Chicken and Snap Pea Wild Rice Salad

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 1.5 cups uncooked wild rice
• 1/3 cup tarragon vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2/3 cup safflower oil
• 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 0.5 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 0.5 cup sliced green onion
• 0.5 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 0.5 cup toasted slivered almonds

Steps

1. Bring water and wild rice to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender but not mushy, 20 to 45 minutes depending on the variety of wild rice. Drain off any excess liquid, fluff rice with a fork, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate until cold.
2. Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, garlic, dried tarragon, black pepper, and pepper flakes together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle in safflower oil in a thin, steady stream while whisking vigorously until emulsified; set vinaigrette aside.
3. Stir chicken, celery, parsley, and green onions into cooled wild rice; stir in vinaigrette until evenly blended. Cover the bowl; refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
4. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water; set aside. Bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add sugar snap peas; cook uncovered until just tender, about 30 seconds. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water until cold to stop the cooking process, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain; cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Stir sugar snap peas and almonds into rice mixture just before serving.