Description
A simple and flavorful Easy Mexican Rice recipe that combines long-grain white rice with tomato sauce and spices, cooked in chicken broth for a delicious and fluffy side dish perfect for any Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Rinse the Rice: Rinse the rice in a mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear. This step helps remove excess starch, which prevents the rice from becoming mushy when cooked.
- Cook Rice: Heat the vegetable or canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and cook while stirring frequently until the rice grains turn translucent and slightly golden, about 3-4 minutes. This toasting step adds a nutty flavor to the rice.
- Add Ingredients: Pour in the chicken stock or broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic salt, and ground cumin into the saucepan. Stir to combine all ingredients well. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, and let the rice simmer gently for 20 minutes. Avoid removing the lid during cooking to ensure even steaming.
- Fluff and Serve: After 20 minutes, remove the saucepan from heat and let it stand, covered, for 2-3 minutes. Then uncover and fluff the rice gently with a fork to separate the grains before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken stock with vegetable broth.
- Adjust chili powder to taste for more or less heat.
- To enhance flavor, sauté a small diced onion and minced garlic before adding the rice in step 2.
- If you prefer a softer rice texture, add an extra ¼ cup of broth and adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
