Green Rice

This rice side dish earns its name from the green vegetables stirred in at the end: bell pepper, fresh parsley, scallions, and garlic. Wild rice and brown rice cook together in chicken broth in the microwave, absorbing all that savory flavor without any stovetop babysitting.

The two-rice combination gives you a mix of textures: wild rice stays chewy and nutty while the brown rice turns fluffy and tender. Cooking the wild rice first at high power gives it a head start since it takes longer to soften, then the brown rice joins at medium power for the remaining 45 minutes.

The green vegetables cook separately in butter and oil for just two minutes so they stay crisp and vibrant, then get folded into the finished rice.

Kitchen Tips

• Rinse the wild rice before cooking. Wild rice can have debris and grit that you don’t want in the finished dish.
• Let the rice stand covered for the full 15 minutes after microwaving. This resting period finishes the cooking and evens out the moisture.
• Don’t overcook the vegetables. A quick two-minute zap keeps them bright green and slightly crunchy.
• Check your microwave wattage. Cooking times may vary; the rice should be tender with all liquid absorbed.

Variations

• Stir in dried cranberries and toasted pecans for a holiday-worthy side.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest with the vegetables for a citrusy lift.
• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it vegetarian.