Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (2024)

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Rice is such a tasty and inexpensive side dish. Jazz it up quickly and easily to make this tasty Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe. The entire family will enjoy it.

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (1)

Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe:

We love making rice. It is an easy side dish that can be added to almost any dish. This Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice is a great way to jazz up plain white rice.

The combination of the Cilantro and Lime adds so much flavor to white rice. We love adding it to our burrito bowls or as a side to our favorite taco recipe.

The best part is that it is easy recipe to make with very little ingredients. Rice is an inexpensive side dish that is very filling and easy to make.

Another delicious rice side dish is Dirty Rice Recipe.

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (2)

How many cups of rice will 1 cup uncooked rice make?

  • 1 cup of uncooked white rice makes about 3 cups of cooked white rice
  • 1 cup of uncooked brown rice makes about 4 cups of cooked brown rice
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (3)

What is the difference between brown and white rice?

White rice has always been the popular choice of rice eat. My family prefers white rice over brown rice.

Brown rice is whole grain that has fibrous bran and gem. It is loaded with fiber, minerals and vitamins which makes up the bran and gem.

While the White Rice is still a crowd pleaser, all the minerals and fiber are removed while it is processing.

One of biggest difference also is that brown rice takes longer to make.

Do you use Cilantro Stems?

Yes, you can. The stems have a lot of flavor. When making this recipe, I tend to use the leaves and some of the stems.

When chopping the cilantro, I focus on chopping the top of the cilantro bunch. I love the texture of the cilantro leaves.

Cilantro rice is such a quick and delicious side dish idea!

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (4)

Cilantro Rice is a Crowd Pleaser!

You will love the lime flavor. Sometimes, we make burrito bowls with this delicious rice. Just set out different bowls of meat and toppings. Let your family choose what they like and you have burrito bowls!

Put about ½ cup rice in each bowl. It’s a great way to stretch the meat and feed a crowd. This is also really great for parties. You can’t go wrong with rice because it’s so easy and inexpensive.

I lovecilantro lime ricewith just black beans.Yum!

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (5)

Ingredients:

  • Dry Long Grain Rice
  • Water
  • Garlic Salt
  • Lime (see How to Cut Lime Wedges
  • Cilantro (See How to Cut Cilantro)
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (6)

How to make Cilantro Lime Rice Copycat Recipe:

  • Prepare your Rice – In a medium saucepan add the rice. Combine 3 cups of rice with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil. Before adding the rice to the pan, I like to rinse the rice.
  • Cook the Rice – Once you have a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook the rice for 15 minutes or 20 minutes until rice is tender.
  • Add Seasoning – Remove from heat. Add garlic salt and chopped cilantro.
  • Squeeze the Lime – Squeeze the fresh lime over rice. Stir.
  • Serve and Enjoy – Add lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Variations:

  • Use Chicken Broth – Feel free to substitute chicken broth for water. It is totally optional but adds a lot of flavor.
  • Add some Oil – You can add in some olive oil for extra flavoring.
  • Double the Recipe – This is a double recipe. It will make a lot of rice. I do this, because you can then freeze the rest so you have an easy side dish later.
  • Rice Cooker Option – You can also use a rice cooker but I find it just as easy to boil on the stove top.
  • Add Lemon – Adding some lemon add so much flavor. The lime and lemon juices combined makes this rice next level.
  • Type of Rice –For this recipe, we use long grains rice. We like that after cooking long grain white rice it turns out light and fluffy. Basmati Rice is the kind I like using. Jasmine rice is a good alternative.
  • Fresh Cilantro –It is best to use fresh cilantro. Use the dried cilantro is tasteless and will not work in this recipe.
  • Fresh Lime –For the best lime taste, use fresh squeezed lime. I like adding lime zest to my rice.

What to serve with rice?

Here are some of our favorite recipes to serve with this Cilantro Rice:

  • Serve it with the Cilantro lime chicken for an amazing dinner. But this goes great with almost anything.
  • We like to serve this delicious rice with The Best Crockpot Chicken Tacos Recipe.With only 3 ingredients, these tacos are so quick and simple.
  • Another crowd pleaser is this Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Crock Pot Recipe. Especially if you are a fan of Chipotle restaurant. Now you can fix all your Chipotle favorites at home.
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (7)

How to freeze rice?

It’s very simple process to freeze rice. Learn how to freeze rice and you can take it out of the freezer for a quick side dish.

Anytime I make rice, I always double to recipe. Having my freezer stocked with meals and side dishes saves me so much time and money. Check out How to Reheat Rice.

What about Cilantro Lime Brown Rice?

Yes, you can substitute brown rice for the white rice. We love it just as much! It is a nice change then the traditional white rice.

Since brown rice loaded with so many health benefits, I tend to make brown rice.

Can you make Cilantro Lime Rice in the Instant Pot?

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice is a quick and easy way to get cook your rice. We love using our instant pot. In about 5 minutes you can have an easy side dish on the table.

Using a pressure cooker has been a game changer for my family. From freezer to instant pot, your family can have a homecooked meal in very little time using the instant pot.

How to Store Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice:

I really like to meal prep for the week. It saves me so much time and money. This cilantro lime rice is perfect make ahead of time. My husband and I prepare our individual containers and fill each one up with cilantro rice, a protein and a vegetable.

It saves the hassle in the morning trying to figure out what to take for lunch. The lunch is already prepared and he can just grab and go. My kids love it when we have a container leftover.

How to reheat:

It is easy to reheat this rice. Make sure to store in a microwave safe dish to easily reheat. We usually reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute intervals until rice is reheated.

Squeeze a fresh lime over the top of your freshly heated rice to freshen up the flavor. We think it taste better the next day.

Print this Chipotle cilantro lime rice recipe below:

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (8)

Review

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Cilantro Lime Rice

5 from 24 votes

Try Cilantro lime rice recipe for an easy side dish. Cilantro lime rice is so quick to make. Everyone will enjoy Cilantro Lime Rice recipe.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 12

Cuisine American, Mexican

Course Side Dish

Calories 171

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

  • 3 cups dry long grain rice
  • 6 cups water
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
  • 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

  • In a medium size pot, combine 3 cups rice with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil.

  • Once you have a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.

  • Remove from heat. Add garlic salt and chopped cilantro.

  • Squeeze the lime over rice. Stir.

  • Add lid and let sit for 5 minutes.

Recipe Notes

*Refrigerate the leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5-7 days.

*You can also freeze the rice in a freezer bag for up to 2-3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 171kcal, Carbohydrates 38g, Protein 3g, Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1g, Monounsaturated Fat 1g, Sodium 299mg, Potassium 62mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 1g, Vitamin A 48IU, Vitamin C 2mg, Calcium 19mg, Iron 1mg

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More easy rice recipes:

  • Cauliflower Rice
  • Easy Spanish Rice
  • One Pot Dirty Rice Recipe
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (9)

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About the Author

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (18)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does Chipotle put cilantro in their rice? ›

Every morning, we make our cilantro-lime white rice from scratch in each of our restaurants. We steam it with bay leaves to impart their herbal fragrance, then season it with lime and lemon juices and toss it with cilantro for its fresh, slightly tart flavor.

Does Chipotle put salt in their rice? ›

Apparently Chipotle simply cooks the rice grains in water with a bay leaf and then they add the salt, oil, cilantro, lime juice, and lemon juice all after the rice is done cooking. Some sources say they use rice bran oil but it can be both hard to find and more expensive.

Can you make Chipotle rice without cilantro? ›

Cilantro haters: If you happen to be one of the millions of people who despise cilantro (it's not your fault), you can ask for rice without cilantro at Chipotle.

Why is Chipotle rice so good? ›

Lime juice lends sweetness and just a touch of bitterness, while lemon juice adds a little sourness. But the real secret to this famed rice isn't what you may think it is. It's not some special spice blend or magical cooking method — it's a bay leaf.

Does Chipotle use oil in their rice? ›

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We use it in places like our salad dressing and to season our rice, just to name a few. We also like that it's non-GMO (#overachievers). Rice bran oil is a great way to use the parts of the rice that would otherwise be wasted.

What are the green leaves in Chipotle rice? ›

We use bay leaves to add a subtle depth of flavor to dishes like our beans, rice, Barbacoa, and Carnitas. We remove the leaves from our rice before serving, though we've been known to miss one here and there.

Which rice from Chipotle is healthier? ›

The brown rice contains less sodium and more fiber than the white rice. If you did choose the burrito or tacos, you might want to skip the rice (210 calories) altogether since you're getting your grains in your shell. That said, white rice can also be a healthy choice if that's what you prefer.

Does Chipotle rice have MSG? ›

In addition to being Non-GMO Project Verified and free of MSG, Mahatma® Ready To Serve Chipotle Rice is also vegetarian and vegan.

Is the rice at Chipotle healthy? ›

A serving of white rice at Chipotle packs 210 calories and 40 grams of carbs. “If you want to do the rice that's okay, but I would ask for half a normal portion and then skip the chips on the side,” Moskovitz says. Better yet, use beans for your base, since they have about half the calories and carbs as white rice.

Is Chipotle healthy with no rice? ›

As a rule of thumb, I always recommend that you skip the rice at Chipotle and the ilk, mostly because it's the least flavorful item that can rack up calories quickly without providing any real nutrient-dense goodness found in the other toppings.

What kind of lettuce does Chipotle use? ›

Your choice of meat or sofritas served with our fresh supergreens lettuce blend made of Romaine, Baby Kale, and Baby Spinach.

What is a substitute for cilantro in cilantro lime rice? ›

Best Cilantro Substitutes
  1. Parsley. This bright green leaf likely already has a permanent home in your fridge – maybe even right next to the cilantro. ...
  2. Oregano. Oregano, especially when fresh instead of chopped and dried, is herbaceous and peppery with a pungent scent. ...
  3. Dried Cilantro Or Other Dried Herbs. ...
  4. Lemon Or Lime Juice.
Aug 25, 2023

What spice can I use instead of Chipotle? ›

Smoked Paprika has all the smoky flavor you crave, making it the best substitute for chipotle. Although it is a much milder spice than dried chipotle or even fresh jalapeños, mix in the desired amount of cayenne pepper to dial up the heat.

What type of cheese does Chipotle use? ›

The shredded white cheese that Chipotle uses is commonly known as Monterey Jack. It is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk that melts well when exposed to heat. Chipotle's Monterey Jack cheese is used to make quesadillas and queso dip, and it's happily added to any menu item when asked.

What are the green leaves in chipotle rice? ›

We use bay leaves to add a subtle depth of flavor to dishes like our beans, rice, Barbacoa, and Carnitas. We remove the leaves from our rice before serving, though we've been known to miss one here and there.

Does chipotle cauliflower rice have cilantro? ›

Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice has four (4) grams of net carbs per serving1 and puts a delicious twist on Chipotle's classic white rice recipe by using the same fresh cilantro and lime ingredients, and similar culinary techniques.

Can you ask for cilantro at Chipotle? ›

You can add all your favorite extras and sauces, and even double the hack by asking them to add fresh cilantro into the mix.

Does Chipotle put leaves in their food? ›

Chipotle uses bay leaves as a spice in their rice and other food. While they're supposed to be removed before the food is served, they sometimes slip through which rankles many customers.

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