Chicken, Mango, and Rice Salad

I had to post this recipe because it's one of the things I make that I always get tons of requests for the recipe. It's super awesome for grill-outs in the summer and it's an easy dish for people to like.

Mango and avocado may seem unlikely partners, but they have one thing in common: an affinity for cilantro. Here the herb ties them together in an unusual and unusually delicious dish. The salad makes a fine light meal all by itself. It's easy to replace the mango and avocado for things that are easily available or favored in your home - we have made it with pineapple (sorry, Lisa) and with bananas and it holds up real well.

SERVES: 4

ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups rice, preferably short grain
* 1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4)
* 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cooking oil
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 3/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
* 3/4 cup chopped red onion
* 1 mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 1 avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 3 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 2 limes)
* 3/4 cup chopped cilantro

directions
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rice until just done, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain thoroughly.
2. Coat the chicken with the 1 tablespoon oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan over moderate heat. Cook the breasts until just done, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Alternatively, heat the tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and season and cook the chicken as directed above. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into 1/2-inch dice.
3. Toss the rice with the chicken, onion, mango, avocado, the 1/3 cup oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the lime juice, and cilantro.

Cranberry-Almond Wild Rice Salad

2/3 cup brown rice
2/3 cup wild rice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 ounces dried cranberries
10 large basil leaves, sliced into ribbons (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup minced red onion
3 tablespoons flaked or slivered almonds, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

For the dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine brown rice, wild rice and chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until all water is evaporated and rice is fully cooked, about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

When rice is cool, add dried cranberries, basil, red onion, almonds and orange zest; mix to incorporate.

For the dressing:
Combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, mustard, honey and salt in a metal bowl and whisk to incorporate.

Pour over rice mixture and toss to incorporate. Serve at room temperature.

Yields about 6 servings.

NOTES:

• The dressing is a little bit too much for this quantity of rice, so either hold some back for a salad or make more rice. You can also use the quick-cooking long-grain and wild rice in the box, but omit the seasoning packet.
• I modified this recipe from one I found online that calls for orange segments. I substituted the cranberries. The client isn't a big orange fan, but the zest and the dressing add just a hint of orange flavor. You could also substitute pistachios for the almonds.

Larb

Larb
This recipe came from my mom. She took a cooking class when they travelled to Thailand from a chef there....so it really is authentic:)
1 c. ground chicken meat
2 c. chicken stock or water
1 c. diced shallot( I used extra green onion)
4 T green onion
1 t. Chili powder or chili flakes
4 T roasted rice powder* (cut down to 3 T it was too grainy)
4 T lime juice
2 T fish sauce
¾ c. cilantro, chop
1/8 c. mint leaves
Heat up 2 c. water/stock. Quickly add ground meat. Mix constantly. Stir until chicken is cooked. Drain excess liquid. Add remaining ingredients, except mint(I added the mint in for the flavor). Mix well. Garnish with mint. *Rice powder: bake white rice in oven (I think I did it at 350, but I don't know how long. It was browning) Then put in food processor and ground into powder.