Burrito Bowl with Mexican Rice (Top 8 Free)
Burrito bowl with Mexican rice is inspired from the tasty flavors we love in restaurant style Mexican cuisine, made at home. It’s top 8 allergen-free and customizable based on your dietary requirements.
We make this bowl at home so that our daughter who has multiple food allergies doesn’t have to miss out on the flavors of Mexican cuisine.
Burrito Bowl with Mexican Rice is part of our series, Flavors of Culture.
Traveling to Hawaii with food allergies
A few years ago, my family and I went to Hawaii for our summer vacation. We were staying on a remote part of Kauai with limited safe eating out options.
We wanted to enjoy our trip without worrying about the risks of cross contamination or finding adequate medical support in case of an allergic reaction. So, we made the decision to cook all of our meals. We were close to a well stocked grocery store which even sold many of our allergy friendly staples.
Burrito Bowl with Mexican Rice tastes better than take out!
One evening, after spending a day at the beach with sand still fresh on our feet, the tween was craving Mexican rice. We tinkered away in our hot, tiny kitchen, making a mess and arguing over whether to cook rice on the stovetop or bake it in the oven.
Since it was warm outside and we had no air conditioning inside, we cooked it on the stove. The result was this fluffy rice infused with fresh tomatoes, cumin, oregano and garlic. It tasted just as delicious as any take out Mexican rice.
We’ve made this meal countless times since our last visit. It’s an easy weeknight dinner and a crowd pleaser.
Flavors of Culture: Burrito Bowl with Mexican Rice
We usually serve Mexican Rice with poached shredded chicken, black beans, plenty of cilantro and a hearty squeeze of lime. We also make a quick spicy hot sauce out of sriracha and yogurt. The beauty of this rice bowl is that it can be adapted. We’ve included alternatives in the notes section.
The girls beg us for a visit back to Hawaii especially as the weather turns foggy here in Northern California. They are their happiest chasing rainbows and splashing in warm waves. Who wouldn’t be?
Burrito Bowl with Mexican Rice (Top 8 Free)
- Total Time: 1 hour -1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Burrito Bowl with Mexican rice is top 8 allergen-free and customizable based on your dietary requirements.
Adapted from The Kitchn; Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
Ingredients
For poached chicken:
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1 pound chicken breasts or thighs
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2 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
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2 bay leaves
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1 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- Arrange chicken in a single layer in a saucepan. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Add garlic and bay leaves.
- Pour enough cold water to cover chicken by 1 inch.
- Bring water to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or when a thermometer reads 165 in the thickest part of the chicken.
- Remove from poaching liquid and set chicken aside to cool until ready to use. I like to pour a bit of liquid on top of chicken so that it does not dry out. When cool, place on cutting board to shred with a knife and fork.
- Save poaching liquid and strain. Use as a quick broth for Mexican rice.
For rice:
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3 medium ripe tomatoes, quartered or 1 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes
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1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
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1/3 cup olive oil
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2 cups long grain white rice. *See Notes
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2 small cloves garlic, crushed
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1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
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1/2 teaspoon oregano
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2 cups water, broth or poaching liquid from chicken
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, minced
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1 1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/4 teaspoon pepper or just a pinch
-
1-2 jalapeños, minced ( optional)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a food processor or blender, puree tomatoes and onion until smooth. Measure 2 cups total of mixture and set aside. Any leftover mixture can be stored in refrigerator for another use.
- On medium heat, warm a 4 quart Dutch oven or 4 quart oven safe saucepan or pot ( you’ll need a lid) . Add oil. Add rice and saute, stirring frequently until light golden in color about 8-10 minutes.
- Add cumin and oregano. Lower heat to medium- low. Add garlic and jalapeños( if using) and stir until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in 2 cups tomato mixture, broth ( I use poaching liquid from chicken), tomato paste, salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
- Cover with lid and transfer to oven. Bake until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed , about thirty minutes. Once water has been fully absorbed, remove lid. Mix well, scooping rice from bottom of pot . If rice seems dry, add a little liquid and fluff.
- Fold in cilantro or parsley and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
- For srichacha sauce:
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1 tablespoon srichacha
- 2 tablespoons plain full fat yogurt or plant based yogurt of choice
- Mix together and serve as a side or drizzled on top.
- To assemble in bowls: Place chicken, beans of choice and garnishes on top of Mexican rice. Serve with tortillas or chips.
Notes
- For best results, use long grain white rice. A different variety of rice will alter taste, consistency and cooking time.
- If you cannot eat beans, leave out or use any beans of choice.
- Shrimp, steak and tofu are nice alternatives to chicken
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Method: Stove and Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Mexican Cuisine, Allergy Friendly, Mexican Rice
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