Our Take on Cubby’s Chicken, Wild Rice & Kale Salad
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Our Version of Cubby’s famous Chicken, Wild Rice & Kale Salad is hearty and customizable. Wild rice and kale combined with savory chicken, crunchy almonds, tangy-sweet dressing, and vibrant vegetables, make it a nutritious, flavorful favorite perfect for meals or gatherings.
This salad has quickly become a staple in my kitchen, whether I’m prepping lunch for the week or bringing a fresh, crowd-pleasing dish to a gathering. It’s packed with wholesome ingredients, balanced flavors, and satisfying textures. Plus, it’s easy to customize. Keep reading for tips to make this recipe your own!
What You’ll Need to Make Copycat Cubby’s Chicken, Wild Rice & Kale Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- cooked wild rice
- chopped kale (stems removed)
- shredded or diced cooked chicken breast
- shredded carrots
- thinly sliced red cabbage
- dried cranberries
- sliced almonds (toasted, optional)
- crumbled goat cheese or feta
Dressing:
- olive oil
- honey
- apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- minced garlic
- salt and pepper
How to Make Copycat Cubby’s Chicken, Wild Rice & Kale Salad
Prepare the wild rice according to package instructions. Once cooked, let the rice cool to room temperature.
Place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl.
Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Massage the kale with your hands for 2–3 minutes until it softens and reduces in volume.
In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. My favorite way to pull the dressing together is to throw everything into a mason jar, secure the lid, and shake!
Add the cooked and cooled wild rice to the bowl with the kale.
Next, add the shredded chicken on top of the kale and wild rice.
Then add the shredded carrots, red cabbage, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and goat cheese (if using) to the bowl with the kale.
Toss the ingredients together until evenly mixed.
Pour the dressing over the salad.
Toss well to ensure the dressing coats all ingredients.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 day to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes on Copycat Cubby’s Chicken, Wild Rice and Kale Salad
Chicken:
Use rotisserie chicken for convenience, or marinate and grill chicken breasts for added flavor.
Almonds:
Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes to bring out their nutty flavor.
Meal Prep:
Store the salad and dressing separately if preparing in advance to maintain freshness.
Other ingredient options:
This salad was inspired by Cubby’s salad. Cubby’s salad includes diced apples and avocado. Add or substitute any of our ingredients to include those, or give our version a try!
Other Copycat Recipes You’ll Love
- Chipotle Copycat Guacamole
- Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Veggie Lo Mein (PF Chang’s Copycat Recipe)
- Cracker Barrel Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
- Fiesta Lime Chicken
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups wild rice (about 3/4 cup uncooked)
- 4 cups kale chopped, stems removed
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast shredded or diced
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds toasted (optional)
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Single Serving Option
- 1/2 cup cooked wild rice
- 3/4 cup kale chopped, stems removed
- 1/2 cup cooked chicken breast shredded or diced
- 2 tbsp carrots shredded
- 2 tbsp red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds toasted, optional
For Single Serving Dressing
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the wild rice according to package instructions.
- Once cooked, let the rice cool to room temperature.
- Place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Massage the kale with your hands for 2–3 minutes until it softens and reduces in volume.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. (Tip : Throw everything into a mason jar, secure the lid, and shake!)
- Add the cooked and cooled wild rice, shredded chicken, shredded carrots, red cabbage, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and goat cheese (if using) to the bowl with the kale.
- Toss the ingredients together until evenly mixed.Pour the dressing over the salad.
- Toss well to ensure the dressing coats all ingredients.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 day to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- Chicken Tips: Use rotisserie chicken for convenience, or marinate and grill chicken breasts for added flavor.
- Almonds: Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes to bring out their nutty flavor.
- Meal Prep: Store the salad and dressing separately if preparing in advance to maintain freshness.
- Added ingredients: This salad was inspired by Cubby's salad. Cubby's salad includes diced apples and avocado. Add or substitute any of our ingredients to include those, or give our version a try!
