In our multi cultural home, we celebrate a variety of holidays.  When you have a blended family for celebrating holidays, this recipe does the trick! This chicken and wild rice dish works for celebrating together keeping both holiday traditions. I’ve included a vegetarian version using portabella mushrooms.

Ingredients:

  • 2lbs Boneless Chicken Breasts (trimmed and cut into 8 serving size portions) or 8 Medium Portabella Mushroom Caps
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
  • ½ Cup G/F Flour
  • ¼ tsp Chinese 5 Spice
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • 3 Cups of Mandolin Sliced Celery or Fennel Bulb
  • ¾ Cup Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
  • 4 Tbsp Tamari, Soy Sauce, or Coconut Aminos

Ingredients for Wild Rice Pilaf:

  • 4 Cups Cooked Wild Rice
  • ½ Cup Craisins or Chopped Dried Apricots
  • ½ Cup Butter or Dairy Free Substitute
  • ½ tsp Chinese 5 Spice
  • 1 tsp Salt
Holiday Wild Rice with Portabella

Holiday Wild Rice with Portabella Mushroom

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour flour, Chinese 5 spice and salt in a gallon size bag or mix on a paper plate. Dredge the chicken or portabellas in the flour mixture until completely covered.

Step 2: In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Place the Chicken or Portabellas in the sizzling pan. Cook in batches until golden, 3-5 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel covered cooling rack.

Step 3: Place sliced celery or fennel in the same skillet over high heat. Cook uncovered stirring often until golden. Add sugar and tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos, and heat until sugar melts and starts to bubble. Remove from heat.

Step 4: Combine ingredients for Wild Rice Pilaf in a large mixing bowl. Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes until butter melts and all ingredients are well combined.

Step 5: Spread prepared rice in a 9”x13” ovenproof baking dish. Arrange the chicken or portabella on top of rice then drizzle each piece with the celery-sugar mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven.  Serve with Mediterranean Salad or a Green Veggie.

 Note: The original recipe called for mandolin sliced onions. I substitute celery or fennel. Be careful using the mandolin slicer as they can be dangerous, but they produce beautiful thin slices! If you have a food processor that has a slicing feature that can work too!