chicken and wild rice salad.

Welcome to my favorite drop-off meal for new moms.

I (vaguely) remember the blur of those early days post-labor – the figuring out my diet, wishing away the last few pregnancy pounds, wondering if I would ever have time to cook (or shower) again, and praying earnestly against casseroles when friends and family kindly volunteered to bring over dinner.

Well this salad is my answer to all that.  It’s full of nutritious ingredients like wild or brown rice, shredded chicken, avocado, toasted nuts, bell pepper, and a fantastically easy dressing.

My favorite part is that most of the work can be done ahead of time, so you can pop it in the fridge already dressed and toss the nuts and avo on at the last minute.

Serve with some fresh berries and you’ve got the perfect summer dinner!

Well, for you or the new parents in your life…

Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

(6 as a main dish, up to 12 as a side)

What You’ll Need:

4 cups cooked wild rice (or brown, or a blend), preferably cooked with chicken broth for extra flavor

2 pounds shredded pre-cooked chicken breast (3-4 breasts)

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup toasted pecans or almonds, roughly chopped

1 avocado, chopped

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

3 tablespoons sesame oil

lettuce leaves, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine rice, shredded cooked chicken, bell pepper and green onion.  Add rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil and toss.  You can do this up to 6 hours before serving.

When ready to serve, add the toasted nuts and avocado.  Serve on lettuce leaves for garnish.

Wondering how on earth I arrived at these costs?  Take a look at my shopping guide to show see what I pay for items, per serving, etc.

Nutrition:

537 calories per serving

23 grams of fat

48 carbs

36 grams protein

8 grams fiber

Did you give it a try?  Leave me a comment below or head over to Facebook and let me know what you think!