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December might not be known as a salad month, but there are ways to make it work. My Winter Wild Rice Salad with chicken, cranberries, and oranges is the perfect salad for the season. The wild rice serves as the base of the salad, making it heartier than an all greens version, something we can appreciate when it’s cold outside. Oranges and cranberries are a classic combination, and this is the best time of the year to feature these ingredients. You’ll never find a sweeter orange than the ones you get in December.
So what is Wild Rice?
Wild rice is the state grain of Minnesota, harvested from a grass that grows in the shallow ponds and lakes across the state. Despite the name “wild rice,” it is not related to rice at all. If you happen to live in Minnesota, you may be lucky enough to find a local producer at your farmers market. Every year for Thanksgiving, my husband receives a bag of wild rice from one of his aunts (who lives in Minnesota), so we almost always have some in our pantry.
Wild rice has long, dark brown grains that open up when cooked. It is chewier, has a nuttier flavor, and isn’t nearly as starchy as your standard rice. It also takes longer to cook, which is why I recommend using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot for perfectly cooked wild rice. I find it most often added to soups and casseroles, but it is a versatile grain that can be added to many different dishes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Wild Rice
Wild rice forms the basis of this grain salad. There are many types of wild rice, but the most common has long grains that split and puff up when cooked. It is a chewier grain than rice, which adds a nice texture to the salad.
If you don’t have wild rice, substitute with wheat berries or quinoa. Cooking times for both of these substitutes will need to be adjusted; wheat berries will take longer to fully cook and quinoa will be much, much quicker.
Dried Cranberries
Cranberries are certainly an icon of winter, and is often added to holiday dishes. When cranberries are in season, I love finding new ways to add them into my cooking, and I try not to limit myself to holiday dishes or desserts.
I went a little crazy and decided to dry my own cranberries using apple cider as a sweetener. You absolutely do not need to do this; feel free to use any dried cranberry in this recipe. However, if you want my recommendation, go with these cranberries from Made in Nature. They’re only sweetened with apple juice and are not as crazy sweet as the ones that are sweetened with granulated sugar.
Navel Oranges
Winter is the season for citrus, and these oranges are no exception; you’ll find the sweetest navel oranges this time of year. Oranges and cranberries are such a classic combination; I knew I had to combine these two winter fruits together.
Get the most out of your oranges and save the outer rind. You can either use a vegetable peeler to get large strips, or a microplane to get a finer zest. Store the rind in a freezer bag for up to three months. The peels defrost quickly, so you’ll have orange zest ready for you whenever you want it!
Tips and Tricks
I’ve cooked wild rice in a few different ways. I highly recommend the Instant Pot or pressure cooker method, as it is faster, easier, and results in evenly cooked wild rice. However, I do know that many people don’t have Instant Pots at home, so I have included notes here for a stovetop method as well.
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Method
The ratio of wild rice to chicken stock is 1 cup of rice to 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. The stock may be fully absorbed in the wild rice after pressure is released; if this is the case, use the “sauté” function to finish cooking the rice.
Stovetop Method
If you are cooking wild rice on the stove, you’ll need more stock for the same amount of wild rice. The ratio to use here is 1 cup of wild rice to 3 cups of stock. It can take up to one hour to fully absorb the cooking liquid. Stir the rice occasionally so that it does not burn and stick to the bottom of your pot.
Serving Suggestions
This Winter Wild Rice Salad is my ideal lunch, as it is an all-in-one meal. It’s got protein, carbs, greens, and lovely winter citrus; what more could you want?
What about the leftovers?
Store leftover Winter Wild Rice Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Because the wild rice is able to soak up any excess dressing, this salad stores better than most other salads with leafy greens. Let the salad come to room temperature before eating any leftovers.
Winter Wild Rice Salad with Chicken, Cranberries, and Oranges
December might not be known as a salad month, but my Winter Wild Rice Salad with chicken, cranberries, and oranges is the perfect salad for the season.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
- 1 ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 navel orange
- 1 tsp stone ground mustard
- 1 tsp champagne vinegar
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups baby kale or baby power greens mix (kale, chard, and spinach)
Instructions
- Add avocado oil to your Instant Pot and preheat by turning on the Sauté function. Season your chicken with ½ tsp of kosher salt, and sauté in the Instant Pot until browned and fully cooked. Remove chicken and set aside to cool.
- Add wild rice, chicken stock, and ¼ tsp kosher salt to the Instant Pot. Stir to dissolve the salt. Cover and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
- As the wild rice is cooking, supreme the oranges by cutting off the rind and slicing out the sections. Set orange slices aside.
- Squeeze the remaining orange juice into a small bowl. Add the mustard, vinegar, pepper, and remaining salt and whisk to combine. Slowly add the olive oil while continuing to whisk the dressing.
- Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, and set aside.
- Release the pressure on the Instant Pot and check the doneness of the wild rice. If any stock is remaining, use the Sauté function to finish cooking the rice.
- After the wild rice has finished cooking, toss in the cooked chicken, dried cranberries, and baby kale.
