Chicken, Rice and Almond Salad
This is a victory meal for busy weeknights when you have to feed your hormones as well as someone who might otherwise complain about not having meat with every meal. This suits both sides of the table without the drama and it comes together like lightening. Pre-cooked rice, rotisserie chicken, pre-sliced almonds, a quick dressing, and a bit of slicing here and there — twenty minutes and you're done. If you're in perimenopause and your waist has started collecting fat like it's preparing for winter, the swaps in this recipe pull it into insulin friendly territory without touching the flavor or the ease.
Simple, hormone-friendly recipes are just one part of what I do here at Finding My Fierce. If you’re a woman over 40 and want to learn about rebel wellness, feral confidence, perimenopause and reducing overwhelm, I’m your people. start here
Ingredients
(see printable recipe card down below)
SERVINGS: 4 | Start to finish: 20 minutes
For the dressing:
⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh herbs (dill, thyme, and parsley work well)
1 tsp (7 g) honey
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper
Pinch of salt
For the salad:
1 package (240 g / 8½ oz) pre-cooked rice
2 cups (280 g) rotisserie chicken, or other cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups (300 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup (120 g) cucumber, sliced thin
¾ cup (68 g) pre-sliced almonds
2 oz / ½ cup (57 g) full-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1 stalk celery (40 g), thinly sliced
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (or 2 tbsp / 4 g dried)
Swaps for hormones (perimenopause) and Insulin Resistance (IR)
Replace pre-cooked white rice with cauliflower rice for a significantly lower glycemic load per serving.
1 avocado, diced, for more healthy fat and fiber (¼ per serving)
How To Make This
Heat the rice according to package directions. Transfer it to a large bowl and let it cool completely before you add anything else.
To a blender, add the herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, pepper, and salt; blend about 10 seconds or whisk or shake ingredients in a mason jar and enjoy a more rustic texture
Shred the chicken using two forks directly into the bowl with the cooled rice. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, almonds, feta, celery, and parsley. Toss to combine.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is coated.
Serve on a platter or individual plates. Either way it looks like you planned this.
Chef’s Tip
The dressing is also a vinaigrette, which means it separates if it sits. Give it a quick stir or a shake before you pour.
Use full-fat Feta if you can find it. The low-fat versions compensate with additives and don’t contribute the healthy fat content and satiety.
Storage
This one is best eaten the day it's made, but it holds in the fridge for up to two days in an airtight container. Keep the dressing separate if you're planning ahead — it buys you an extra day of good texture. No reheating needed or recommended, this makes a delicious cold salad.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Quinoa works well and adds a bit more protein. Farro gives it a chewier texture if that's your preference. Use cauliflower “rice” for reducing the carbohydrate load.
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Yes. It keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to five days. Shake before using.
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No, that's just almonds meeting dressing. If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and add it just before serving.
Before You Go
This recipe came out of the same place where I write the rest of this blog: in a vintage RV parked in the woods next to a river, where I write about rebel wellness, fierce confidence, simple living and hormone friendly meals for women over 40 in perimenopause and menopause. If you’re interested to learn more about these topics, read my story or start here .
If this made meal time a little easier, leave a comment below or a review on the recipe card. Tell me what you swapped or what you added.
Melissa
Recipe adapted from Southern Living
Chicken, Rice and Almond Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 2 small breasts)
- 1 (8½-oz.) package pre-cooked rice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp mixed herbs (such as dill, thyme, parsley)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1 cup sliced cucumbers
- ½ cup sliced almonds or nuts of choice
- 2 ounces (½ cup) fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks, or block mozzarella, shredded
- 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the chicken breasts and cook until browned on both sides and the inside is no longer pink inside (if you have a meat thermometer it should register 160℉). Set aside to cool.
- Heat the rice according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl and cool completely.
- In a food processor or blender, add the herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, honey and pepper; process about 20 seconds.
- Shred the chicken using 2 forks. To the bowl with the cooled rice, add the shredded chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, mozzarella, celery, parsley and dressing, and toss to combine.
- Serve on a platter or on small plates.
Notes
You can make the dish quicker by shredding rotisserie chicken, but please be aware that rotisserie chicken is extremely high in sodium and should be avoided if watching one’s sodium intake.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
519.69Fat (grams)
36.79 gSat. Fat (grams)
7.38 gCarbs (grams)
10.7 gFiber (grams)
2.58 gNet carbs
8.1 gSugar (grams)
6.21 gProtein (grams)
39.35 gSodium (milligrams)
519.15 mgCholesterol (grams)
124.76 mgCalcium
131.56 mgFolic Acid
0 µgIron
1.55 mgMagnesium
50.34 mgPotassium
370.23 mgVitamin B12
0.32 µgVitamin C
26.85 mgVitamin D
0.06 µgVitamin E
6.09 mgVitamin K
93.34 µgNutrition info provided as a courtesy and basic guideline. Estimations do not include optional ingredients. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. View Nutrition Disclosure
