With our open borders, Arkansas is flush with Mexicans and many like to run eateries and work as cooks.
A friend ran a bar. Bars in Arkansas that serve liquor, as opposed to beer/wine only bars, have to serve real food, not just bar munchies.
He had a Mexican cook who I watched make Mexican rice one day. The best I've ever had BTW.
From memory, didn't write it down
, he put raw rice in a pot with a little oil and toasted the rice til somewhat golden.
He then added chicken stock/broth, whatever you want to call it, salt, some diced onions, and a *little* tomato sauce/puree. Just enough to color things. May have been a few pieces of jalapeno too. Don't remember but it is common around here. He also added a few frozen corn kernels and frozen diced carrots. Around here I sometimes see some with (frozen?) green peas added too. He stirred it well and cooked it like you normally would cook rice from this point.
Once done he fluffed it up and served it.
I've seen Knorr Tomato Bouillon used for the stock/tomato portion and it usually works well, like I expect the Maggi version works.
Many people confuse what I know as Spanish rice with Mexican rice. The recipes I know of as Spanish rice include way more tomato than what I know as Mexican rice.
