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–+ servings

Slow Cooker Cranberry Rice Pilaf with Apples and Pecans

Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf
Cranberry Rice Pilaf with Apples and Pecans is the perfect easy slow cooker side dish to serve up for your holiday gatherings and tasty enough to keep for the rest of the year. Wild rice slow cooked in apple cider and chicken stock then topped with tart cranberries, sweet apples and crunchy pecans to serve up the ultimate in slow cooker holiday side dishes.
Heather
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 5 minutes
Serving Size 12

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic diced
  • 1/3 cup parsley diced
  • 1/2 sweet onion diced
  • 3 cups wild rice blend or a 16 ounce package
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 16 ounces chicken stock
  • 16 ounces apple cider or apple juice
  • 1 orange zest and juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1 /2 cup pecans chopped
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 honeycrisp or gala apple chopped
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  • To make your Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf, add your garlic, onion and parsley to a small food processor and pulse until everything has been diced.  Add this to your slow cooker.  Then add in the butter, wild rice blend, chicken stock, apple cider, juice and zest of one orange and your seasonings. Give a quick stir and set your slow cooker to cook on Low for 4 - 5 hours.  
  • When your rice is cooked, add pecans to a small pan and roast over medium high heat for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. When your pecans have toasted and they are fragrant, add them along with your cranberries, chopped apples and the maple syrup to the rice in the slow cooker and stir well. Let cook for another 5 - 10 minutes and then serve.

Notes

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING SLOW COOKER CRANBERRY APPLE PECAN WILD RICE PILAF

  • You are going to be tempted to keep checking on your rice to see if it's cooking.  Stop! Let the slow cooker do it's job :) Stir it once around the 3 hour mark but other than that, let it be.
  • Watch your pecans closely when you are toasting them.  They burn fast so make sure you are stirring them often and as soon as you can smell them cooking, they are done.
  • Not a fan of cranberries?  Try substituting golden raisins or even dried apricots or dried cherries in this dish... they would be lovely.
  • If you are a fan of sage and / or rosemary, feel free to add a teaspoon of either or both to this dish.
  • If you prefer your apples with a bit more tart, substitute the Honey crisp apple with Granny Smith apples
  • Want to transform this slow cooker side dish to a full on meal? Add in some cooked chicken or turkey.