4.88 from 25 reviews

Cilantro Lime Rice

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Cilantro Lime Rice is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner when you are craving Mexican food or even an Asian dish with a lean protein and veggies. Or wrap it up in a burrito!

Chipotle is a popular fast food restaurant so I wanted to recreate or “copy” their cilantro rice from and make it from scratch!

Cilantro nutrition and health benefits

Cilantro is rich in beta-carotene in addition to beneficial vitamins (A and C); it is also packed with minerals like potassium and calcium!

Additionally, blood pressure and intestinal health both benefit from cilantro, and the potassium helps stabilize the body’s fluid levels and therefore the heart rate.

Rice in a sauté pan.

Cilantro is rich in anemia-preventing iron while the leaves and tips are loaded with antioxidants that help prevent heart disease. It has also been shown beneficial for diabetics. 

Ingredient Notes

For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.

Ingredients needed to make cilantro lime rice in small glass bowls.
  • Jasmine Rice: any long grain white rice will work
  • Chicken Broth: you could use water, we just like the added flavor of using broth
  • Shallot or white onion: I’ve tested this recipe either or, they both work. I prefer using a shallot!
  • Cilantro: fresh is recommended!
Rice in a blue and white bowl with a wooden spoon garnished with cilantro and red pepper chili flakes.

How to make Cilantro Lime Rice

Step by step photos making cilantro rice in a frying pan.
  1. In a medium frying pan over medium heat melt the butter and add in the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in rice and stir for 30 seconds.
  2. Add in the seasonings and chicken broth and let it come to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. DO NOT lift the lid while the rice is cooking.
  3. Once the rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and add in the lime zest, lime juice and chopped cilantro. Give it a nice stir and serve warm!
Broth being poured onto rice in a saute pan.

What is the best water/broth to rice ratio for Jasmine rice?

  • 1 cup of rice: 1 1/2 cups water or broth. This will yield 3 cups of cooked rice.
  • For drier rice, use 1/4 cup less water.
  • For moister rice, use 1/4 cup more water.
A close up image of rice with cilantro and chili flakes on top.

Where is Jasmine rice from and how is it different than Basmati?

Jasmine rice is originally from Thailand. This is a long grain variety of rice that has a subtle floral aroma and a soft, sticky texture when cooked. The amylopectin in Jasmine rice gives it a clingy texture and makes it ideal for gently piling into a rice bowl!

Cilantro lime rice in a bowl with black beans, corn, and tomatoes.

How to store Cilantro lime rice

If all of your rice doesn’t get eaten, cool completely and store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Cilantro lime rice in a blue and white bowl with cilantro on top.

Do you order the brown rice or cilantro rice at Chipotle?

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

4.88 from 25 reviews

Better than Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 cups rice
Yup, I said it. This is better than Chipotle’s Cilantro rice! Enjoy this with chicken and veggies on top or just as a side dish!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. butter, unsalted
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup white onion or 1 shallot, diced
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 3 cups chicken broth, low sodium (or water)
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1-2 Tbsp. zest from the 2 limes
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Melt the butter in a medium sized frying pan over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally and cook for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add in the rice and stir for ~30 seconds.
  • Add in the cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid, lower the heat, and cook for 15-20 minutes. DO NOT lift the lid while the rice is cooking.
  • Once the rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and add in the lime zest, lime juice and chopped cilantro. Give it a nice stir and serve warm!

Video

Notes

  • When you chop the cilantro use the leaves and some of the stems! The stems have great flavor.
  • You do not want to lift the lid while the rice cooks because it lets out steam and lowers the temperature. Rice does not require stirring while cooking, just cover and let it cook! 
  • Rinsing the rice prior to adding into pot: optional but I recommend it. Rinse the rice to rid the rice of outer starch. This will give you separated grains and not mushy rice. I use a fine mesh strainer and rinse under tap water until the water runs clear. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 296kcal (15%), Carbohydrates: 55g (18%), Protein: 7g (14%), Fat: 5g (8%), Saturated Fat: 3g (19%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 11mg (4%), Sodium: 82mg (4%), Potassium: 232mg (7%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 140IU (3%), Vitamin C: 8mg (10%), Calcium: 40mg (4%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Photography: photos taken in this post are by Megan from The Broke Girl Table.

Krolls Korner

Krolls Korner

Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.

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Phyllis Harding

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Sandra

Can you double this recipe?

Mari

The rice was perfect and so tasty! I will be making this again and again! YUM

Christy

This is the perfect cilantro rice recipe. It is absolutely delicious!

Barbara

Could not stop eating it! So good.

Stephanie A Weipert

This is a great recipe. I found it last week and I’m making it for the third time. Awesome

CC

This was fabulous! My family loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.

Vanessa P.

Thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve used it many times in the short time since coming across it. I don’t care much for traditional Spanish rice anymore since growing up in a Hispanic household I’m pretty burnt out! But this is so savory and delicious.

Anna Kate Goshko

This was perfect with tacos! Thank you!

Emily Bruno

My go-to recipe, this is so good!