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Cilantro Lime Rice

Say goodbye to bland, plain rice, and hello to this flavorful Cilantro Lime Rice! Tender rice is seasoned with freshly squeezed lime juice and vibrant cilantro to create our favorite side dish to pair with Asian and Mexican dishes.

The Best Cilantro Lime Rice

If you have ever been to Chipotle, you have more than likely enjoyed their rice filled with cilantro and lime. Thankfully with this easy recipe, you can now make it at home! This Cilantro Lime Rice is an easy recipe to make, but packed with flavor. The soft and tender rice is bursting with fresh flavors from the vibrant cilantro and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Serve this freshly flavored Cilantro Lime Rice alongside (or inside of)  burritos, tacos, or just about anything else you’d serve rice with! This side dish is incredibly easy to make in just a matter of minutes. Even the most beginner of home chefs can whip this rice up with ease!

We love taking basic recipes and dressing them up a bit, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here. Put simply, this rice is cooked in chicken broth with salt and butter before being tossed with just the right amount of zesty lime juice and fresh cilantro. 

Ingredients for rice arranged in bowls with cilantro scattered around.

Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients

  • Chicken Broth: Water can be used instead, but we find that chicken broth infuses a little more flavor into the rice. 
  • Salt: Just a pinch! You don’t want an overly salty end result.
  • Butter: You can also use oil if you prefer! That is what places like Chipotle use, but we prefer the taste of butter. Either work well!
  • Rice: We used basmati long grain rice, but short grain white rice will also work well here.
  • Lime Juice: It’s SO very important to use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor! The bottled stuff just won’t cut it. 
  • Cilantro: Use fresh, not dried, cilantro for the most impactful flavor. 
A sauce pan with chicken broth being poured into the pot.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice

Boil it, fluff it, then dress it up with fresh ingredients. Yes, it’s really that simple! Just follow these easy steps and skip the trip to Chipotle to get your Cilantro Lime Rice fix. 

Boil the broth: In a small heavy pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. 

Reduce the heat: Add butter, salt and rice. Stir for one minute, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. 

Cilantro and rice in a pot with lime juice being poured into the rice.

Cook the rice: Cook the rice for 15-18 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is cooked through. Once cooked, let rice sit with lid on for 10 minutes. 

Fluff, add the fresh additions, and enjoy! Fluff the freshly cooked rice with a fork. Add the lime juice and cilantro, give it a good stir, and serve. Enjoy!

Cilantro lime rice on a grey plate with a wedge of lime.

Helpful Tips

  • Add more cilantro! If you love cilantro, feel free to add as much as you want! We really love cilantro and can’t add enough, so play around with the measurements to get the perfect amount for you.
  • Use fresh lime juice. Fresh squeezed lime juice really brings out the natural freshness of the cilantro, so don’t use the bottled stuff that’s full of preservatives and artificial flavors. 
  • Wash your rice. Prior to cooking, be sure to rinse your rice in order to remove any excess starch.
  • Salt your water. If you’re using water in place of chicken broth, you will want to add some salt to your water you are cooking your rice in.
  • Taste test. Taste your rice before serving to make sure you don’t need another little pinch of salt. If it’s tasting dull or muted, it probably needs a little more salt!

What Kind Of Rice Should I Use?

We used basmati long grain rice, but you can use any kind of rice you would like! Here are a few other popular types of rice you can use:

  • Brown Rice: be aware that brown rice does take longer to cook and usually needs a little extra water/broth because of the longer cook time.
  • Jasmine Rice: also a long grain rice, but a stickier rice. Always delicious and makes a great cilantro lime rice!
  • Long Grain White Rice: the most common kind of rice in America. Will work great in this recipe.
  • Short Grain Rice: There are quite a few short grain rices that have many different names. They will work in this recipe as well, but are usually a stickier rice as well. I would not recommend using Arborio rice as it’s really best in a risotto.

Can I Use Already Cooked Rice?

Absolutely! If you want to use minute rice, or any kind of already cooked rice, just heat it up according to the package directions and add in the rest of the ingredients (cilantro, lime juice, butter, and salt to taste).

Serving Suggestions

There are a ton of ways to use and serve Cilantro Lime Rice! You can use it in burritos, burrito bowls, or as a side to just about any Spanish or Asian dishes. Here are just a few of our most favorite dishes to serve with this flavorful rice:

Storing

Keep your leftover Cilantro Lime Rice fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days! By the second or third day, the cilantro may appear darker in color, but that’s alright – it’s still safe to eat and tastes delicious. 

Three bowls of rice with cilantro and lime wedges and four forks on a napkin.
Cilantro lime rice in a white bowl with a wedge of lime.
4.5 from 37 votes
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Yield: 6 servings

Cilantro Lime Rice

Say goodbye to bland, plain rice, and hello to this flavorful Cilantro Lime Rice! Tender rice is seasoned with freshly squeezed lime juice and vibrant cilantro to create our favorite side dish to pair with Asian and Mexican dishes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Additional Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth or water
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups white rice, I used basmati long grain rice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 cups fresh cilantro, stemmed and diced

Instructions 

  • In a small heavy pot bring chicken broth to a boil.
  • Add butter, salt and rice. Stir for one minute, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
  • Cook rice 15-18 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is cooked through.
  • Once cooked, let rice sit with lid on for 10 minutes.
  • Fluff rice with a fork. Add lime juice and cilantro, stir and serve.

Notes

Storage: Keep your leftover Cilantro Lime Rice fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days! By the second or third day, the cilantro may appear darker in color, but that’s alright – it’s still safe to eat and tastes delicious. You can also freeze the rice for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 1356mg, Sugar: 1g

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Recipe Rating




3 comments on “Cilantro Lime Rice”

  1. As a baker and a cook(housewife,,) I give this recipe a 5*. Would I make it again absolutely. Hubby is a picky eater and he liked it. Such a simply recipe but very tasteful. Ty

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