Mexican White Rice (Arroz Mexicana)
Authentic Mexican white rice (arroz blanco) is perfect to pair with your favorite Mexican main dish! Here, white rice is flavored with garlic and onion, then cooked in chicken broth with cubed vegetables for a tasty side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 medium white onion or half of a small one finely diced
- 1 clove garlic finely diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup mixed, diced vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, Mexican squash, etc.), optional I use frozen mixed vegetables (mix of peas, corn, and carrots)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place rice in a bowl and cover with hot water for at least 15 minutes.1 cup long grain white rice
- Drain rice in a fine-meshed colander and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly and set aside. Allow to dry as you work on the next step.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy bottomed skillet until shimmering. I use a stainless steel skillet, about 12 inches in diameter with side walls about 3 inches high.1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Add rice, onion, and garlic and fry until the rice starts to turn golden, scraping rice from the bottom of the skillet and turning gently once or twice, about 5-7 minutes. If you prefer a more pure white color, fry only until the grain starts to become translucent.1/4 medium white onion or half of a small one, 1 clove garlic
- Reduce heat to medium, add 1 cup chicken broth to rice, stir to incorporate and simmer gently until the broth is almost absorbed, about 3-4 minutes. Ensure rice on bottom of pan is not burning by gently scraping the bottom of the pan and turning the rice ocassionally. Take care to not overwork the rice.3 cups chicken broth
- Add the remaining chicken broth, vegetables, and salt and continue allowing the rice to simmer until the liquid is almost absorbed and small holes appear in the top of the rice mixture, 15-20 minutes.1 cup mixed, diced vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, Mexican squash, etc.), optional, Salt to taste
- Remove from heat, cover with a clean kitchen towel and lid. Allow to steam another 5 minutes or until liquid is completely absorbed.
- To check doneness, gently scrape the bottom of the pan and taste rice from the bottom. If the rice is soft, it is ready. If not, sprinkle with some additional broth and cover for a couple of additional minutes.