Wild Rice Chicken Pita
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Chicken and wild rice stuffed into pita pockets. Cranberries add sweet-tart bursts. Sour cream and mayo bind it together with fresh chives cutting through. Lettuce for crunch. No nuts, dairy-free option by swapping cream sour. Rice cooked until grains split and slightly chewy. Hearty, simple, packed with textures and flavors you recognize but with a twist in the wild rice. A lunch rescue. Grab leftover chicken or roasted it your way. Think easy weeknight, casual but satisfying. A touch of tartness, creamy coolness, plus that grain-vegetal combo. A bit rustic, a bit fresh.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Servings:
4 servings
#American cuisine
#pita pockets
#wild rice
#chicken salad
#lunch ideas
Wild rice cooked until grains burst open, releasing nutty starchiness you want to feel under your teeth. Cranberries tossed in in last minutes, plump and tart, surprising with every bite. Chicken diced, cream and mayo mingle with fresh chives – not just a spread, it’s a melody of textures and vibrant flavors. The pita splits like a warm pocket of possibilities. Lettuce snaps crisp inside. Balance is delicate; hydrate rice right or you’re in gummy or crunchy trouble. This mix solves dinner with little fuss but big attitude. I swapped cream sour for yogurt once when low; tang sharper, but still good enough to make you forget you aimed for simple.
Ingredients
- 135 ml (9 tbsp) wild rice
- 50 ml (1/5 cup) chopped dried cranberries
- 500 ml (2 cups) cooked diced chicken
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) plain yogurt sour cream substitute
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) mayonnaise
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh chopped chives
- 2 large 20 cm (8 inch) pita breads halved
- Boston lettuce leaves for crunch
- Salt and pepper to taste
About the ingredients
Wild rice—takes patience. Rinse to remove dust, cook in salted water until grains just burst, juicy but not mushy. Wild rice’s natural chew wins here, don’t skip soaking if you can—it cuts down cooking drastically but isn’t mandatory. Cranberries chopped smaller so they don’t overwhelm sudden bursts of sweet-tart—too big, no. Sub dried cranberries with chopped dried cherries or golden raisins if you want different sweetness profile. Yogurt swap for sour cream lowers the fat; mayo amount adjustable, I recommend keep it minimal or pick light variation or even avocado mayo for good fats and creaminess. Fresh chives add punch, can’t skip or use scallions for a sharper taste or fresh dill for an aromatic vibe. Boston lettuce critical, not iceberg—too watery or weak. Pitas best fresh but stale ones revived nicely with quick heat in damp towel in microwave.
Method
- Heat water salted, bring to steady simmer. Add wild rice, cover partially. Cook low and slow until grains crack open, about 50 minutes but watch the pop and texture. Not mush, some bite remains; if boiling dry, add splash water. Drain, rinse cold quickly to stop cooking. Mix in chopped dried cranberries last five minutes simmered with rice to plump.
- In bowl, combine warm rice-cranberry mix, diced chicken, yogurt, mayo, and fresh chives. Stir gently. Taste for salt, pepper. Needs balance between creamy, tangy, sweet. Adjust mayo or lemon juice if you want sharper punch. Set mix aside for flavors to meld briefly.
- Careful, slice pitas gently open so not to tear. Stuff generously with the chicken salad, then layer crisp Boston lettuce leaves inside for crunch and fresh green note. Press slightly to pack but don’t overfill or pita bursts open.
- Serve chilled or room temp. Great for make-ahead. Keep salad separate if packing for lunch to avoid sogginess. Variations: swap chicken with turkey or leftover pork. Add celery for crunch or sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds. Yogurt instead of sour cream for lighter touch.
- Watch the rice carefully. Overcooked turns gluey; underdone, tough bite. Cranberries soften best towards cooking end; add too early? They dissolve or harden oddly.
- Try garlic powder or smoked paprika for a smoky hint. Fresh dill can replace chives if you want herbal funk.
- Leftover pita halves toast dry just before stuffing adds texture contrast. Pita that’s too stale? Warm wrapped in damp towel, microwave 15 seconds, softness returns.
Cooking tips
Rice needs patience and watching not clock. You want distinct grains that pop open—a sign they’re tender but coaxed open to release starch aiding the creamy texture later. Add cranberries near end so they soak a little, soften, but don’t melt or stay hard. After draining, rinse rice cold—stops cooking, cools for mixing. Using warm rice toughens chicken fibers less and melds flavors better. Mix chicken gently so meat stays in texture, don’t overwork with spoon or you’ll grind it. Check seasoning thoroughly; mayo and sour cream mute salt, so taste critically. Opening pitas with care prevents ripping; stuffing too full? Disaster. Layer lettuce last for texture contrast. Serving room temperature is fine; freshly made pitas serve best within an hour, or keep salad separate from bread for later use. Adding herbs or seeds at end keeps crunch and fragrance alive. Hands-on test; if rice slick and heavy, add lemon juice or more mayo; too dry, splash olive oil or sour cream. A little trial, a lot of taste.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cooking wild rice needs watching not a timer grind. Salt your water well. Add rice once water hums steady but not roaring boil. Cover half to let steam breathe. Crackled grains tell when ready; listen for soft pop and texture shift. Add small splash water if drying out before done. Drain carefully and cool fast, stops heat carrying over. Cranberries near finish, five minutes simmer tops. Too early? They shrivel or turn chalky.
- 💡 Mix chicken gently with warm rice and mayo-yogurt base. Avoid smashing meat fibers; they add texture contrast. Taste salt and pepper critical here—both mayo and yogurt mute flavors; adjust or add pinch lemon juice if dull. Fresh chopped chives punch bright but fresh dill switch is herbal-lush alternative. Keep mix chill or room temp but let meld 10 minutes at least for deeper flavor marry.
- 💡 Pitas are fragile; slice gently with sharp knife. Overzealous cut rips or tears steaming pockets. Stuff with enough filling to make compact but don’t overfill or pita bursts open. Layer Boston lettuce last inside for crunch contrast and visually fresh snap. Avoid iceberg—too watery, ruins crisp. Toast stale pitas quick in dry pan or wrapped damp towel microwave 15 seconds to regain softness with warmth.
- 💡 Watch rice texture often. Under or overcook ruins whole dish. Under—grain is tough and sticks out unpleasantly. Over—sticky gluey mess instead of separating chewy grains. Rinse cooked rice cold fast or residual heat continues cooking. Warm rice better for flavor marriage with other ingredients; cold toughens chicken texture if mixed cold. Cranberries soften on brief simmer near end; whole cranberries or overly big chunks overwhelm bursts, chop small.
- 💡 Substitutions abundant—leftover pork or turkey works for diced meat instead chicken. Yogurt swaps sour cream for lighter texture, dips fat a bit and sharpens tang. Mayo—struggle for creaminess—use avocado mayo, or light mayo for fewer fats. Fresh chives crucial for punch but scallions or fresh dill can take spot replacing heat or adding aromatic edge. Seeds like toasted pumpkin add crunch and texture fun if included last before stuffing.
Common questions
How do I know when wild rice is done?
Listen for subtle popping or cracking noise. Grains swell but still chewy—not mush. Texture changes visually; edges split slightly. Avoid sticky or gluey, scoop a grain occasionally. Can add splash water if dry before tender.
What to do if pitas tear when slicing?
Use sharp knife, slice gently not sawing. Don’t force cut through crust. Let pitas rest at room temp if fridge cold makes brittle. Toast stale pita halves just before stuffing or warm wrapped in damp towel. Can stuff torn pita but messy.
Can I swap cranberries for other dried fruit?
Dried cherries or golden raisins fine alternative. Chop small to avoid big sweet bursts overwhelming wild rice or savory chicken. Add during last minutes simmer to plump and soften lightly. Too early turns them odd.
How to store leftover chicken-wild rice mix?
Keep salad and pitas separate to avoid sogginess. Store salad covered in fridge up to two days. Pita breads wrapped airtight or in paper bag room temp day or two; refrigerate longer but toughens bread. Reheat pitas quick in microwave damp towel or dry toast.
