Cilantro Lime rice takes plain white rice to a whole new level with its zesty, herby flavors. With a few fresh ingredients, regular rice is transformed into an easy side dish everyone loves to love.
If you’re a frequenter of the Mexican fast food chain, Chipotle, you’ve likely tried the glory that is cilantro lime rice.
For those of you who love making homemade burrito bowls, burritos, or just love a flavorful side of rice, this recipe is the ultimate go-to!
Similar to Homemade Spanish Rice, this easy cilantro rice recipe pairs perfectly with just about any main dish.
Think: carne asada burritos, chicken burrito bowls, a side for any type of tacos, a lovely base for tostadas, and more.
In addition to adding a pop of flavor and fun to any meal, the best part about this simple recipe is it is so easy to prepare.
Plus, it can be made in big batches for large families or for meal prep!
Let’s discuss the classic ingredients for Cilantro Lime Rice.
Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Rice:
Long Grain White Rice: For quick cooking and great texture, use a long-grain white rice such as Jasmine rice or basmati rice.
Any type of rice, including short grain white rice or brown rice will work, but a classic cilantro lime rice is made with long-grain rice.
Brown rice requires more time to cook but also brings a nice boost of fiber to the dish.
I don’t recommend using arborio rice or sushi rice, as both contain excess starch which creates a sticky rice texture. The gooey sticky rice can be lovely in certain applications but it won’t produce the desired results like long grain rice.
You will also need a liquid such as a couple cups of water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth to cook the rice. For the biggest flavor, chicken stock or broth is recommended.
Avocado Oil (or olive oil): Used for sauteing the rice and garlic, we need a little cooking oil.
I use avocado oil because it has a high smoke point, which is ideal for cooking at high temperatures. Olive oil or vegetable oil will work too.
Fresh Garlic Cloves: A little fresh garlic goes a long way in boosting the flavor of the rice. If you’re a garlic lover, consider doubling the amount of garlic so that you can really taste it.
As the recipe is written now, there isn’t an enormous amount of garlic flavor that comes through. Use 2 teaspoons of garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand.
Fresh Lime (for juice and zest): Fresh lime juice and lime zest bring a citrusy spunk to the rice. Be sure to include the zest, as this is where the majority of the rich lime flavor comes from.
Fresh Cilantro: Chopped fresh cilantro gets mixed into the cooked rice for that classic herby flavor.
Truthfully, I’m not the hugest fan of cilantro so for me, ¼ to ½ cup is plenty for 1 cup of dry rice.
If you’re a cilantro lover, consider increasing the amount of cilantro to 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro. Use only the leaves and the soft stems, discarding the harder stems.
Now that we’re familiar with the simple ingredients for cilantro lime rice, let’s make it!
How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice:
Heat the avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the uncooked white rice and stir well. Continue cooking and stirring the rice until it becomes fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes.
You can brown the rice or do as I do and sauté it just until the grains turn opaque white and the rice is fragrant.
Avoid cooking at high heat, as the rice will become too dark very quickly.
It will take a little longer over medium heat to achieve the goal of browning the rice, but it will ensure the rice turns out with perfect texture and flavor.
Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking and stirring for another 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant.
Pour in the water (or chicken broth) and sea salt. Cover, and bring the mixture to a full boil. As soon as the rice is at a full boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or the amount of cooking time specified on the package instructions.
Once the rice has finished cooking, immediately remove the lid and fluff it with a fork.
Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and fresh chopped cilantro. Taste the rice for flavor and add more salt, lime juice, or cilantro to your personal taste.
Serve cilantro lime rice with your choice of main entrée and enjoy! This is an amazing side dish for Mexican food and it is marvelous in burrito bowls or burritos.
Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
While you can use a rice cooker to prepare the rice, I recommend sticking with the stove top method in this recipe for the best results.
This way, you end up with light and fluffy rice with much flavor and the garlic has the opportunity to blossom in flavor, just as in the case of Chipotle’s cilantro lime rice.
If you must use a rice cooker, mix the salt, garlic, lime juice and zest and chopped cilantro in after the rice has fully cooked.
I have heard Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice also yields fabulous results, so you can prepare this great side dish in your Instant Pot as well.
How Much Rice Does This Recipe Make?:
One uncooked dry cup of rice cooks to about 3 cups of cooked rice. You can double or triple the recipe if you think you’ll need more than 3 cups of cooked rice.
I find this recipe makes the perfect amount of rice for two people if you’re making burrito bowls and using rice as your base. If you’re serving your meal with other side dishes, it makes enough for 4 to 6 individuals assuming they only want a small amount.
If you’re serving more than 4, I recommend doubling the recipe to use two dry cups of rice, which cooks to about 6 cups of cooked rice.
The next time you’re whipping up a Mexican meal, use this easy copycat recipe as the perfect side dish to go with your favorite meals.
Serve your meat main entrée such as my Copycat Chipotle Chicken with this easy cilantro lime rice recipe, black beans, grated cheese, sour cream, fresh limes, and homemade salsa of choice for an amazing meal.
Serving Suggestions:
These Mexican main entrees are amazing alongside this easy cilantro lime rice recipe.
- Carne Asada
- Crock Pot Al Pastor
- Marinated Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Chili Lime Baked Cod
- Crock Pot Birria Tacos
- Instant Pot Chile Verde Shredded Chicken
- 30-Minute Mexican Chicken and Zucchini Skillet
Drop a comment below and let me know how you use this glorious rice!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 cup uncooked basmati white rice or long-grain white rice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups water or broth
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 lime, zested (about ½ tsp lime zest)
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed and chopped*
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the uncooked white rice and stir well. Continue cooking and stirring the rice until it becomes fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. You can brown the rice or do as I do and sauté it just until the grains turn opaque white and the rice is fragrant. Avoid cooking at high heat, as the rice will become too dark very quickly. It will take a little longer over medium heat to achieve the goal of browning the rice, but it will ensure the rice turns out with perfect texture and flavor.
- Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking and stirring for another 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the water (or chicken broth) and sea salt. Cover, and bring the mixture to a full boil. As soon as the rice is at a full boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or the amount of cooking time specified on the package instructions.
- Once the rice has finished cooking, immediately remove the lid and fluff it with a fork.
- Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and fresh chopped cilantro. Taste the rice for flavor and add more salt, lime juice, or cilantro to your personal taste.
- Serve cilantro lime rice with your choice of main entrée and enjoy! This is an amazing side dish for Mexican food and it is marvelous in burrito bowls or burritos.
Notes
Nutrition
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Paula
Wednesday 13th of September 2023
How far in advance can you make this?
Julia
Thursday 14th of September 2023
Hi Paula! You can make the rice without the cilantro up to 5 days ahead of time. For the best result, stir the cilantro in just before serving as it will taste freshest this way. If you'd rather just prepare the whole recipe as is, the rice will still be delicious within that 5 day window :)
Tammy
Wednesday 14th of June 2023
Can brown rice be substituted for white rice?
Julia
Thursday 15th of June 2023
Hi Tammy! You can definitely use brown rice, it just takes longer to cook :) I'd follow the package instructions for the accurate cook time. Hope you enjoy!