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A wooden spoon inside a white bowl filled with Mexican rice next to a red striped napkin
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4.41 from 5 votes

Easy Mexican Rice

Light, fluffy, and flavorful Mexican rice that will rival your local Mexican restaurant!
Prep Time0 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Resting Time5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Arroz Rojo, Mexican Rice, Red Rice, Spanish Rice
Servings: 4
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Niki Medlin

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilis
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro optional
  • 1 lime optional

Instructions

  • In a fine sieve, rinse the rice under cool water until the water runs clear
  • To a non stick skillet, add the oil and rice, stir to coat all rice with oil
  • Over medium heat, toast the rice for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Add salt, chili powder, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with green chilis, and chicken broth
  • Stir to combine and over high heat, bring to a boil
  • Cover skillet and reduce heat to low, simmer for 20 minutes
  • Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, cover and let rest off heat for 5-10 minutes
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired

Notes

  • Allow 1/4 cup uncooked rice per person. This recipe serves 4. It could easily be doubled to serve 8, but rather than doubling the chicken broth to 3 cups, use 2 1/2 cups.
  • Rinsing the rice removes extra starch, resulting in fluffy rice rather than a sticky or mushy rice.
  • Toasting the rice develops a nutty flavor and helps each grain of rice to maintain its texture.
  • A tight fitting lid will keep the steam from escaping and ensure that your rice will be light and fluffy. If your lid allows steam to escape, cover the top of your skillet with a cloth napkin, and then top with the lid to create a tight seal.
  • The rice may appear to be too moist, but it will continue to absorb the liquid and become light and fluffy as it rests.
  • Store left over rice in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 1 week, or freeze in an air tight freezer container or a freezer bag (be sure to remove as much air as possible) for 3 months.
  • To reheat, cover the rice with a damp paper towel and microwave until warm, or add a few tablespoons of chicken broth or water and reheat over medium heat on the stove top until warm.
  • For frozen rice, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and follow reheating instructions above.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 946mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 209IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg