Spice up your rice tonight and try this flavor filled recipe with all kinds of textures and tastes going on.
Wash oranges and use a box grater to grate the orange skins and remove as much zest as possible, stopping at the white. Slice oranges in half and use a lemon juicer to squeeze out juices. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add the onions and your zest shreds. Cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring until onions are getting translucent. Pour in chicken broth, orange juice, and spices, then stir over heat for 3-4 minutes until part of the liquid has evaporated. Add the sugar and most of the dried fruit (save back a little to sprinkle on top) and cook for another 3-4 minutes until fruit is softened and more liquid has cooked off.
Remove cover and allow the rice to cook for about 5 minutes more without stirring to get a nice brown on the bottom. You should smell when it's toasted but not burned. Remove pan from heat as soon as you think it's there and cover with lid then allow it to sit untouched for 8-10 minutes.
Garbanzo beans and pomegranate arils make a great addition to this dish. Also, the dried fruits can be substituted with preferred types such as regular raisins or dried cherries.