This Brown Rice salad with Bok Choy and Orange Sesame Dressing is a very versatile salad that can be made with or without chicken.  It is full of healthy ingredients and packed with flavor.  This is a fun salad to bring to a party because it is easy to make and can be done ahead of time, stored in an air-tight container and brought out right before serving.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 4 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
• 1½ cups cooked shredded chicken (optional)
• 1½ cups shredded carrot
• 3 baby bok choy, rinsed, trimmed, and thinly sliced
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds

Orange Sesame Dressing

• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1½ tbsp. soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. honey
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup canola oil

Directions

To make the salad:

• Combine the brown rice, chicken, shredded carrot, bok choy, peas, cilantro, scallions and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.

To make the Orange Sesame dressing:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Whisk vigorously until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Add the dressing to the bowl with the salad, a bit at a time, tossing gently to coat. Taste and add more dressing as necessary.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.