Recipe: Italian Chicken Rice Salad

Chicken contains plenty of vitamins and minerals needed for oral health while the vegetables in the rice salad help make this a healthy and tooth friendly meal.

For the chicken you’ll need:

• 6 chicken thigh fillets
• 3 tbs olive oil
• Juice and finely grated rind of one lemon
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
  

For the rice salad you’ll need:

• 1 cup rinsed long grain rice
• 1½ cups water
• 1 cup smashed Sicilian olives with stones removed
• 125g roughly chopped chargrilled eggplant
• 125g roughly chopped roasted red capsicum
• 4 thinly sliced green onions
• ½ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1tbs drained capers
• 400g trimmed green beans, cut into 4-5cm lengths

To Make:

1. Put rice in covered saucepan with the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it stand, still covered for 10 minutes before draining any remaining water. Place in large bowl.
2. Whisk together 1tbs oil, garlic, lemon rind and paprika until completely combined. Add chicken to mixture and make sure it is fully coated. Cover, place in the refrigerator and marinade for 10 minutes.
3. Once marinated, barbecue the chicken on medium-high for 5-6 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and blanch the green beans for 2 minutes before draining and refreshing with cold water. Add the capsicum, eggplant, olives, capers, green onions, pine nuts and basil to the rice. Stir to combine all ingredients before spooning the rice onto serving dish.
5. Top the rice with the chicken and mix lemon juice and remaining olive oil together. Spoon over the salad and serve.

Serves 4 – 6