WILD RICE DRESSING WITH APPLES AND CHESTNUTS

Wild Rice Dressing with Apples and Chestnuts image

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 cup wild rice
1 (7.25-ounce) jar peeled whole chestnuts, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, sausage crumbled
1 large onion
2 large Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup low-salt chicken broth

Steps:

Cook wild rice in large saucepan of salted boiling water until tender and grains just begin to split, about 45 minutes. Drain. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine cooked rice, chestnuts, and parsley in large bowl. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion and sauté until meat is browned and cooked through, stirring frequently and breaking up meat with fork, about 7 minutes. Add apples and thyme and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Pour sausage mixture over rice mixture in bowl; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bake until hot and liquid is almost absorbed, about 15 minutes.