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.

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Copycat) | Little Sunny Kitchen (1)

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.

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Copycat) | Little Sunny Kitchen (2)

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.
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Copycat) | Little Sunny Kitchen (3)

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.

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Copycat) | Little Sunny Kitchen (4)

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
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Copycat) | Little Sunny Kitchen (5)

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!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Copycat) | Little Sunny Kitchen (6)

4.88 from 16 votes(Click stars to rate!)

Cilantro Lime Rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Author: Diana

Print Rate Recipe

This Chipotle copycat cilantro lime rice recipe is quick and easy and packed with flavor. Made with very simple ingredients, you will want to make this easy side with every Mexican meal!

4 servings

This Chipotle copycat cilantro lime rice recipe is quick and easy and packed with flavor. Made with very simple ingredients, you will want to make this easy side with every Mexican meal!

Recipe Video

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long-grain rice I prefer basmati, rinsed
  • cups water for cooking
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime juiced
  • ½ lemon juiced

Instructions

  • 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.

  • Add the rice to a saucepan, cover with water, season with salt and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible, cover and cook for 15 minutes. No peeking!

  • Remove from heat, remove the lid, and fluff with a fork.

  • Stir in cilantro, lime and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste.

Notes:

  • 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.
  • 1 cup of uncooked rice will make 3 cups of cooked rice.
  • You will need about ⅓-½ cup of uncooked rice per person.
  • This recipe makes 4-6 servings.
  • Store in the fridge in a sealed container for 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 347kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 302mg, Potassium: 147mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 80IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

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

Why is chipotle rice so good? ›

The best part about this rice is its versatility. It's kicked up with citrus juice and cilantro, but not so much that it overwhelms whatever you might pile onto it — it's meant to be a bed for a whole lot of other wonderful, flavorful things.

Does Chipotle cook their own rice? ›

Every morning in each of our restaurants, we make our cilantro-lime brown rice from scratch. We simmer the whole-grain rice with bay leaves to add savory flavors, then season it with lemon and lime juices and toss it with cilantro for a slightly tart, fresh taste.

Does chipotle rice have butter? ›

Do they contain dairy? - Quora. Chipotle's rice contains long-grain rice, bay leaves, and cilantro. The beans are made from pinto beans, water, onion, canola oil, salt, and spices, including cumin and garlic. The rice and beans do not contain dairy ingredients, so they are considered to be dairy-free.

Does Chipotle put sugar in their rice? ›

In short the answer is no. Unlike salt, we don't have a dedicated sugar supply that we use to add to our foods. In fact, none of the food on our menu has added sugar. The only thing we have that has any amount of sugar is the vinaigrette which has honey.

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.

What oil is used in Chipotle rice? ›

Rice bran oil is our primary cooking oil at Chipotle. Its high smoke point - the temperature at which the oil starts, well, smoking - makes it suitable for high-temperature cooking like grilling, while its mild taste makes it versatile.

Does Chipotle add milk to their rice? ›

We do not put milk in our rices. White rice is cooked with bay leaves on/in it, then after cooking we add cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Brown rice is very similar, it also is cooked with bay leaves on/in it, then receives cilantro, lime juice, and salt as well.

What do they put in the rice at Chipotle? ›

They use rice bran oil, salt, and bay leaf in the rice while it cooks. You definitely want that bay leaf. Then after it comes out, they mix in the citrus juice, salt, and cilantro.

Can you buy a bowl of rice from Chipotle? ›

Yes, you can order just rice at Chipotle if that's what you prefer. Chipotle offers a "Build Your Own" style of ordering, allowing you to customize your meal. When you approach the serving line, you can simply request a bowl or a container of rice without any additional toppings or ingredients.

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.

Which rice is better from Chipotle? ›

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 use MSG? ›

There's no MSG in any of Chipotle's products. See the Chipotle ingredients list. There are glutamates, just like in every other restaurant that serves protein-rich foods, but they don't have to add any extra. Originally Answered: If you are addicted to chipotle, could be because of MSG?

How much rice is in a bowl at Chipotle? ›

Chipotle says a serving size of rice should be 4 ounces. But even after subtracting the weight of the bowl (. 038 ounces) from this, our serving was still bigger than what Chipotle describes. The rice weighed roughly 6.59 ounces, suggesting a serving of white rice could easily be well above the advertised 185 calories.

Can celiacs eat at Chipotle? ›

Chipotle does not have a gluten free menu but instead has a list of gluten-containing ingredients to avoid. Cross-contamination is a concern, however, so let the person taking your order know that you are gluten free and if you need them to take the proper precautions.

Can you ask for cilantro at Chipotle? ›

One of these covert orders you can get at the fast-casual chain isn't so much a menu hack as it is an extra ingredient that you can add to any dish — you can request fresh, chopped cilantro. Just make sure you request it.

Does Chipotle have cilantro-lime cauliflower rice? ›

"Our guests crave real, plant-based options so we developed a new flavor packed recipe that aligns with our Food with Integrity standards." In January 2021, Chipotle featured Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice across all U.S. and Canadian restaurants, resulting in an incremental sales lift while also attracting new guests.

What does Chipotle put in the bowl? ›

Your choice of freshly grilled meat or sofritas served in a delicious bowl with rice, beans, or fajita veggies, and topped with guac, salsa, queso blanco, sour cream or cheese.

Is there cilantro in Chipotle steak? ›

This tender steak is hand-seasoned with our signature blend of spices, finished with fresh lime juice and cilantro, hand-sliced before serving, and grilled fresh every day in small batches. Our steak has high standards—in how it's raised, prepared, and served.

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