Arroz Verde or Green Rice is a simple side dish that is great served alongside chicken, pork, fish or roasted vegetables. It is made with long-grain rice and it is often cooked with a variety of different ingredients to make it green, depending upon the recipe. Arroz Verde is often made with Poblano Chilies and sometimes a jalapeno pepper is added, but in my recipe, that’s not the case – it’s not spicy at all because it’s made with spinach and herbs.
Spinach and cilantro are pureed together with some milk and chicken broth for a vegetal base that is aromatic like your garden. The rice is first sauteed with some onions and garlic to create a great environment to absorb the green colored liquid and after cooking, the steamy grains look more like grass shavings after mowing than fresh fallen snow.
If you’re a vegetarian, you can add vegetable stock instead of chicken and you won’t miss a beat. Also, this rice makes pretty great leftovers for enjoying for lunch the next day – just reheat it in the microwave.
Ingredients
1 cups spinach
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 cup whole milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup long grain rice
1/2 white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper
(Serves 4)
To Prepare:
- In a blender, add spinach and cilantro, puree until roughly chopped. Add milk, broth, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, puree until smooth.
- In a saucepan, add olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add rice and stir to combine. Cook rice for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add green liquid and stir to combine. Turn heat to low and cover pan with lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Serve hot and Enjoy!
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