Take on the wild side (rice, that is) and whip up this healthy chicken and kale salad for dinner. Dried cherries and goat cheese add the perfect amount of sweet and tangy. Thank you to the Cherry Marketing Institute for helping me to share this recipe with you.
Whenever I make a dinner that leaves us with leftovers, I earn some serious points with my husband, Steve. Every night, Steve goes through an elaborate process of making his breakfast, lunch and snack to take with him to work the next day. He runs a lot; therefore, he eats…a lot! Seriously, if you saw how much this man ate, you’d think he was feeding a small town. And he is nothing but lean muscle. Annoying. Anyways…when he can just scoop some leftovers into a container when making his work day meal, he’s a happy husband.
One of the ways that I like to pump up the flavor of simple rice dishes is by adding some creamy cheese and tart cherries. The flavors and textures of those two ingredients complement each other so well, and the easy rosemary vinaigrette adds a fresh herbal flavor.
Along with the scoop of tart cherries on his cereal and two daily glasses of tart cherry juice, Steve gets a quadruple dose of the powerhouse fruit each day. Quite honestly, we’re both a bit smitten with the sweet-tart flavor and find ourselves toting around a bag of tart cherries mixed with raw almonds whenever we head out to run errands.
If you spotted my Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal with Tart Cherries & Pepitas and Curry Spiced Nuts with Dried Cherries, you already know that dried cherries pack a lot of health benefits. One of the lesser known benefits is that tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, which is linked to better sleep efficiency. They have been shown to increase both the quality and duration of sleep, which is so important for overall health.
A number of whole grains would work well in this recipe, from brown rice to farro or barley. I used a wild rice blend that I found at the supermarket, which contained wild rice, brown rice, wehani rice and black japonica rice. Use whatever blend appeals to you, but be sure to follow the package directions, as cooking time will likely vary.
For more information on tart cherries and recipe inspiration, be sure to visit the Cherry Marketing Institute site, and follow Choose Cherries on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Other tart cherry recipes:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Curry Spiced Nuts with Dried Cherries
Cookin’ Canuck’s Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal with Tart Cherries & Pepitas
Running to the Kitchen’s Cherry Power Cookies
Love & Zest’s Chocolate Cherry & Chia Bark
The Inventive Vegetarian’s Apple Walnut Salad
Wild Rice Salad with Chicken, Dried Cherries & Goat Cheese
Ingredients
The Salad:
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- water follow package instructions
- 6 ounces cooked skinless chicken breasts shredded
- 2 cups chopped kale stems removed
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
- 2 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled
The Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
The Salad:
- Cook the wild rice blend according to package directions. Fluff with a fork. Transfer the rice to a large bowl to cool.
- Add the chicken, kale, dried cherries and goat cherries, and stir gently to combine.
- Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Serve.
The Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder and rosemary.
- While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil. Whisk until combined.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am honored to be a brand ambassador for the Cherry Marketing Institute. All opinions are my own. This post contains links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!
Sharana @ living the sweet life says
Looks sooooo good!! Mmmm and healthy <3 love it.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Dara, I love everything about this dish!! especially the versatility! it’s so funny, I love leftovers but my husband hates them! He can be so picky sometimes. . but too bad he doesn’t get to decide since I do all the cooking! 😛 love this!!!
Peabody (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody) says
Oh I love this. I’m all about tart cherries and goat cheese and this looks amazing.
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
I am so hungry for this dish, Dara! I love the combination of flavorful, hearty, healthy ingredients! I bet the dried cherries just makes this! Mmmm!
Robyn xo
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
This looks great – love the addition of the tart cherries! My hubby loves leftovers, too 🙂
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily says
This is my idea of a perfect weeknight dinner, and left over lunch 😉
Karen says
Thanks for reinventing one of my family’s favorite winter casseroles (all the good flavors, but minus the heavy cream and cheese!) Your recipe has been printed and clipped for later in the week (tonight it’s soup.)
Great website!
Stephanie @ Back for Seconds says
I just love all of the flavors and textures here. Sounds delightful!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
My husband is also obsessed with dried cherries and cherry juice. He can’t get enough of either. Tell your husband he can pack my lunch any day!
Pink guava says
This will be a lovely dish warm or cold and will definitely make an appearance on our table now but also for Summer picnics. Dried cherries and soft goat cheese are such a tasty combination and brighten up a dish.
Anita says
So pretty and healthy. You’re right, I would totally eat the leftovers for lunch the next day – I love all the ingredients!
Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom says
Dara, I am in love with this dish! I love the combination of flavors. The soft goat cheese, the tart cherries , a healthy protein and my favorite green, kale!! I could eat this all week and never tire of it! Way to go!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
I think that chicken, cherries and goat cheese may be one of my favorite combos EVER! And, a hubby who could rice for ALWAYS, I think this needs to be on my menu tonight! Perfect with the bottle of wine chilling 😉 Pinned!
Martha @ A Family Feast says
I adore recipes like this – filling and healthy as well as an all-in-one meal! Love the flavors you’ve pulled together too!
Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel says
in love with the ingredients you put in this. you get a balance of so many different flavours and textures!
Susan says
I just love this dish! I’m all about roasting up a chicken just so I have it for leftovers throughout the week. This looks like one of those dinners than makes an awesome lunch the next day.
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
I’ve started to take my lunch to work and this is perfect! So many wonderful foods in bowl!
Gina says
Loving the goat cheese and chicken with the tart cherries, great flavor combination!
Kim Beaulieu says
I love dried cherries so this is right up my alley. Love this combination so much. The cheese just takes it right over the top for me. No wonder you hubby loves your leftovers meals so much, mine would go crazy for this.
I remember when I used to run all the time. I could eat all the livelong day. Man, I miss that. Lol.