Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Salad
This Roasted Chicken is served on top of a Wild Rice Salad, nestled in a Romaine Leaf. All is drizzled with an orange sauce. What a very delish recipe, easy to serve at room temperature, making it ideal for guests or when you are not sure when the meal will be served. Keep it in the refrigerator until needed. I made the parts of this recipe the day before and assembled it the following day. Perfect for busy schedules. The assembly creates a pretty presentation which can be plated individually for single servings or put on a large platter for family style. For a meatless recipe, try grilled salmon or tuna with the rice salad. Plate a small amount for a first course or a larger amount for a full dinner.
Foodie Lit
Main character Paloma Leary is filled with grief after her mother dies. Her hold on reality seems to be tested when she then suffers 3 miscarriages, both losses merging. While Paloma is a bright, capable woman, her sorrow incapacitates her. At the same time, it allows her to explore the intuitive gifts she had tried to push away. But are these gifts or are these psychological issues? Written in a style known as magical realism, the author allows characters to live in the ordinary world while opening the plot to the extraordinary, the magical and the mysterious. And this is what occurs with Paloma.
Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Salad Dressing
Serves 4-5
Chicken
No-Stick Cooking Spray
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Rice Salad
1 cups uncooked wild rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 cup seedless red seedless grapes, halved
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 teaspoon salt
A few grinds whole black pepper
Orange Sauce
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Romaine Lettuce
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Preheat oven to 450°F. Line an oven proof baking dish with parchment paper and spray with no-stick cooking spray.. Add chicken pieces and spray tops with no-stick cooking spray.
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Bake 20 minutes or until cooked through and slightly browned on top. Remove chicken from oven, cool under able to handle and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Reserve. Refrigerate if you are not going to serve soon.
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Rice Salad: Cook wild rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and drain. Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet and warm. Add rice. Toast k rice about 4-5 minutes over low heat until the rice is somewhat dry and a nutty aroma emanates from it. Stir to keep rice from sticking to skillet.
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Remove rice from skillet and place in large bowl. Add green onions, toasted pecans and grapes. Toss gently and set aside.
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Note: To toast pecans, place pecans in a skillet over a low hear and stir until pecans have a slightly browned surface, about 3-4 minutes. Toasting nuts takes a short time, so stay by the stove and keep an eye on them to precent burning.
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Orange Sauce: Mix orange peel, marmalade, vinegar and honey in a measuring cup. Stir well.
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Assembly: Place a large romaine leaf on a single plate for individual plating or platter, if you want to serve family style. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the wild rice salad on each romaine leaf. Add several slices of chicken attractively on top of rice. Drizzle a small amount of orange sauce over the chicken slices. Serve at room temperature..
expandthetable suggestions
Reduce the sugar: Use sugar free marmalade.
Wild Rice: If you have trouble finding wild rice, try one of the wild rice mixtures that are sold in most supermarkets—wild rice mixed with brown or long grain rice. To keep the dark rice look, use black rice.
Vinegar: If you don’t want to use or don’t have white wine vinegar, use apple cider vinegar instead.
Nuts: I like the slightly sweet flavor of pecans, but you can use chopped almonds or hazelnuts. If you want a nut free recipe, use pine nuts instead of nuts or omit.
Vegan: Slice seitan and sauté in olive oil. Place on top of rice salad in place of chicken drizzle with Orange Sauce and serve.
Grill: Feel free to grill the chicken for excellent results.
Adapted from Smuckers.com
