Chicken Pecan Mexican Rice Salad

Sharing a favorite chicken salad recipe today! Enjoy my Zesty Chicken Salad Recipe this week! So simple and flavorful!

 

Chicken Salad Recipe

I had so much fun creating this zesty chicken salad recipe loaded with chicken and vegetables.  The chicken and pecans go together so nicely. Adds a great nutty texture to each bite. I’ve also blended a simple cilantro dressing that gets stirred into the salad. This is a perfect salad to bring to a potluck or even by itself as a light dinner. All of my favorite flavors! Hope you enjoy!

Try my Skinny Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad recipe too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

 

How Do You Make Chicken Salad?

  1. Place rice into a large mixing bowl. Add chicken, Fisher Nuts Chopped Pecans, sugar snap peas, feta cheese, roasted red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir to combine then set aside.
  2. To prepare dressing, place ranch dressing and cilantro into a high powered blender. Blend until smooth and well combined. Pour over salad, stir then add avocados. Serve immediately. Best eaten same day.

chicken salad recipe

Place your cooked rice blend into a large bowl. I love Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Blend that you find in the freezer section. Any brown rice blend with do the trick. Add chicken as well.

chicken salad recipe

Pecans and sugar snap peas up next.

chicken salad recipe

Add Feta cheese and roasted red peppers. I transferred to a larger bowl to make it easier to stir.

easy chicken salad recipe

Stir in your cilantro ranch dressing then gently stir in a chopped ripe avocado. Time to eat! Enjoy 🙂

How Do You Make Cilantro Ranch Dressing?

  1. To prepare dressing, place ranch dressing and cilantro into a high powered blender. Blend until smooth and well combined. Pour over salad, stir then add avocados. Serve immediately. Best eaten same day.

easy chicken salad recipe

Please note this salad is best eaten the day of. We tried it the next day and the dressing soaked into the rice making it a little dry. Enjoy right away for best results.

easy chicken salad recipe

Chicken Pecan Mexican Rice Salad

Zesty Chicken Salad Recipe

This zesty chicken salad recipe is loaded with chicken and vegetables. It has a great nutty texture and a simple cilantro dressing that ties it all together.
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 537kcal
Author: Jenny
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Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked brown rice blend
  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
  • 3/4 cup Chopped Pecans
  • 1 small bag sugar snap peas
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup roasted red peppers chopped
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

  • 1 cup prepared Ranch dressing I used a yogurt Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup packed cilantro leaves

Instructions

  • Place rice into a large mixing bowl. Add chicken, chopped Pecans, sugar snap peas, feta cheese, roasted red pepper, salt and pepper.
  • Stir to combine then set aside.
  • To prepare dressing, place ranch dressing and cilantro into a high powered blender. Blend until smooth and well combined.
  • Pour over salad, stir then add avocados. Serve immediately. Best eaten same day.

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 636mg | Potassium: 449mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg
Keywords: chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, rice salad

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chicken salad recipe

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22 Responses
  1. RusticBorders

    This looks so good, I will be using it for Thanksgiving dinner, As my family has decided they don’t want Turkey this year. I am going to put Turkey in the salad instead of the chicken. I may add some quinoa just because.
    The cilantro dressing sounds yummy.
    I enjoy trying new recipes, and Fisher nuts are good so it will make a good combo.

  2. Charlyn

    This looks really good. I have some questions though. Do you eat this warmed up or cold? Also, we are not fans of cilantro, like at all, so do you have any suggestions for a substitute? I would just leave it out but I wasn’t sure if it was going to change the taste too much. Thanks!

  3. Heather @ French Press

    I can never get enough salad recipes for summer, and this looks like a great addition

  4. bev @ bevcooks

    LOVE this. I’m making something today but this Mexi (not to be confused with maxi) version is deeelarsh.

    1. Holly

      I only say this because I will pull up saved Pinterest recipes at the store and go directly to the ingredient list while shopping. I would forget to buy some!

  5. Erin | The Law Student's Wife

    Brace yourself: We are NUTTY for pecans and nuts of all kinds! It’s to the point that if I make a dish I think my husband won’t Mike, I could just sprinkle some nuts on top and all is well in the world. Is it weird to be craving Mexican for breakfast? Because I want to reach into my screen and take a bite of this right now!

      1. RusticBorders

        That is awesome. Did she not eat anything except chicken? I know cutting carbs helps, but 75 is a lot. How long did it take her?

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