Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice (Copycat)

This dish is a copycat version of the popular rice made at Chipotle Mexican restaurant. This recipe uses long grain white or brown rice that turns out soft, fluffy, and isn’t sticky every time! You can make this recipe on the stovetop or using a rice cooker, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot.

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If you love the rice at Chipotle as much as I do, you are going to love making this dish at home even more! Chipotle says they make their cilantro-lime white rice from scratch every morning. They steam it with bay leaves to impart their herbal fragrance, then season it with lime and lemon juices and toss it with cilantro for its fresh, slightly tart flavor. That cilantro lime mixture is everything!

I didn’t see them mention oil, but I can tell the rice has some oil in it. If you have ever watched the workers prepping it behind the counter, it looks really slick in the large steel bowls. I can also just taste in the texture!

Recipe Key Ingredients

• Rice
• Butter or any preferred oil
• Fresh Lime
• Fresh Lemon
• Fresh Cilantro
• Bay Leaf
• Salt

What Type of White Rice to Use

I love long-grain rice. My favorite is the organic jasmine rice from Trader Joe’s. Here’s an excerpt from Chipotle’s website about the type of rice they use: With more than 120,000 different strains of grain in the world, it can be hard to keep them all straight. In general, the longer the grain, the firmer and fluffier the rice. Short and medium grains tend to be soft, moist, and sticky. Around here, all you need to know is that we use long-grain white rice.

So I recommend you grab long-grain white rice (jasmine and basmati work well). It’s delicious. Long-grain rice is much different than something like Minute Rice which is already cooked and processed. You can use it if you wish but the flavor is vastly different, in my opinion.

The Difference Between Long Grain, Medium Grain, and Short Grain Rice

Long-grain rice is slim and lengthy and nearly four to five times longer than it is wide. This type of rice includes white and brown rice like Basmati rice and Jasmine rice. It produces distinct firm grains that stay fluffy and separate after cooking. The grains have a firm, dry texture, and are best for side dishes, pilafs, and salads.

Medium-grain rice is shorter and wider, about two to three times longer than it is wide. This type of rice produces moist, tender, slightly chewy grains that stick to each other when cooked. Common medium-grain rice includes Arborio and Valencia, which are typically used to make risotto and paella.

Short-grain rice is only a little longer than it is wide. This rice cooks up soft and tender. It is known for sticking together and clumping. It comes in white and brown and is commonly used in sushi and pudding.

You can read more about The Difference Between Short, Medium, and Long Grain Rice here.

Rinse the Rice Before Use

You should always rinse the rice first before using it. This will rinse away dirt and excess starch. I like to use a mesh strainer and ensure the water runs clear while rinsing the rice.

How to Make Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Add the water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add rice, bay leaf, butter, and salt Stir and return to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook.
3. Remove the bay leaf. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and lemon juice along with any additional salt to taste if necessary. Serve.

How to Use a Rice Cooker or Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot

The use of a device made to cook rice perfectly is my favorite method to use for this recipe. I never make rice on the stove anymore because using a pressure cooker makes the process foolproof! A pressure cooker requires 3 minutes of cook time with 10 minutes of natural steam release.

How to Use Brown Rice

You can use long-grain brown rice and follow the instructions from my Instant Pot Brown Rice recipe. You can also simply follow the stovetop cooking instructions on the package of rice you purchase.

Using brown rice also makes the dish a little more healthy. Brown rice is a whole grain. It contains all parts of the grain, including the fibrous bran, the nutritious germ, and the carb-rich endosperm. It’s chewy and takes a while to cook due to its tough bran exterior.

White rice has part of the bran and germ removed. These are the most nutritious parts of the grain, which leaves white rice with very few essential nutrients. White rice is softer and tends to cook faster. You can read more about The Difference Between Brown Rice and White Rice here.

What Type of Oil to Use

My favorite is butter. I suspect Chipotle uses vegetable oil, maybe canola so either of those will work as well. Any oil will work, but keep in mind the oil you use will impact the taste of the rice. You can also simply omit the oil. Oil or butter isn’t needed to make rice. It will only enhance the flavor, and I love the flavor of butter the most when used in this recipe.

How to Store Leftover Rice

Leftover rice can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days tightly covered and sealed.

How to Reheat

I find the microwave works just fine.

Freezer Tips

The earlier you can freeze cooked rice, the better. If you know you plan on freezing leftovers, once cooled freeze them immediately. You can freeze the rice after it has been in the fridge for a couple of days,

Pair With These Recipes

Pollo Asado Recipe
Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Pan Seared Salmon
Instant Pot Black Beans
Smoked Salsa
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Homemade Queso Cheese
Oven Baked Roasted Corn on the Cob

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Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich
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Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
Keto Low Carb Zuppa Toscana Soup
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