Smoked chicken salad, wild rice, pickled plums

A hearty salad for all occasions. Plums can be prepared a little more than indicated in the recipe - they will go well with any meat.

Ingredients

• 2 smoked chicken legs
• 120 g wild rice
• 3-4 sprigs of basil juice and zest
• 1 orange
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• salt, freshly ground black pepper
• For pickled plums:
• 500 g thick plums
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 100 ml red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. l. brown sugar and salt

Directions

1. For the plum marinade, combine salt, sugar, vinegar and 300 ml water in a saucepan, add chopped cinnamon stick, star anise and crushed peeled garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and cool.
2. Cut the plums on the side, carefully remove the seeds. Put the plums in a jar, fill with the marinade (if it does not cover the plums, you can add a little water). Keep at room temperature for 4 hours, then refrigerate. The plums will be ready the next day.
3. Cook rice in salted boiling water according to package directions. Cool completely.
4. Remove the chicken meat from the bone, remove the skin, disassemble the flesh into pieces that are convenient for eating. Dry the pickled plums (determine the amount to your taste), cut into beautiful slices. Tear the basil leaves into small pieces.
5. For dressing, mix orange juice and zest with 2 tbsp. l. marinade from plums and olive oil. Season with a little salt.
6. Combine rice, chicken and plums. Whisk the dressing vigorously to form an emulsion, pour over the salad. Pepper, sprinkle with basil and serve.