Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice is a one pan easy dinner recipe. Made with just 4 ingredients, this easy Cilantro Lime Rice recipe is your favorite Mexican rice full of flavors. And its so easy to make at home!
Want a low carb alternative, try my Cilantro Lime Quinoa
The Best Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice is my favorite! Be it in Tofu Burrito Bowl or Shrimp Burrito Bowl or beside some shredded Mexican Chicken, its always my favorite!
When I get bored of usual cooked rice at home, I make this zesty and refreshing Cilantro Lime Rice.
Its got the freshness owning to fresh Cilantro and the Lime Juice & Lime zest works like a magic on making a simple cooked rice taste brilliant!
This Cilantro Lime Rice is your best Mexican side dish. Serve it aside of Carnitas or Barbacoa or shredded Chicken, its simply Delicious...
Cilantro Lime Rice (with cooked rice)
This is even easier. Got any leftover rice? I bet you do.
Just add it to a pan, saute with some oil and garlic.
Toss some freshly grated Lime Zest and chopped Cilantro. Garnish with Lime juice and serve!
Whenever i have leftover rice, I use it to make Cilantro Lime Rice. It adds a perfect zing to a boring meal and kids love it to.
Also you can use it for Burritos, Burrito Bowls, Taco bowls, serve aside of anything and its simply the best side anyone could ever ask for.
Ingredients
- Rice - I use long grained Basmati rice for this recipe. You can use Brown Rice as well.
- Avocado Oil - I always use Avocado Oil for cooking. Its a light and flavorless oil which is healthy
- Lime - Fresh Lime Zest and Lime juice, does all the magic!
- Cilantro - the hero of this recipe! Freshly chopped Cilantro.
- Garlic - I use minced garlic, It really builds up a lot of flavor and makes it taste exactly like the Cilantro Lime Rice at Chipotle's
- Seasonings - salt to taste.
See recipe card for quantities. Also watch the video for a quick visual.
How to make Cilantro Lime Rice (Chipotle's) at home
Cook Rice: Heat Avocado Oil in a Pan.
As the oil shimmers, add the rinsed and drained rice and saute for 3-4 min over medium high heat.
Cover Cook: Add water to the pan. Add the Lime Zest, Salt, and minced Garlic to it. As the water boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 min.
Fluff the Rice: As the rice gets cooked, remove the lid. Fluff the rice using a fork.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with Lime Juice and freshly chopped Cilantro. Serve hot.
Hint: Cilantro is the key ingredient in this Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe. However if you cannot stand the flavor of Cilantro you can substitute it with flat leaf Parsley.
Substitutions
- Brown Rice - instead of Basmati Rice, you can use Long grain Brown Rice or Wild Rice as well. Just cooking time will vary. For Brown Rice, cook for 30 min and for wild rice, cook for 45-50 min.
- Parsley - use Parsley if you cannot stand the strong flavor of Cilantro
- Oil of your choice - You can replace Avocado Oil with Olive Oil or any healthy cooking oil which you regularly use for cooking.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: You need to store leftover Cilantro Lime Rice in an airtight container. You can refrigerate this for upto a week.
Freeze: If you're freezing this rice, store in a freezer bag. Press out the air. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat in the oven and fluff before serving. You can freeze this for upto 3 months.
FAQs
What kind of rice is best?
The best rice to use would be Basmati Rice. Long grain while Basmati Rice, cooks really quickly and is your ideal choice for this recipe.
What else can I add to this Cilantro Lime Rice?
If you want to make it spicy, you can add chopped Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce or Red Pepper Flakes or Enchilada Sauce. Diced Onions as well as chopped Banana Peppers makes a spicy addition to this Cilantro Lime Rice.
Can I make Cilantro Lime Rice in Instant Pot?
Yes ofcourse!
- Simple put the Instant pot to saute mode and saute the rice with oil for 2-3 min.
- Add the water, garlic, lime zest and cover cook on high pressure for 4 min.
- Fluff with a fork. Garnish with Lime Juice and chopped Cilantro right before serving.
What goes with Cilantro Lime Rice?
- Chicken Carnitas
- Crock Pot Pork Carnitas
- Mexican Shredded Beef
- The Best Beef Barbacoa
- Mexican Shrimp and Rice Burrito Bowl
- Chipotle Baked Tofu Burrito Bowl
- Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken Fajita
- Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo in Crockpot
- Crockpot Coconut Lime Chicken
Besides this it makes for an excellent filling inside Chimichangas, Burrito, Burrito Bowls, Quesadillas.
Top Tips to make the Best Cilantro Lime Rice
- Wash and Drain the rice before use. You do not need to soak rice before use.
- Basmati Rice works the best for this recipe as the long grains taste really good. Plain Rice isn't ideal for this recipe, but you can use it in a pinch.
- Sauteing the rice before cooking is an extra step which I do. It truly keeps the the rice grain firm even after cooking and also gives a nice nutty flavor to the rice.
- You can use butter as well. Of course it won't be that healthy but it makes this Cilantro Lime Rice so flavorful.
Homemade Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice
INGREDIENTS
- 1½ cup Basmati Rice long grain, (rinsed and drained)
- 1 medium sized Lime zested and juiced
- ½ cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil can replace with any cooking oil
- 3 cups Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a Pan over medium high heat. Heat Avocado Oil in it. As the oil shimmers, add the rice and saute until it browns for 3-4 min.
- Add water to the pan. Add the Lime Zest, minced Garlic and salt. Stir to combine. As the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover cook for 20 min.
- As the rice gets cooked, remove the lid. Garnish with freshly chopped Cilantro and Lime Juice. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
This is even easier. Got any leftover rice? I bet you do.
Just add it to a pan, saute with some oil and garlic.
Toss some freshly grated Lime Zest and chopped Cilantro. Garnish with Lime juice and serve!
- Wash and Drain the rice before use. You do not need to soak rice before use.
- Basmati Rice works the best for this recipe as the long grains taste really good. Plain Rice isn't ideal for this recipe, but you can use it in a pinch.
- Sauteing the rice before cooking is an extra step which I do. It truly keeps the the rice grain firm even after cooking and also gives a nice nutty flavor to the rice.
- You can use butter as well. Of course it won't be that healthy but it makes this Cilantro Lime Rice so flavorful.
Storing
Refrigerate: You need to store leftover Cilantro Lime Rice in an airtight container. You can refrigerate this for upto a week. Freeze: If you're freezing this rice, store in a freezer bag. Press out the air. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat in the oven and fluff before serving. You can freeze this for upto 3 months.Substitutions
- Brown Rice - instead of Basmati Rice, you can use Long grain Brown Rice or Wild Rice as well. Just cooking time will vary. For Brown Rice, cook for 30 min and for wild rice, cook for 45-50 min.
- Parsley - use Parsley if you cannot stand the strong flavor of Cilantro
- Oil of your choice - You can replace Avocado Oil with Olive Oil or any healthy cooking oil which you regularly use for cooking.
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