This Easy Southwestern Rice is a simple one-pot side dish made with fluffy rice, sweet corn, Rotel tomatoes, garlic, and warm spices for the perfect flavorful addition to taco night or any Tex-Mex meal.
From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito
Some side dishes end up stealing the whole show, and this is definitely one of them. This recipe is incredibly simple to throw together, but tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did. The rice comes out fluffy, buttery, and packed with just the right amount of southwest flavor.
I made a few tweaks while testing this recipe to really bring out the flavor. I cut back on the onion so it doesn’t overpower the dish, added fresh garlic because everything is better with garlic, and mixed a little Better Than Bouillon into the chicken broth. That tiny change makes a huge difference and gives the rice an even richer, homemade taste. And don’t drain the Rotel—you want every bit of that flavorful liquid.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made In One Pot. Less cleanup and everything cooks together for maximum flavor.
- Big Flavor With Simple Ingredients. Pantry staples turn into an incredibly delicious side dish.
- Perfect For Taco Night. It pairs with almost every Tex-Mex dinner.
- Great For Meal Prep. It reheats beautifully throughout the week.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious recipe. You can find the full ingredients list along with measurements on the recipe card below.
- Long Grain White Rice- cooks up light and fluffy while soaking up all of the delicious broth.
- Onion- adds just enough sweetness without overpowering the dish.
- Fresh Garlic- gives the rice a deeper, fresher flavor than garlic powder alone.
- Corn- adds little pops of sweetness that balance the spices perfectly.
- Garlic Powder-adds another layer of savory flavor.
- Ground Cumin- gives the rice that classic southwest taste.
- Chili Powder- adds warmth without making the dish spicy.
- Chicken Broth mixed with Better Than Bouillon- creates an incredibly flavorful cooking liquid.
- Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilies- add moisture, tomatoes, mild heat, and tons of flavor. Be sure not to drain the can—the liquid helps cook the rice.
How To Make It
Heres how to make this delicious rice. You can find the full ingredients list along with instructions on the recipe card below.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the fresh garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the uncooked rice and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Add the entire can of undrained Rotel and the corn. Season with garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Mix the Better Than Bouillon into the chicken broth until dissolved and pour it into the skillet.
- Stir everything together and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for about 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the butter and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsely and fresh lime juice before serving.
Pro Tips
- Toasting the rice before adding the liquid gives it a deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Don’t skip the Better Than Bouillon—it really boosts the flavor.
- Keep the lid on while the rice cooks to trap the steam.
- Let the rice rest before fluffing for the best texture.
- Fresh lime juice right before serving brig
Variations
- Stir in a can of drained black beans.
- Add shredded cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese.
- Mix in diced green chilies for extra flavor.
- Add cooked shredded chicken for a complete meal.
- Stir in diced jalapeños if you like more heat.
- Finish with sliced green onions.
What To Serve With It
This rice is perfect alongside tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, grilled chicken, steak, carnitas, or shrimp. It’s also delicious served with tortilla chips and queso or spooned into burrito bowls for an easy weeknight dinner.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave with a splash of chicken broth or water to bring back the moisture. You can also warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through.
Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight before reheating.
Other Tex Mex Recipes
I've rounded up all my favorite Tex Mex recipes so you can find them easily in one place! I highly recommend my viral White Chicken Enchiladas. They're a MUST TRY!
Easy Southwestern Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs Butter (divided)
- 1 Cup Long Grain White Rice
- ½ Cup Onion, diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 15 Oz Corn (drained)
- 10 Oz Rotel with the Green Chilis, undrained
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ½ Tsp Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1.5 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 Tbs Better Than Bullion
- 1 Lime Juice
- Cilantro/ Parsley
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the fresh garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the uncooked rice and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Add the entire can of undrained Rotel and the corn. Season with garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Mix the Better Than Bouillon into the chicken broth until dissolved and pour it into the skillet.
- Stir everything together and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for about 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the butter and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsely and fresh lime juice before serving.
Video
Other Easy Rice Recipes
If you like super easy to make rice recipes like this one, you have to try this Easy Fried Rice, French Onion Rice and Cheesy Taco Rice.
nerdpress says
I love this recipe! It's so tasty.