wild rice chicken pilaf

i decided it's time to share the recipe to one of our favorite meals.

wild rice chicken pilaf
(based on a recipe i ripped out of real simple magazine years ago...the original recipe was for wild rice stuffing, but i modified it to make a main dish)

ingredients:
1/2 cup wild rice
1 1/4 cups brown rice
enough chicken broth to cook the rice in (or some chicken broth and some water)
1 stick butter (or less)
1 small onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup chopped nuts (whatever you have on hand...pecans, walnuts, and cashews are all really good)
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
oregano, basil, and thyme to taste
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
splash of lemon juice

1. soak rice in water with a splash of apple cider vinegar for eight hours (optional)...makes the rice easier to digest/more nutritious
2. preheat stove to 350 F.
3. in a pot, put broth/water needed to equal amount of liquid needed to cook rice. add rice. bring to boil, reduce to low heat, cover. Simmer about 45 minutes or until rice is finished cooking.
4. melt butter in large skillet, add onion and celery and cook for ten minutes. add rice, spices, nuts, fruit, and chicken and mix. add splash of lemon juice.
5. place in buttered casserole dish. cover and bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes.
6. enjoy!

this pilaf tastes great with a simple side salad, or the other night we ate it with cooked peas and that was really yummy! this recipe is very forgiving, and really you can use whatever you have on hand. that's the great thing about a pilaf!

this recipe will serve 6 to 8 people - we always have a lot of leftovers when i make it.