Mexican Restaurant-Style Rice

Have you ever tried one of those Mexican Rice packets or mixes? They never taste like rice you get at a Mexican restaurant and are probably loaded with salt and preservatives too. My brother introduced me to this recipe several years ago and I've never strayed. This is a recipe I've made so many times that I know it by heart. The original recipe comes from the Food Network website.

Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of white rice (I like Texmati)
• 1 3/4 cup or 1 can of chicken broth
• 1 can of whole, peeled tomatoes
• 1/4 of a large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Prep

1. Peel and chop your onion
2. Peel and mince your garlic
   

3. Open your can of tomatoes and your chicken broth and set aside

Cook

1. Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium high heat.
2. Add your 2 tsp of vegetable oil to the pan and let it heat for a minute or so.
3. Add your 3/4 cup of rice and cook for 3 minutes or so, just until the rice starts to brown. Watch and stir here - it can burn fast.
   

4. Once your rice is toasty, add your onion and garlic and stir together with the dry rice.
5. Add 2 TBSP of juice from your can of tomatoes, then add 3 tomatoes from the can, crushing them with your hands into the saucepan.
   

6. Add your chicken broth and stand back - it will steam.
7. Add 1 tsp of salt and let the liquid come to a fast boil.
   

8. Once your liquid is boiling, cover your saucepan and turn the heat down to low so you can just barely hear it bubble.
9. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat and let steam until ready to serve (at least 10 minutes)
10. Fluff the rice with a fork after it steams to mix everything together before serving.