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.
Other tart cherry recipes:
Curry Spiced Nuts with Dried Cherries
Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal with Tart Cherries & Pepitas
Printable Recipe
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
- ½ cup dried tart cherries
- 2 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled
The Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ 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!
Pink guava
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.
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
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!
Stephanie @ Back for Seconds
I just love all of the flavors and textures here. Sounds delightful!
Karen
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!
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily
This is my idea of a perfect weeknight dinner, and left over lunch 😉
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes
This looks great - love the addition of the tart cherries! My hubby loves leftovers, too 🙂
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
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
Peabody (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)
Oh I love this. I'm all about tart cherries and goat cheese and this looks amazing.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
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!!!
Sharana @ living the sweet life
Looks sooooo good!! Mmmm and healthy <3 love it.