Warm Caribbean Rice Salad

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra light olive oil, divided
• 2 6- ounce chicken breasts, boneless, skin on
• 4 cups spinach, washed and stems removed
• 1 cup orange segments
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Dressing
• 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onions
• 1 Caribbean or jalapeno chili, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon jerk seasoning
• 1 1/4 cups orange juice (divided into 1 cup and 1/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• Yellow Rice with Cilantro, prepared per recipe

Preparation

1 Heat a large skillet on medium high. Add almonds and cook, stirring, until they turn gold.
2 Tip into a bowl and set aside. Heat half of the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken breasts, turning several times, until almost cooked through, about 15 minutes.
3 Remove to a hot plate and cover to finish cooking. While the chicken is cooking, make the yellow rice (instructions below) and dressing.
4 To make the dressing: Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan. Add the onions, chile, and jerk seasoning and cook, stirring, until wilted and translucent but not brown, 5 minutes.
5 Pour in 1 cup of the orange juice and boil to reduce about 5 minutes. Combine the arrowroot and remaining orange juice and stir into the sauce to thicken.
6 Add the salt and orange zest. Remove the skin from the chicken breasts and cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Toss the chicken, orange segments, half of the toasted almonds, cilantro and spinach together.
7 Add the hot rice and dressing, and toss again to mix thoroughly. Serve topped with the remaining toasted almonds.

Source: Almond Board of California