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For a light dinner with the convenience of a one-pan meal, we paired a Mexican staple (green rice) with fresh, flaky fish. The trick to perfectly cooked fish and rice all in the same dish? Staggered cooking.

To start, we pureed cilantro, spinach, and a jalapeno in a blender to form a bright, piquant base for cooking the rice. Then we sprinkled the otherwise pale fish with chili powder and salt to give the fish an appealing hue and a boost of flavor. We then sauteed poblano, scallion whites, and garlic to increase flavor, followed by the rice.

Toasting the rice in the skillet for about 2 minutes helped add another layer of flavor. To give the rice a head start, we parcooked it in a combination of broth and the cilantro mixture. After 10 minutes, we laid the golden-brown cod pieces on top of the rice and covered the pan to ensure that both the fish and the rice finished cooking at the same time.

Mayonnaise, along with a little of the reserved cilantro mixture, lime juice, and a pinch of salt, created a simple sauce that was not only delicious but also brought the dish together. For a fresh finish, we sprinkled scallion greens on top.

One-Pan Cod and Green Rice

Serves 4

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, and stems

1 ounce (1 cup) baby spinach

1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 cup water

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

2 teaspoons table salt, divided

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless cod fillets, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick

2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed

2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1. Process cilantro, spinach, jalapeno and water in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as needed. Transfer 1 tablespoon cilantro mixture to a small bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, lime juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; set aside sauce. Reserve remaining cilantro mixture separately.

2. Combine chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pat cod dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place cod in skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, about 2 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, carefully transfer cod to plate, browned side up. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.

3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add poblanos and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in rice, scallion whites, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until edges of rice are translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, remaining cilantro mixture, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Carefully place cod browned side up on top of rice mixture. Cover skillet and cook until remaining liquid is absorbed and cod flakes apart when gently prodded with a paring knife and registers 135 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Off heat, drizzle cod with sauce and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges.

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