Easy Cilantro Lime Rice, Chipotle Copycat with Video

cilantro lime rice in a bowl, side view.

Easy Cilantro Lime Rice, Chipotle Copycat with Video

Mallory

This simple Cilantro Lime Rice is a great enhancement to Mexican-inspired meals like burrito bowls or rice bowls! Fluffy rice is mixed with fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, a little olive oil, and salt & pepper for the most versatile side dish.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Course appetizers and side dishes

Cuisine Mexican

Servings servings

Calories 130 kcal

Equipment

1 saucepan
1 fine mesh strainer

Ingredients

1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked
1¾ cup water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juice of about 2 tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Rinse the rice under cool water in a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the excess starch. Then cook the rinsed rice according to the instructions on the package in a medium saucepan or a rice cooker.
Let the rice cool for a few minutes and then add the cilantro, fresh lime juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix it to combine and add more salt as needed.
Hint: for best results, fluff the rice after cooking and before adding the other ingredients.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

Rinse the rice under cold water in a mesh strainer before cooking. This helps get rid of some of the starch and will prevent the rice from becoming gummy while it cooks.
Use a liquid measuring cup to measure the water or broth you will cook the rice in. This helps ensure accuracy.
Don't remove the lid from the pot while the rice cooks! It will release some of the steam.
After the rice is done, remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 5-10 minutes, covered, before removing the lid.
For more flavorful rice, you can cook it in chicken broth or a half water/half chicken broth mixture.

Storage

Refrigerator - let the rice cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Dietitian Tip

White rice is slightly lower in fiber and antioxidants than brown rice and it has a higher glycemic index. By adding a bit of olive oil and the citrus juice from the lime and cooling the rice before eating it, you can reduce the glycemic index a bit. But if you want to get more dietary fiber, use brown rice! The difference is that brown rice is a whole grain whereas white rice has had the bran and germ of the grain removed. Just be aware that brown rice takes longer to cook and the nutritional difference aren't massively different.

For more nutrition information and tips, visit mallorythedietitian.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 😊

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5 cupCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 1gFat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 100mg

Keyword 30 minutes or less, dairy free, gluten free

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!