Smoked Chicken and Wild Rice Salad with Spiced Cranberry Flavour Pearls

 Are you after a pretty share salad for the table this festive season? Our Smoked Chicken and Wild Rice Salad with Spiced Cranberry Flavour Pearls could be just the ticket! The nuttiness of the Rice is lovely and makes for a more substantial salad that’s loaded with delicious greens and juicy Smoked Chicken.

Our Spiced Cranberry Flavour Pearls add a fruity sweetness and festive feel to the dish.

What you’ll need – serves 4 – 6

• 1 – 2 Smoked Chicken Breasts – sliced
• 1 x 250gm pkt Uncle Bens Brown, Red and Wild Rice Medley 
• 1 – 2 Avocado – sliced
• 1 – 2 bunch Asparagus – blanched
• Dill – wash and pick
• Parsley – wash and pick
• 2 tbs Pepitas – toasted
• Lettuce mix – handful or 2, washed
• Spiced Cranberry Flavour Pearls

Dressing

• 1 cup Greek Yoghurt
• 1 cup Parsley – pick and washed
• 1 cup mixed soft herbs – picked and wash
• 1 Lemon – zest & juice
• 1 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Capers
• 1 small Garlic clove
• Salt & Pepper

To do

Lets make the dressing first. Select a combination of any of the following soft herbs – Basil, Parsley, Coriander, Mint, Dill, Chives, Tarragon. Simply combine all ingredients in a blender or use a stick mixer and blend until smooth. Check the seasoning and refrigerate until required.

Next

Pop a pot of salted Water on the stove to boil. Trim any woody ends off the Asparagus. Lightly blanch the Asparagus and refresh in cold water to retain the colour. Toast the Pepitas in a frypan over a medium heat with a little Olive oil until they become lightly coloured. Add a little Salt. Drain them on some paper towel while they cool. 

To serve

Follow the instruction on the packet to heat the Rice – generally microwave for a minute or so. Start assembling as soon as the Rice is hot. I added a Lettuce layer first. Rice next with some Dill and Parsley leaves. Next tuck in the Avocado, Asparagus and sliced Chicken. Add more Herbs and Lettuce as required. Sprinkle over the Pepitas (I actually forgot to add them to mine! The crunch is important). Drizzle over the Herb Dressing. 

Lastly spoon on some of our Limited Edition Spiced Cranberry Flavour Pearls to add a festive burst of fruity flavour.

Until next time

From the Peninsula Larder Team

“It’s the holiday season. Let the overeating begin!”

– Melanie White