Cilantro Lime Rice

This simple Cilantro Lime Rice recipe is a copycat Chipotle recipe that you can easily make at home. Add it to stir fries, burritos, tacos, or serve it as a flavorful side dish.

Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice

Fresh cilantro and lime add a surprising amount of flavor to basic rice. It's fresh and delicious, without a lot of effort (and it looks pretty too!). Keith has been making Cilantro Lime Rice for years. We like it because it goes well with just about everything: Grilled Chicken, Fish Tacos, or Vegetable Potstickers.

The best part? You don't need to make a Chipotle run to enjoy this tasty recipe. With only 4 ingredients, you can make this at home in minutes.

Jump to:

• Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Top Tip
• Variations
• Storage
• FAQ
• Related recipes
• Cilantro Lime Rice recipe

Ingredients

• RICE: white rice or brown rice (we like short grain rice). If using brown rice, be sure to add more water when cooking.
• WATER: filtered water
• LIME: fresh squeezed lime juice
• SALT: we like sea salt or kosher salt
• CILANTRO: fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. RINSE THE RICE: Rinse rice under warm water thoroughly to make sure it is clean and free of excess starches.
2. COOK THE RICE: (according to package directions)
   • Rice Cooker Method: place rinsed rice in rice cooker. Add water to cover. Cover and set cooker to cook.
   • Stove Top Method: place rinsed rice in sauce pan (measure 1 ½ cups water to each cup of uncooked rice). Bring to a boil, then cover the pan with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes (until rice warm and fluffy).
3. MIX IN LIME JUICE: When rice is done, transfer to mixing bowl. Add juice of one lime.
4. ADD CILANTRO: Add chopped cilantro and salt. Mix well.
5. SERVE: serve warm with Pulled Pork Tacos, Steak Fajitas, or Black Bean Quesadillas.

Top Tip

Use a room temperature lime, and roll it on a cutting board (pressing lightly) before cutting it in half. This will give more juice for the rice.

Variations

• SPICE IT UP: add crushed red pepper flakes, sliced green onions, or sliced jalapeños to give Cilantro Lime Rice a kick!
• LO CARB: use brown rice or a mixture of white rice and cauliflower riced to reduce carbs.
• SUPER FAST: short on time? Use precooked rice packets. Just mix in the lime juice, cilantro, and salt and you're good to go.

Storage

• STORE leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• FREEZE leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen rice in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours before heating it up.
• REHEAT: in microwave or in a sauté pan with a teaspoon of olive oil.

FAQ

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