Chicken, Rice & Black-Bean Salad

This is from a Martha S. recipe which I have expounded upon to my liking. Easiest version, use shredded rotissery chicken. Favorite version, use shredded smoked chicken (we always keep one in the freezer!). If you have neither of these, grill or saute chicken breasts or boneless thighs and shred those.

2 or 3 cups cooked brown or white rice, cold or room temperature.
3 or 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (see notes above)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
6 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and sliced
4 green onions, chopped
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Dressing:
1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped, ribs & seeds removed (substitute 1 heaping tsp minced chipotle chili in adobo sauce if a smokey flavor is desired)
2 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
1/4 c olive or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper
(mix all ingredients in a blender or blend with stick blender, adding salt & pepper to taste)

Salad:
Toss chicken with half of the dressing and set aside for a few minutes. In a larger bowl, toss rice, beans, tomatoes, scallions and cilantro. Add remaining dressing and toss well. Add chicken just before serving, scraping out all remaining dressing from the bowl, and toss all together well.

Note: If you haven't made your rice ahead of time, you can cook it first, spread on baking sheet and cool to lukewarm.

Chicken & Wild Rice Salad

Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe from 6/06

1/3 c Sherry wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1 garlic clove, minced (I mascerate mine with the sugar & kosher salt)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2/3 c olive oil
4 boneless chicken breast halves (or all the meat from a rotissery or whole smoked chicken)
1 c wild rice
1 tbsp veg. oil
1 c coarsely grated carrots (I like the bagged matchstick carrots, chopped a little)
1 c chopped green onions
1/2 c chopped celery
1/3 c coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (I like pinenuts)
1/3 c (packed) golden raisins
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish

Whisk or blend together 1st five ingredients and set aside. Marinate chicken (if using raw) in 1/2 cup vinaigrette and refrigerate for 1 hour. Allow remaining vinaigrette to stand at room temperature. Add rice to heavy saucepan of boiling salted water. Reduce heat to medium & cook until tender and just beginning to split (DO NOT OVERCOOK - will be mushy in salad, chewy is good). Drain rice and rinse under cold water and drain again.

If using raw chicken, heat veg. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Cool slightly and shred or slice on the diagonal.

Mix carrots, green onions, celery, nuts, raisins, chopped dill and the remaining vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning. If chicken is shredded, stir into salad. If sliced, serve atop a mound of salad. Garnish with dill. May be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Allow to come to room temperature a little before serving.