Mexican Rice Restaurant Style

Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup yellow onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons mild green chilies, canned
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt

• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350-F. - Bake 30 minutes total, stirring after 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Place rice in strainer and rinse under running water until it runs clear. About 2-minutes. This is important to create a dry, non-sticky restaurant style rice.

3. 3

   Drain rice, making sure to shake out as much water as possible.

4. 4

   Heat canola oil to medium high in a dutch oven (3qt to 6qt) on the stove top. Drop a few rice grains in the oil. When they sizzle, add all remaining rice. Stir constantly and fry rice until it is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

5. 5

   Add onions and stir into rice. Cook while stirring about 2 more minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute.

6. 6

   Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste, green chilies and diced tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a boil.

7. 7

   When rice reaches a boil, place lid on dutch oven and place in 350-F preheated oven. Bake 15-minutes then open oven and stir well. Replace dutch oven lid and bake another 15 to 20-minutes until done.

8. 8

   Remove from oven and stir in chopped cilantro. Cover and allow to rest about 5 minutes before serving to allow cilantro flavor to be absorbed by the rice.