Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

ByJennifer Osterholt UpdatedMay 7, 2026

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Break away from the usual chicken dinner routine with this easy Chicken and Wild Rice Salad recipe. Loaded with crisp apples, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy carrots tossed in a light white balsamic dressing.

Side view of a bowl with cold rice salad with chicken, a simple dressing, crunchy apples, colorful carrots and sweet cranberries mixed in.

I like to meal prep a big batch of Baked Chicken, use leftover electric smoker whole chicken or pick up a rotisserie chicken.

Chicken and Wild Rice Salad Recipe with Cranberries

Colorful with a variety of flavors in each bite, our Chicken and Wild Rice Salad recipe is fresh and satisfying! The combination of shredded chicken and rice makes it filling enough for lunch or dinner, while the mix of tart apples, sweet cranberries, and crisp carrots adds layers of flavor and texture in every bite.

Sliced almonds and green onions make a simple garnish that adds extra crunch and flavor right before serving.

A simple white balsamic vinegar dressing lightly coats the wild rice salad and ties everything together, keeping it light, fresh, and full of flavor. It’s also perfect for making ahead of time since the flavors blend together even more as the salad chills.

Close up of delicious and flavorful wild rice and salad mixture with a few mix-ins and coated with a simple dressing on a yellow and white plaid napkin.

Ever since making our Brown Rice Salad I’ve been craving more rice salad recipes. They store well in the refrigerator for a few days to make a quick lunch or other light make ahead of time meal. This makes a great side dish recipe along with our Broccoli and Cauliflower Pasta Salad for a potluck or picnic.

Ingredients Needed:

Box of Wild Rice Mix – any brand is fine, be sure to use the seasoning packet while cooking.
Cooked Chicken – make sure it’s tender, fresh and unseasoned.
Dried Cranberries
Granny Smith Apple
Carrot – shredded blends the best.
White Balsamic Vinegar – white wine vinegar can be substituted, but will be less sweet
Olive oil, Kosher Salt & Pepper
Green Onion
Sliced or Slivered Almonds – can be toasted, but we don’t usually take time to do so.

Ingredients to make chicken wild rice salad are green onion, white balsamic vinegar, sliced almonds, olive oil, box of long grain and wild rice, granny smith apple, shredded carrots, shredded chicken and dried cranberries on a wooden counter top.

Step By Step Instructions

Boil water and cook box of wild rice mix according to the package directions on the package.

Then pour into a large bowl and allow to cool.

Shred and chop cooked chicken and add to rice along with chopped apple, dried cranberries and shredded carrots.

A box of wild rice cooked and poured into a mixing bowl with a pile of tender shredded chicken, dried cranberries, shredded carrots and chopped apple in sections on top of the rice.

Spoon stirring a white balsamic vinegar and olive oil based dressing together for a rice salad.

Mix together dressing ingredients if desired or just pour over top of other salad ingredients and stir well.

Cover and chill for at least 8 hours. Sprinkle almonds and green onions on top just before serving.

Recipe Tips & Tricks:

Almonds can be substituted for pecans or walnuts, wait to add until ready to serve.
If you add a little extra chicken or rice and the salad tastes a bit dry then add more vinegar and olive oil to taste. Sometimes I like to double the dressing recipe if I have two heaping cups of chicken.
We like to use leftover chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken to save time. Substituting turkey for chicken also works well.

Spoon in a small dish with wild rice salad topped with apples, green onions and sliced almonds.

More Easy Salad Recipes:

Recipe originally shared on March 19, 2022 with pictures updated on May 7, 2026.

Categories:

Chicken, Main Dish, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish,

Jennifer Osterholt

I share how to make life easier while raising a busy family! From delicious desserts to easy dinners and simple breakfast recipes. I’m here to make your time in the kitchen more efficient while building confidence!