St. Marie's Wild Chicken Soup Mix

Ingredients: White rice, Chicken Base (Real Salt™, onion, dried chicken, rosemary, garlic, tapioca, carrot, turmeric, ground rice hulls, hawthorn berry, cumin, thyme, black pepper, celery), wild rice, onion, carrot, garlic, chives, marjoram, basil, black pepper, curry, spices

Whenever possible, we source our ingredients from Pacific Northwest farmers and processors. We believe local sourcing means fresher ingredients, fewer transportation miles, and stronger relationships with the people behind our food.

SMALL SIZE You will need

• 1/2 Chicken breast cubed or 3 oz canned chicken
• 4 cups water

LARGE SIZE You will need

• 1 Chicken breast cubed or 6 oz canned chicken
• 8 cups water

Stove Top Directions:

1. Open the bag with scissors.
2. In a 4-quart saucepan, brown the meat, then drain the fat.
3. Add water and both seasoning packets. Cover and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the rice, replace the lid, and reduce heat to a simmer for 40 minutes or until the wild rice is tender.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Instant Pot Directions: Reduce water by 1/2 cup water or 1 cup for the large. Add water, entire soup mix and cubed meat to Instant Pot. Lock the lid and seal the valve, set to Soup Mode, or High Pressure. Cook for 10 minutes, allow the pressure to release naturally or manually let the steam off.

Make it Creamy: Reduce water by 1 cup. Before serving, stir in 1 cup of evaporated milk or cream for a smooth, creamy texture.

Vegetable Overload: About 10-15 minutes before the soup is done, add 1 or 2 cups of fresh vegetables. Broccoli is a great addition, but feel free to experiment with your favorites!

Mix up the Meat: For a twist, use pork or Italian sausage instead of chicken for a savory, flavorful change.

Boost the Broth: For extra richness, cook with bone-in chicken, such as thighs, to infuse the soup with healthy vitamins, minerals, and collagen for added richness and depth.

Vegetarian: Prepare without meat, discard the yellow chicken base packet, and use 15 oz. vegetable broth. Reduce water by 2 cups, and if desired, add a meat substitute.

Low Sodium: Discard the chicken packet, replace 2 cups of water with low-sodium chicken broth, or simply use less of the chicken packet to reduce sodium.

Sweet Twist: Stir in diced sweet potatoes or butternut squash for a subtle sweetness that contrasts nicely with the curry.

Cheese It: Add shredded cheddar or Parmesan cheese before serving for a comforting, cheesy finish.

Add a Crunch: Top with toasted almonds or croutons for a delicious crunch that adds texture to the dish.

Since the beginning, we've named our soups after real places throughout Washington and the surrounding Northwest. From small towns and mountain peaks to rivers, canyons, and historic landmarks, each name was chosen because it means something to us and the region we call home. Each soup has a story, and so does the place that gave it its name.

Centuries ago, wild rice grew naturally in the shallow lakes and river bottoms of Minnesota, Ontario, and southern Manitoba. The Sioux and Chippewa peoples, who called it “Manomin,” relied on wild rice as an important part of their diet due to its high protein content and long storage life—qualities that often made a critical difference during winter months.

During the fall harvest, families set up camps along waterways in preparation for gathering. Harvesting was done by canoe, with stalks gently knocked into boats as they moved through the stands of rice. After harvesting, the rice was cured using several methods: drying it in the sun, heating it over racks above a fire, or slowly warming it in kettles while stirring continuously. Once cured, the outer hulls were removed through threshing, yielding a highly valuable food source.

On average, a family could produce about five bushels of wild rice, with each bushel weighing up to 30 pounds. In the 1600s, French fur traders and voyageurs began trading and commercializing wild rice, and by the early 1900s it had attracted growing interest from settlers and food processors. By the 1920s, large-scale processing and packaging operations had been established in Minnesota.