Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice (Copycat Recipe)

Name: Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice (Copycat Recipe)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked brown (, basmati or white rice, use frozen rice for fast and easy); ¼ cup chopped cilantro; 3 - 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice; ¼ - ¾ teaspoon sea salt (, see note)

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Make restaurant-worthy Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice at home with our easy Copycat Recipe. Four simple ingredients for big flavor!

This homemade cilantro lime rice recipe is so easy to make and the perfect side to build bowls, burritos, tacos and more. Save money and time!

Yellow and white checkered towel with a white bowl of cilantro lime rice on it

This post was originally published on August 21, 2021.

We are huge rice lovers and make it weekly as part of our component meals (different meal parts put together to make different meals!). This Chipotle cilantro lime rice version mixes it up with flavor and is so good!

Ingredients

The light and fresh flavors are the perfect match for so many foods. Use this recipe for cilantro lime rice from Chipotle as a base for taco bowls, as a filling for burritos, or as a side for fajitas!

Here is what you need:

Rice
Cilantro
Fresh lime juice
Sea salt

Bowls with cilantro, rice, lime juice and salt on a light wooden surface

How to Make Chipotle Rice

Making this cilantro lime rice recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Here's what to do:

Cook your rice.
Mix in cilantro, lime and salt.
Serve!

Yellow and white checkered towel with a pot of rice on it. — Step 1

Yellow checkered towel with a pot of rice covered in chopped cilantro on top. — Step 1

What to Serve With Cilantro Lime Rice

As mentioned above, this rice can be served as a side dish, or as part of another recipe. Try it with any of these:

A close up of a loaded up taco bowl with a fork getting a bite out of it

Preparation Tips

Add in extra flavor and nutrition by mixing in onions, peppers, or garlic.
Make it spicy! Sprinkle in some cayenne, chipotle, or chili powder.
Pick your favorite rice. Make this recipe for chipotle cilantro lime rice with brown rice, basmati, or white rice.
Use previously cooked, even frozen rice to save time!
Add the cilantro, lime, and salt to taste. You can always add more, but you can't take away.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Store leftovers (or make it ahead for meal prep!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can also seal in a freezer safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat by adding a splash of water to the rice and microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

Common Questions

How do you make rice like Chipotle?

Mix lime juice, fresh cilantro, and salt into cooked rice. Learn more details about how to make rice from Chipotle in the post above.

What is the rice in a burrito?

It depends on the burrito! Sometimes it's as simple as white rice. Many taco shops use Mexican rice, and Chipotle uses cilantro lime rice.

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