Mexican Green Rice Recipe
This Mexican Green Rice Recipe (or Arroz Verde) is an easy rice pilaf that is flavorful and lovely. Cooked with cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic, and peppers, this green rice will take your Taco Tuesday to a whole new level!
Anytime you can up level your rice game, its a “must do”! Taking a few extra moments to prepare a sauce made of fresh herbs and peppers, cooking the rice in chicken stock instead of water, and toasting the rice before cooking helps to create a rich and flavorful side dish with hardly any extra work. Plus its a lovely way to add some extra green color to your meals!
You will never want plain white rice again! (It would also pair beautifully with a nice curry, or roasted chicken, or even a nice fish!
How to Make Arroz Verde (or Mexican Green Rice)
Mexican Green Rice is super easy to make! With only a few extra steps more than making plain white rice, this is an easy side dish your family will love!
- Start by pureeing together cilantro, parsley, green pepper, green onions, a garlic clove, lime juice and 1/2 cup of chicken stock.
- Toast the rice for a few minutes in a hot pan with a bit of oil until it starts to turn brown and toasty (this will take you 3-5 minutes).
- Add the rest of the chicken stock and the herb sauce. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to sit for an additional 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and serve!
How Your Kids Can Help You Cook:
One of the best ways of getting kids interested in eating new foods is to have them help you make the meal! The more involved they are, the more likely they will want to try a taste. Here are some age appropriate ways to get your kids in the kitchen with you to make Mexican Green Rice:
- Kids aged 1 to 3 can help you wash all the produce and help pick the cilantro and parsley leaves off of the stems.
- Kids aged 4 to 6 can help do everything above, plus help you dice the green pepper and garlic, and juice the lime.
- Kids aged 7 to 10+ can help do everything above, plus help you puree the sauce together and stir the rice as it toasts.
*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.
How to Serve Mexican Green Rice:
Arroz Verde is a perfect side dish to serve with any Tex-Mex inspired meal you are serving, like Chicken Mole Tacos!
How to prepare ahead of time. This easy side dish is easy to prepare ahead of time and reheat in the microwave when needed.
How you can alter the recipe. You can change this recipe to suit your spiciness levels. Replace the green pepper with either a serrano pepper or a jalapeño pepper!
Try these other global inspired rice recipes:
Mexican Green Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup unsalted chicken stock divided
- ½ cup parsley leaves
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- ½ green pepper roughly diced
- 2 green onions
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 cups long grain rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor, puree parsley, cilantro, green pepper, green onions, garlic, lime juice, and 1/2 cup of chicken stock until smooth.
- Heat a medium to large pan over medium heat with the olive oil.
- Add the rice and toast, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes, or until starting to become toasty brown.
- Add in the herb sauce and the remaining stock.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce the heat to low to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and serve.
Nutrition
Want a more visual approach? Check out the How to make Mexican green rice story.
This is a great side dish! I can eat this with anything.
This was so perfect with my salsa chicken — love the flavors!
Definitely I would have a hard time going back to “boring” white rice after this! The color is great and the flavors are perfect complement to many dishes. Lovely!