Chicken and Wild Rice with Sausage

This one-pot entree makes a great meal on a busy night, since it requires little clean-up and comes together quickly.  I would have preferred to use faux smoked sausage, but the only version on the market that I know, from Lightlife, is vegetarian but not vegan.  Instead, I used their vegan breakfast sausage links.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 3 Gardein Tuscan chicken breasts (without sauce)
• 12 ounces Lightlife breakfast sausage
• 4 cups (1/2-inch thick) sliced portobello mushroom caps
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 28 ounces vegan chicken broth (prepared from Not Chick'n bouillon)
• 2 (6-ounce) packages fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice (such as Near East)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 (14-ounce) drained can quartered artichoke hearts
• 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives

1. Heat a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Cut the Gardein chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan; saute for 4 minutes.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Cut the sausage into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Recoat the pan with cooking spray, and add the sausage; saute for about 3-5 minutes, until browned.  Add the portobello mushrooms, the onion, and the garlic; saute for 3 minutes.  Add the broth and the rice (omitting the seasoning packets, which you can save for another use).  Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes - all of the liquid should be absorbed by the end.

3. Return the chicken to the pan, along with the green onions, the artichokes, and the olives.  Cook for a final 3 minutes.

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1 and 1/2 cups), Calories 340 

Tasting Notes:
I laughingly described this as rice pilaf on steroids - the creaminess and flavor I love of a regular rice pilaf, but with hearty pieces of chicken, sausage, artichoke or olive waiting in each bite.  The dish was incredibly filling, and leftovers made a quick and easy lunch. Serve with a simple tossed salad - I had romaine lettuce with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sprouts, and Organicville's Dijon vinaigrette - and you've got yourself a hearty weeknight meal.

Rating:
4