Homemade Chicken and Wild Rice Mix

It's whole grain Wednesday and today I'm focusing on one of my all time favorites! 

I received an e-mail a month or so ago from a gal wanting to know if I had ever had the chicken and wild rice side dish boxed mix using the parboiled rice. I'm not going to say the name-brand but most people in America know what it is. Well, I had seen it but never really tried it.  She wanted to know if it could be made from scratch and if that would save money using bulk rice instead of buying the pre-made mix.   If you already have rice, this is a great way to save money. This is also a great way to control the ingredients and sodium of the dish. 

I'm of course adding this to my already very popular money-saving better-for-you mix section we call Make a Mix ! 

My friends at North Bay Trading Company sent me this beautiful bag of Canadian Organic Wild Rice and asked if I'd try it out. 

 I'm not going to lie, I love wild rice. I love the excellent Glycemic Index and Nutritional Information for wild rice. If you find it with the nutritious black outer hull it is optimal for good health. North Bay has proven to me that theirs is fantastic! I loved everything about their harvesting methods and certifications as well! Here are the details from their website:

 Canadian Organic Wild Rice— naturally grown and wild harvested in Canada's pristine northern lakes.

• A premium quality wild rice with a jumbo grain that is 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch or more in length.
• Wild rice, an aquatic grass seed, is high in protein when compared to other white rice and grains.
• GMO-free, gluten-free.
• Certified Kosher by United Mehadrin Kosher.
• Click on our photo slides for more insight on this wild rice.
• Harvesting Info: We ensure perfection in flavor, preservation of nutrition, and prevention of molding. We do not harvest early, as this results in a collection of immature, pale wild rice. We preserve the nutritious black outer hull. (Some processors remove the black hull to obtain a shorter cook time.) Also, we dry the rice properly, which prevents the moldy aroma sometimes found with other wild rice.

Organic wild rice certification: Certified organic by MCIA 

Common wild rice uses: Makes a great side dish as well as a base for entrees and salads. Also often used as a major ingredient in soups, stews, and casseroles.

Packaging: Bagged selections are in resealable poly bags. Bulk box orders use sealed plastic bag inside sturdy cardboard box.

GMO-free: This wild wild rice is not genetically modified.

One cup of cooked wild rice has:

 166 calories, 35 carbs, 5 grams of fiber and is a low Glycemic index of 16. 

In this recipe, I'm combining the wild rice with parboiled rice. This rice is nutritionally very similar to brown rice but without the fiber intact. From what I've studied about it, the parboiling process is supposed to force the nutrients into the starch. I just know that my family loves it and the nutritional information for parboiled rice gives it a great low glycemic index of 22. 

 Each one cup mix can be stored in a half-pint mason jar up to 2 years if kept in a cool dry place. If you use an food-grade oxygen absorber in the jars, the shelf life will be greatly extended.  I haven't tested the shelf-life of good wild rice yet so I can't give anyone a real definitive answer. From what I've read, because it is a cereal grain like wheat, it has a pretty long shelf-life (wild rice shelf life information).  

Chef Tess Homemade Chicken and Wild Rice Mix
In a baggie or half-pint mason jar combine:

1/3 cup Canadian Organic Wild Rice
2/3 cup parboiled rice
1-2 tsp low sodium (no MSG) chicken bouillon
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric

Directions: Bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil. Add rice mixture and cover. Reduce heat to very low and simmer 30 minutes. Turn off heat after 30 minutes and allow to steam an additional 10 minutes if needed. 
*Chef note: the cooking time on this is different from the quick boxed mix because of the use of real high-quality wild rice.

 There you go! Make some delicious homemade chicken and wild rice!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess