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Meal Makeover Moms / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
489 | Calories |
8g | Fat |
94g | Carbs |
10g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 489 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 8g | 10% |
Saturated Fat 1g | 6% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 25mg | 1% |
Total Carbohydrate 94g | 34% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 17% |
Protein 10g | |
Calcium 114mg | 9% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Not just your average plain white rice, this Mexican-style spin boasts big flavor and texture thanks to frozen veggies and a hit of chile. Rice is inexpensive, and easy to find so you can make this dish as often as you like. To make it a main dish, add in 1-2 cups of cooked chicken or turkey.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice (soaked for 20 minutes in warm water)
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
- 1 small onion (peeled and chopped)
- 1/2 small chile (seeded and finely chopped, optional)
- 1/3 cup frozen peas (optional)
- 1/3 cup frozen carrots (chopped, optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Add the rice and water to the pot and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for another 10 minutes. Check rice and simmer for an additional 5 minute if necessary. Set aside.
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As a rice cooks, add the cooking oil to a pan and heat on medium-high. Add the garlic, followed by the onion and chile. Cook until fragrant.
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If using, add peas and carrots to the pan and cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
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Once the vegetables are ready, add the cooked rice to the pan and mix thoroughly to combine. Add salt, adjusting seasoning if more is needed.
Recipe Variations
- Swap out the water for chicken broth, which provides extra flavor. If using salted broth, cut back on the salt that you add.
- Increase the heat level by adding more fresh chili or by sprinkling in cayenne pepper or red chili flakes to taste.
- For a splash of citrus flavor, squeeze fresh limes over the dish before serving.
- Brown rice version: Swap the white rice for its whole-grain sibling, brown rice. It takes longer to cook and needs more water, so increase the water to 6 cups and allow approximately 45 minutes.
- One-pan version: Instead of boiling the rice separately, saute the dry grains in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the water and cook the rice risotto-style, stirring regularly until the liquid is absorbed. Add the chili and vegetables as normal.
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