Mexican Rice

Savor the spicy flavor of this  healthy Mexican side dish that uses only fresh ingredients!

By: Jodie Shield, MED, RDN

Looking for an authentic side dish to serve with fajitas or quesadillas? Try this Mexican Rice recipe – it’s so good! I got it from my friend, Kathy, who spends a lot of time in Mexico. She uses only fresh ingredients, so this dish does take a few extra minutes to prepare. But I’m sure you’ll agree, the flavor is worth it!  The only tweak I made to her original recipe was to skip the salt which helped cut the sodium down quite a bit. Kathy’s rice dish pairs nicely with my Mexican Meatloaf recipe and homemade guacamole. All of these recipes are also on my FREE app Eat Healthy Homemade Meals in Minutes which you can download from iTunes or Google Play.

 Mexican Rice 

8 servings

Prep Time = 20 minutes

Cooking time = 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces tomatoes (about 4 medium), cored
• 1 medium white onion
• 2 medium jalapenos
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 lime (optional)

Directions:

1. Adjust the rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 ° F.
2.  Place the tomato and onion in a food processor (or blender) and puree thoroughly until smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a measuring cup.  You should have about 2 cups.
3. Remove the ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños and discard.  Mince the jalapeños and set aside.  Note: Be sure to wear gloves (or plastic bags) when working with jalapeños because the seeds release oils, which can irritate your skin.
4.  Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear – about 1½ minutes.  Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.  This step helps remove some of the starch from the rice so it will not stick.  If you omit this step, your rice will not be dry and fluffy.
5.  Heat oil in an oven-safe, 12-inch sauté pan or Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid over low-medium heat for about 2 minutes.  Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle, then it’s ready.  Add the rice and cook stirring until the rice is slightly golden and translucent, about 6 minutes.  Be careful that the oil  doesn’t get too hot, too fast or it will splatter.
6.  Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and 2 minced jalapeños and cook stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1½ minutes.  Stir in the broth and pureed tomato mixture.  Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
7.  Cover the pan and transfer it to the oven to bake.  After 15 minutes, stir the rice; return the pan to the oven and continue to cook covered until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes more.  Remove from the oven and stir in cilantro.  Pass the lime wedges separately (if using).

Nutrition Information per 1 cup serving: 190 calories, 3 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 157 milligrams sodium

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