Rice Salad with Chicken

Rice salad with chicken is one of the easiest and most delicious simple salads.

Cooked rice with pickled Italian giardiniera gives this dish a fantastic twist. It is a fantastic dish that requires little or no time to assemble.

One of the many ways you can use your chicken, rice, and leftovers is by making this dish economical and pure bliss during busy school nights.

As it contains protein and starch, a nice green salad or roasted vegetables will suffice for a healthy meal during the week.

In this Article

Leftovers

Yes, you read correctly. I do, too, sometimes have leftovers.

I do not discuss much because there is never much to re-create a new meal. But this is different.

I love to roast chicken, but when time is pressing or it is too hot to have the oven on, our local grocery store has a great roasting chicken that only needs to be taken home and cut up into desired pieces.

Cooking the rice the night before saves time as well.

This recipe for rice salad has been in the family for as long as I can remember. My grandmother, as well as my mom, made it frequently during the summer months in Italy.

It can be served at room temperature or just out of the refrigerator.

Perfect for a quick lunch, dinner al fresco, BBQ, picnic, or potluck.

Stores can stay out with no need for refrigeration as well. No mayonnaise, thus no risk of turning on you. That is one of my favorite attributes of this salad.

What is Giardiniera?

Giardiniera is an assortment of Italian vinegar-preserved vegetables. Carrots, green beans, cauliflower, celery, bell peppers, and pepperoncini.

You will be able to find mild, my favorite, as well as hot. Readily available at your local grocery store.

What do you use giardiniera for?

A very versatile condiment that can be enjoyed in so many ways. Bruschetta, burgers, pasta salad, potato salad or insalata Russa , eggs, sandwiches, and more.

What type of rice shall I use?

The rice you use with this salad is essential. You want rice that maintains its shape when cooked. You want to taste all the rice as you are eating pasta.

And an additional attribute of the rice is that it must work well with dressing, meaning absorbing it.

I do also cook my rice the same way I will cook pasta. A large pot of salted boiling water, adding a handful of rice for each person I want to make the dish for.

Drain when done. It must still have a gentle bite to it.

I am a big fan of Uncle Ben’s long grain. It cooks well and preserves its shape.

Basmati and jasmine rice are also great alternatives.

Short on time? Pre-cooked rice works well too. Just follow the packaging instructions and then proceed with my recipe.

However, I will not suggest using Arborio, Carnaroli, or sticky rice. You will not get the same result, ending up in frustration.

Storage and reheating

This excellent chicken and rice dish is stored beautifully in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

The beauty of this dish is that you can eat it cold or at room temperature, so I will leave it up to you how you want to enjoy it.

Here are a few suggestions in case you do not want to use chicken:

If you omit the chicken, you will have a great rice salad, and it can be enjoyed as a side with salsa verde with salmon or chicken.

Or go the vegetarian route by having grilled vegetables alongside.

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Originally published on July 17, 2012, updated on August 11, 2022

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