the seasoning packet.
Here’s a tiny peek into my personality: I buy lemons (and limes) when they are on sale, juice them, and freeze them in ice cube trays. Each little block is about one tablespoon of juice – perfect for smoothies, recipes, or even a pot of tea. There you go….
Store-bought curry works just fine, but we really like this curry spice blend for any dish with chicken. It is so simple to make, and the fresh, round flavour balances the fruit in this salad nicely. I do not add salt to my spice blends. Cashews in the salad give it a little saltiness, but if you want more salt, stir it in to the finished salad.
Prepare the rice according to directions on the box, then allow to cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, chopped veggies, fruit and cooked meat.
Stir all the dressing ingredients together – greek yoghurt, lemon juice, milk and curry powder – then pour over the rice mixture, stirring gently until well combined.
Chill for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in a generous amount of cashews to add crunch and saltiness.
Curry, Chicken & Wild Rice Salad
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Make ahead – satisfying and light
Ingredients
- 1 box Uncle Ben’s rice, prepared with the seasoning packet and cooled
- 3 cups cooked turkey or chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 2–3 cups red and green grapes
- 1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 can diced pineapple, drained
- 3/4 cup greek yoghurt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 2–3 tsp curry powder
- Cashews
Instructions
- Prepare rice according to package, and allow to cool
- Combine rice, meat, vegetables and fruit in a large bowl
- Stir together greek yoghurt, lemon juice, milk, and curry powder, then mix in with rice mixture
- Chill for at least 2 hours
- Right before serving, stir in a generous amount of cashews
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
