Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
Let's learn how to make Chipotle's famous Cilantro Lime Rice at home and EVEN BETTER! It takes less than 30 minutes to make and turns into the perfect meal when served with some chicken and veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic finely minced
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- juice of 1 whole lime
- juice of half a lemon
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve with cool water until the water runs clear to remove any excess starch. Another option is to soak it in cool water for 30 minutes. Drain well.
- Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a kettle.
- To a pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, butter, garlic, and rice. Stir to coat all the rice grains with the butter and oil. Toast the rice for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the hot water, salt, and bay leaf. Stir and then bring to a boil. Once boiling, drop the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes.
- After 12 minutes, turn off the heat. Leave it covered for 5 to 10 minutes until the rice is perfectly cooked and tender.
- Take off the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Transfer the rice to a bowl. Add the lime juice, lemon juice, and chopped cilantro and mix. Serve warm!
Notes
- Did you know the stems of cilantro are just as flavorful as the leaves? Just chop them up finely along with the leaves to add to this rice.
- If you are used to cooking jasmine rice, use that instead of basmati. Just adjust the water ratio as needed.
- This recipe uses less water than a lot of recipes call for. I find that when I use more water than this, the rice gets mushy and not as fluffy as I’d like it. Steaming the rice at the end with the heat off helps to continue cooking it without any more water.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!