chicken and rice salad

Orange Chicken Salad

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I have been making this recipe for over 10 years! It is filling enough to serve for dinner or a luncheon. It is very refreshing and makes a great summer meal! It pairs nicely with a light white wine.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 large seedless oranges
1 cup long-grain rice
2 cups water
3/4 cup vinaigrette dressing (separate recipe below)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pound cooked chicken, diced
3 tablespoons chopped chives
1/2 cup roasted cashews
salt and black pepper
cucumber slices to garnish

1. Thinly peel 1 orange, taking only the colored part of the rind and leaving the white pith

2. Combine the rind, rice and water in a saucepan. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over very low heat for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed.

3. Peel the remaining oranges and cut out the segments, reserving the juice. Add the orange juice to the vinaigrette dressing (recipe for dressing below). Add the mustard and sugar and whisk to combine well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

4. When the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and cool slightly, uncovered. Discard the orange rind.

5. Turn the rice into a bowl and add half of the dressing. Toss well and cool completely.

6. Add the chicken, chives, cashews and orange segments to the rice with the remaining dressing. Toss gently. Serve at room temperature, garnished with cucumber.

Vinaigrette Dressing 

Makes just over 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons wine vinegar
salt and pepper
2/3 cup vegetable or olive oil

1. Put vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the salt. Gradually add the oil, stirring with the whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning.

This recipe was taken from a Barnes and Noble cookbook titled: The Cook’s Encyclopedia of Chicken