Chicken & Wild Rice Salad

Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe from 6/06

1/3 c Sherry wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1 garlic clove, minced (I mascerate mine with the sugar & kosher salt)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2/3 c olive oil
4 boneless chicken breast halves (or all the meat from a rotissery or whole smoked chicken)
1 c wild rice
1 tbsp veg. oil
1 c coarsely grated carrots (I like the bagged matchstick carrots, chopped a little)
1 c chopped green onions
1/2 c chopped celery
1/3 c coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (I like pinenuts)
1/3 c (packed) golden raisins
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish

Whisk or blend together 1st five ingredients and set aside. Marinate chicken (if using raw) in 1/2 cup vinaigrette and refrigerate for 1 hour. Allow remaining vinaigrette to stand at room temperature. Add rice to heavy saucepan of boiling salted water. Reduce heat to medium & cook until tender and just beginning to split (DO NOT OVERCOOK - will be mushy in salad, chewy is good). Drain rice and rinse under cold water and drain again.

If using raw chicken, heat veg. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Cool slightly and shred or slice on the diagonal.

Mix carrots, green onions, celery, nuts, raisins, chopped dill and the remaining vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning. If chicken is shredded, stir into salad. If sliced, serve atop a mound of salad. Garnish with dill. May be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Allow to come to room temperature a little before serving.