Crispy rice salad is hearty, salty, nutty, and fresh. It starts with a base layer of rice baked until crispy. Top it with shredded teriyaki rotisserie chicken, fresh celery, and red cabbage for extra produce crunch, and a drizzle of homemade sesame ginger dressing. Toss and serve for a well-rounded, one-bowl dinner your whole family will love.

It seems like we’re always asking ourselves… what’s for dinner? If you haven’t tried the viral crispy rice salad yet, it’s a weeknight dinner homerun!

Crispy rice salad is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh Foods.

You’ll find a few variations online, but we added The Produce Moms’ spin with fresh celery and red cabbage, along with cooked corn, fresh off the cob. We tossed the chicken and rice with a touch of premade teriyaki sauce and drizzled the entire salad with a homemade sesame ginger dressing. 

This crispy rice salad is full of savory, sweet, tangy flavor—and you’ll be so excited when it comes together in 45 minutes or less.  

Ingredients

Don’t let the ingredient list intimidate you; a few of the ingredients are repeated in this crispy rice recipe. The rest is premade or fresh ingredients that just need some chopping and slicing. 

But before we get to that, here’s what you’ll need:

Rice 

We used jasmine rice, but you can use any kind of rice that you’d like: white, brown, basmati, whatever you have on hand will work great. If you have leftover rice, this is a great way to use it up. 

Chicken

When it comes to dinner, we love any kind of shortcut. So we bought a precooked rotisserie chicken from the store and shredded all of the meat. You’ll have lots of protein in this crispy rice salad!

Produce

Let’s load up your salad with lots of veggies. Add chopped celery stalks, cilantro, green onions, sliced red cabbage, diced bell pepper, and cooked, shelled corn (kernels cut off the cob). We get Dandy® celery that’s always crisp with green leaves and Dandy® sweet corn for a subtle sweet pop in each bite.

Sesame Ginger Dressing

A simple blend of olive oil, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and fresh minced ginger makes the perfect spicy, nutty dressing that pairs really well with the crunchy veggies and crispy rice salad base.

How to Make Crispy Rice

The crispy rice is super easy to make and creates a unique base for this easy weeknight dinner. Here’s how to get the rice crunchy without charring it. 

Step 1: Cook the rice.

Add the rice and water to your pot or rice cooker, according to the package directions for the type of rice you’re cooking. Then preheat the oven to 400℉.  

Step 2: Toss and bake.

Put parchment paper over a baking sheet to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan while it crisps. When the rice is cooked and completely cool, transfer it to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss it with the sesame oil and teriyaki sauce and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it after 30 minutes to prevent burning.

How to Make Crispy Rice Salad with Celery and Corn

Now that you’ve got the rice crisping up in the oven, let’s prep the rest of the salad so it’s ready to toss together when the rice is done.

Step 1: Shred and coat the chicken.

We used the classic two-fork method to shred the chicken. You can also cut off chunks of chicken and shred them in a stand mixer. Both ways work really well, but because there are bones, we went the fork route. 

Drizzle the shredded chicken with ¼ cup of teriyaki sauce, mix until coated, and set aside. 

Step 2: Cook, chop, and slice the produce toppings.

Cook the corn. If you haven’t already cooked the corn, boiling or sautéing in a pan are the easiest and quickest ways. First, slice the kernels off the cobs using a sharp knife. For less mess, place a small bowl upside down inside a large bowl and rest the cob on top while slicing. Next, heat your pan. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Finally, add the corn, salt, and pepper. Sauté uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly browned.

Use a knife to chop the celery, red cabbage, cilantro, and green onions as thinly or thickly as you’d like. If you have picky eaters, they tend to like the vegetables chopped finer. Dice the red bell pepper. 

Related: How To Shuck Corn Like A Boss

Step 3: Make the sesame ginger dressing. 

Add the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and fresh ginger to the blender and let it combine for about a minute, until smooth and creamy.

Step 4: Toss, drizzle, and serve!

Add the shredded teriyaki chicken and the cooked crispy rice to the large bowl, drizzle the sesame ginger dressing over the top, toss with large spoons or salad tongs, and serve!

Why We Love Dandy® Fresh Celery & Sweet Corn

Both The Produce Moms and Duda Farm Fresh Foods share two important objectives: family and high-quality produce. It all started with a man who envisioned the American dream for his family with a zero-waste product: celery! Six generations later (100 years!), they have redefined what celery can be — crispier, sweeter, and less stringy. From value-added snacking celery to more sustainable packaging, they’re investing in what’s next.

Related: Duda Farm Fresh Foods: Building a Legacy

More Dandy® Fresh Recipes

Celery Fennel Salad – easy lunch, dinner, or side

Thai Celery Bowls – no-cook meal,  packed with flavor

Chicken Egg Roll in A Bowl – ready in 15 minutes

Grilled Corn Salad – perfect balance of fresh and smoky

Hot Honey Boiled Corn on the Cob – a modern take on traditional corn