Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Copycat) | Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

Looking for a delicious side option for dinner? This Chipotle copycat cilantro lime rice recipe is quick and easy and packed with flavor. If you don’t want plain, boring rice, this is the perfect option for you.

My family loves this cilantro lime rice recipe. Being that it is a Chipotle copycat, you won’t need to order out. Instead, you can make it for yourself while everyone thinks you ordered doordash.

“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. It’s like a classic white T-shirt—familiar, never goes out of style, and goes well with tomatillo-green chili salsa.” Chipotle

Just like Chipotle, this rice comes out soft and fluffy with a zesty and flavorful taste that adds a bit of pizzazz to any dinner.

I personally eat this delicious cilantro lime rice with my chipotle chicken recipe and often make a burrito bowl, but you can serve it with a variety of different main courses including:

• Slow Cooker Carnitas
• Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef
• Instant Pot Chicken Tinga
• Creamy Lemon Chicken

Why You Will Love this Recipe

We all need to mix things up from time to time, and with this deliciously zesty cilantro lime rice, you can add more flavor and pizzazz to any meal. Here are just a few reasons you will love this recipe!

1. It tastes just like Chipotle. Steamed and seasoned with lime and lemon juices and tossed with fresh cilantro, you’ll feel like you are eating Chipotle.
2. Simple ingredients. You won’t need to search high and low to find the perfect seasonings for this recipe. In fact, you probably already have all the ingredients.
3. It’s super easy to make. You don’t need any special equipment to make fluffy, delicious lime rice. All you need is this recipe, a saucepan, and 20 minutes of your time!

Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients

You only need a few basic ingredients for this recipe. Check your cabinets and make sure you have what you need.

• Rice. You will need basmati or another long-grain rice. I like to use basmati.
• Bay leaf. The bay leaf gives a flavorful herbal fragrance. It’s exactly what Chipotle uses while cooking their rice.
• Lime and lemon juice. The real zesty flavor comes from adding lemon and lime juice.
• Cilantro. Cilantro can overpower the seasonings. Start with less and keep adding to taste.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice

You would never guess how easy it is to make this Chipotle cilantro lime rice! Follow the simple steps below:

1. Add the rice to a bowl, cover with water and let it soak for 15 minutes.In a colander, rinse the rice under running water until it runs clear.
2. Add the rice to a saucepan, cover with water, season with salt and add the bay leaf. Bring it to a boil.
3. Once it hits a boil, turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. No peeking!
4. After 15 minutes, remove from heat, remove the lid, and fluff with a fork.
5. Finally, stir in the cilantro, lime, and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste.

Cilantro Lime Rice Tips and Tricks

Obviously, you want this recipe to be as close to the real Chipotle recipe as possible. So, here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind:

What Rice Should I Use?

For this recipe, I used basmati. You can use any long grain rice that you prefer including long-grain white rice, long-grain brown rice, and jasmine rice.

If you would like to make Chipotle cilantro lime brown rice, you can cook brown rice over the stovetop. To cook it, you would add 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice and simmer for 35-40 minutes instead of 15.

Can I Make this in the Instant Pot?

Absolutely! In fact, you can use my Instant Pot basmati rice recipe, or Instant Pot brown rice recipe to make the rice and then add the seasoning just like you would in the recipe above. Or, you can follow this Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice recipe. You can also use a rice cooker to cook the rice if you prefer.

How Much Rice Does This Recipe Make?

Every 1 cup of uncooked rice will make 3 cups of cooked rice. So this recipe will make around 6 cups of rice.

You will need about ⅓ – ½ cup of uncooked rice per person.

How Do I Store Lime Rice?

You can store your rice in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Place it in a sealed container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, you can place it in a freezer bag and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat it, add a little water for moisture and reheat it in the microwave.

Other Mexican Recipes to Try

In addition to this Mexican cilantro lime rice, I have a variety of other delicious Mexican dishes you can try. Check them out below:

• Best Guacamole Recipe
• Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos
• Mexican Stuffed Peppers
• Pico De Gallo Salsa
• Lime Crema

If you enjoy spicing up your meals, this cilantro lime rice is a perfect addition to any Mexican cuisine. If you enjoyed this recipe, please pin it to Pinterest for others to enjoy. Sharing is caring!