Baked Chimichangas and Restaurant-Style Spanish Rice
Tonight's dinner was fantastic. Pinterest helped me crack the code to Restaurant-style Spanish Rice!
Spanish Rice
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 20 Min
Method: Stove Top
Ingredients:
1 cup raw regular white rice
1/2 can small 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp ground oregano
2 cups water
1/8 chopped fine onion
1/8 cooking oil doesn't matter what kind
Preparation:
1. You want to make rice in a heavy bottomed frying pan and
have a tight fitting glass lid. Place cooking oil in pan with raw rice, use a
medium heat to brown the rice, then add the onion making sure all rice/onion is
coated with oil. When rice has turned white you add the 1/2 can of tomato
sauce, it should be sizzling by this time.
2. When the rice and tomato sauce are sizzling, you add the
2 cups of water and all the spices, stirring until well mixed. When rice
mixture is bubbling you lower the heat to simmer, covering with glass lid. cook
on low heat for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT LID!!!
3. When the 15 minutes are completed, turn off heat and let
sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid and use spatula to turn rice from bottom to top.
Rice is done and ready to eat!
4. As you can see the rice should be dry...not sticky (too
much water) or gummy(someone lifted the lid)Not bright red(whole can of tomato
sauce)or almost white(too little tomato sauce)there is also no brown onions or
brown rice(browned too long)
Oven-baked Chicken Chimichangas
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
1/4 tsp black pepper
5 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup drained and rinsed black beans
2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro (or baby spinach)
3/4 cup salsa
8 oz freshly shredded monterrey jack cheese
7 flour tortillas (Taco-size, about 8 to 9")
Vegetable oil or olive oil for brushing
Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine the chicken,
cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, scallions, black
beans, and cilantro. Add the salsa and cheese. Stir to combine. Taste for
seasoning and adjust as needed.
Brush 4 tortillas on one side very lightly with water then
place them in a stack on a clean kitchen towel. Wrap the towel around the
tortillas. Microwave the tortillas for about 25 seconds. This heats the
tortillas enough to make them pliable.
Remove one tortilla from the kitchen towel and rewrap the
others to keep them warm. Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the
tortilla. Wrap the chimichanga like you would a burrito. Fold the left and
right sides of the tortilla up over the filling then roll it starting from the
bottom to completely enclose the filling. You should not roll the chimi too
tightly or the tortilla will tear (or later burst during baking). Place the
chimi seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other
tortillas – heating additional tortillas in the microwave when needed.
Brush the tops and sides of each chimi with some oil. Bake
for 23 to 26 minutes or until the chimis are golden and crispy. Serve with
additional salsa, sour cream, or pico de gallo.
Alternative Preparations:
1) Use freshly grated 2% sharp cheddar. Regular cheddar is
also tasty but releases a lot of oil when it melts. Pepper jack cheese works
great for those who appreciate things on the spicy side. Feeling naughty? Use
12 oz of cheese. It's really tasty that way but increases the caloric content
and level of saturated fat considerably.
2) Make it vegetarian! Instead of chicken, add some red bell
peppers, corn, and additional black beans.
3) Use whole-wheat or low-carb tortillas.
4) Instead of regular salsa, use salsa verde. It's really
tasty this way!
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