Perfect Mexican Rice Recipe

Perfect Mexican Rice- this is my favorite rice to serve with Mexican meals. It’s wonderfully fluffy and has just the right amount of tomato, garlic, and jalapeno flavor. So much better tasting than packaged rice.

It’s a must make side dish for all your Tex Mex and Mexican meals. It tastes so much better than restaurant Mexican rice.

What Makes This Recipe Perfectly Flavored?

A tomato, jalapeno, and garlic clove are processed in a food processor to break them down. This process wonderfully distributes their flavor throughout the rice. This mixture gets combined with chicken broth to form the liquid that the rice is cooked in. The next key to super flavorful rice is toasting it in some extra-virgin olive oil before it is cooked. A tablespoon of tomato paste gets added for an extra layer of tomato flavor.

To finish this Perfect Mexican Rice, add the chicken broth mixture, bring everything to a boil, cover and cook 20 minutes. Let the rice sit for 10 minutes undisturbed. Then fluff it and stir in some chopped fresh cilantro. No crazy ingredients here! Just a whole lot of fresh flavor.

Recipe Tips:

Don’t skip the step of rinsing the rice. Rinsing rice removes surface starch and helps keep the rice from getting gummy.

If you like peas and carrots in your Mexican rice, stir in 1 cup of frozen peas and carrots that have been cooked.

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days.

This recipe is best made with long grain white rice.

This Mexican Rice Goes Perfectly With:

• Beef Chimichangas
• Pulled Pork Burritos with Cheesy Sour Cream Sauce
• Beef and Bean Burritos
• Red Enchiladas with Beef
• White Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Perfect Mexican Rice

Prep: 12 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6

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Perfect Mexican Rice- this is my favorite rice to serve with Mexican meals. It's wonderfully fluffy and has just the right amount of tomato, garlic, and jalapeno flavor. So much better tasting than packaged rice.

 

Equipment

• Mini Food Processor

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• ▢ 1 tomato,, core cut out and cut into chunks
• ▢ 1 jalapeno,, seeded and coarsley chopped
• ▢ 1 garlic clove,, coarsely chopped
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 to 1 3/4 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions 

• Place rice in a fine-meshed strainer and rinse well with cold water. Shake to get rid of water. Set aside.
• Place tomato, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. A mini food processor works great.

  Process for 30 seconds or until smooth.
• Transfer mixture to a large liquid measuring cup and add enough chicken broth to equal 2 1/2 cups. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and cook and stir for 2 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Add chicken broth mixture and bring to a boil. Stir, place lid on and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes.
• Stir in cilantro and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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