Arroz Verde Poblano (Mexican Green Rice)
This Arroz Verde Poblano is light, fluffy, and full of fresh flavor from roasted poblanos, cilantro and garlic. It's the perfect side dish to add color and a mild kick to any Mexican meal. Try it alongside carne asada, enchiladas or your favorite tacos.
Equipment
- saucepan
- Wooden Spoon
- Fork
Ingredients
Poblano Sauce
- 2 poblano peppers
- 5 sprigs cilantro
- ⅛ medium white onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- ¼ cup water just enough to blend ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- ¼ cup neutral-tasting oil such as avocado oil or mild olive oil
- ¼ medium white onion, diced
- 1 medium garlic clove, diced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup hot water, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Poblano Sauce
- Roast poblano peppers on the stove or under the broiler. See my post Simple Ways to Roast Green Chiles at Home for more details.
- Peel, deseed and chop the poblanos.
- Add poblanos, cilantro, ⅛ onion, 1 large garlic clove, and enough water to blend (about ⅛-1/4 cup) into a blender. Blend until smooth.
Rice
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add rice.
- Using a wooden spoon, sauté the rice until it turns a golden-brown color (be careful it does not burn). This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or heat-resistant container. Pour the rice and the oil into the sieve, leaving about 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan.
- Add diced onion and diced garlic to the saucepan where you cooked the rice. Sauté over medium-low until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add the rice back into the pan, along with the blended poblano sauce.
- Simmer the rice with the sauce for 3-5 minutes to cook off some of the liquid.
- Add 1 cup of broth, ½ cup of hot water, and the salt.
- Use a fork (and only a fork) to carefully stir everything together just until combined. Do not over stir. Too much stirring will break up the rice and make it mushy.
- Use a spoon to taste the liquid. The liquid should taste just a tad salty. If it doesn't, sprinkle a small amount of additional salt and use a fork to stir it in.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and set heat to low for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, use a fork to dig a small hole in the middle of the rice until you reach the bottom. If there isn’t any water left, add ¼ cup of hot water, cover. However, if there is still water, cover and wait another minute or two to make sure the water has dried up before adding the ¼ cup of water.
- After about 8 minutes, check to see if the rice is tender. If it is hard, make a small well again. If there isn’t any water, add ⅛-1/4 cup hot water, cover.
- Once this water has dried up, which should take about 5 minutes, take the rice off the heat. Leave the pot covered and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Carefully fluff with a fork, being sure not to over-mix or break up the rice pieces.
Notes
Special Tips for Fluffy Rice
- Add Water in Stages: Don't add all the water at once. This recipe uses smaller amount of liquid added at three different times. This is the key to the fluffiness of this rice. It gives you more control over the texture and helps prevent soggy or mushy results.
- Avoid Over-Stirring: Once you add the liquid, only stir the rice when the recipe instructs. Stirring too much can break the grains and cause them to stick together.
- Use a Fork to Stir: Only use a fork to stir, and not a spoon. This keeps the grains intact and helps maintain a fluffy texture.
- Watch Closely: Because the water is added in stages, it's important to monitor the rice closely. Once the liquid dries up, the rice can quickly stick the bottom and burn.
- Adjust Salt Early: Here's a trick to ensure your rice is seasoned properly. When you add all the ingredients and the water the first time, use a spoon to taste the liquid. It should taste slightly salty. If not, sprinkle in a bit more salt and gently stir it in with a fork.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 30.4gProtein: 5.9gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 494mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 1.4gSugar: 1.4gCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
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