Turmeric Rice and Chicken Salad

by becky
Created
From the cookbook America's Test Kitchen: More Meditteranean

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain white or jasmine rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus salt for cooking rice
  • 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Pinch ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 6 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
  • 3 radishes, trimmed, quartered, and sliced thin
  • 1 cup torn fresh cilantro, dill, parsley, or mint
  • 1/2 cup Garlic Yogurt Sauce (this page)
  • 1 cup torn fresh cilantro, dill, parsley, or mint
  • 1/2 cup garlic yogurt sauce:
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 1 T chopped fresh mint
  • 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add rice and 1½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender but not soft, about 15 minutes. Drain rice; spread onto rimmed baking sheet; and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
  2. Microwave oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and cinnamon in medium bowl until simmering and fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Let cool slightly, then whisk in lemon juice and salt.
  3. Combine rice, dressing, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and cilantro in large bowl and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with yogurt sauce.
  4. Garlic yogurt sauce: Combine rice, dressing, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and cilantro in large bowl and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with yogurt sauce.