Take Rice From Side Dish To Star Of The Show Using One Packet Mix

Rice doesn't always have to be at the bottom of your hearty poke bowl or just the spoonful next to your chicken. It tends to always be a base or a sidekick, but it can be the star of the show if you're willing to jazz it up just a bit. Instead of making rice an afterthought, grab a packet of mushroom gravy mix and turn the rice into the flavor component that stands out most in your next dinner.

You can use the mushroom packet in two ways. Cook the rice as you normally would and make the gravy on the side by heating the powdered mix with water. Then serve your rice with the prepared gravy on top. Or, you can add the gravy packet straight to the water when boiling rice, and let the rice cook in the seasoning. The latter option is a good idea if you want bold flavor; the rice will soak up all the seasoning as it cooks. You can also split the packet in half, adding the first half to the boiling water and using the second half to serve gravy on top of the rice afterward. From there, pair the rice with other add-ons that bring out the mushroom flavor even further. The amount of seasoning you use depends on how much rice you're cooking, but stick with one serving of seasoning per one serving of rice for a reasonable ratio. Add more to taste if you'd like.

You can easily turn this into a chicken marsala-style bowl by sautéing some mushrooms in a little oil and white wine while the rice cooks in the gravy mix. Add Worcestershire to the mushrooms for a savory flavor pop, then toss the mushrooms and rice together. For a more well-rounded meal, shred some grocery store rotisserie chicken, and fold it into the rice as well. The result? A hearty, balanced mushroom dish that ensures the rice doesn't go unnoticed. Pair it with a good-quality wine for a comforting, elevated dinner.

Another way to boost flavor is to turn this into mushroom fried rice. Once the rice cooks, let it cool and dry out in the refrigerator overnight; leftover rice makes the best fried rice. Then, just fry it in a pan with some oil and mushrooms, plus any other veggies you like (onions, shallots, etc.). Add a little soy sauce, and turn the dish into a mushroom fried rice dinner. You can easily add pork, chicken, or beef into this dish for some extra protein while making sure that rice remains the focus.