Chipotle Copycat Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
The ultimate copycat recipe for Chipotle’s cilantro lime rice! It’s light, fluffy, and packed with bright citrus and fresh cilantro flavor. It tastes just like the restaurant version. Perfect as a base for burritos, burrito bowls, or as a zesty side dish.
Servings: 12 ½ cup servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati Rice
- 3 cups Water
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil or neutral oil of choice
- ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice adjust to taste
- Kosher Salt
Instructions
- (Optional): Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cool water until the water runs clear. Drain well before cooking.
- In a medium pot, combine the rice, water, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. After 12 minutes, quickly tilt the pot and take a fast peek to check that all the water has been absorbed—be brief to keep as much steam in the pot as possible.
- Remove the pot from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5–10 minutes. Then remove the lid, drizzle in the avocado oil, and let the rice sit uncovered for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and fluff the rice. Add the chopped cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Mix well, then taste and adjust with more citrus juice or salt if needed.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen it up. Fluff before serving.
- This recipe was adapted from the Youtube creator CookingwithChris.
Nutrition
Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.3mg
