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About This Recipe
You will not believe the amazing fresh flavor of this copycat of chipotle’s Cilantro Lime Brown rice! Made with brown long-grain rice, fresh lime juice, and fresh cilantro, this easy rice recipe makes a great side dish for any meal!
It’s crazy how a few ingredients can REALLY elevate a dish but the fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro really take this basic rice dish to a whole new level. Plain rice who? We don’t know her.
Want the true Chipotle experience? Pair this cilantro rice with my carnitas burrito bowls! Or tacos, taquitos, salads, the list goes on!
Why You’ll Love This Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- The perfect side dish for any recipe like burrito bowls, tacos, salads and more!
- Made with 5 simple ingredients.
- Packed with fresh flavor and higher in fiber and nutrients than white rice
- Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan as written. A side dish everyone can enjoy!
- Perfect for meal prep throughout the week to enjoy with your favorite dishes.
- Brown jasmine rice – For best results I recommend using long grain brown rice (brown jasmine rice, brown basmati rice, etc.) for the most fluffy, tender rice with a nutty flavor. You can use short grain brown rice but it tends to be stickier.
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Olive oil – you can use any type of oil you prefer for this recipe! Olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan. Experiment with different ingredients and spices to elevate this simple rice dish to get it as you like it!
- Butter – use butter instead of olive oil to make this a cilantro lime rice buttery!
- Lemon – for lemony rice, use fresh lemon juice instead of lime juice
- Dill – use dill instead of cilantro (a lemon dill combo would be amazing!)
- Add garlic – pop a few cloves of minced garlic in if you like things garlicky!
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rice and a few shakes of salt. Boil for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender. Add more water as needed to continue cooking rice. Reduce heat as needed to prevent the water from flowing over.
2. Drain the rice and return it to the pot. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then fluff with a fork. Mix in the chopped cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil and salt. Then taste and add more salt, lime juice or cilantro as needed to taste.
Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze leftover rice. To freeze, spread rice out on a baking sheet and let cool completely, Then add to a freezer bag or airtight container and place in freezer for up to one month. To reheat, place rice in the microwave and heat until warm.
Use Bone Broth!
Cook the rice in bone broth or chicken stock instead of water. Cooking rice in bone broth also helps add collagen, amino acids, and minerals!
Can I use white rice for this recipe?
Yes, you can substitute white rice for brown rice in this recipe. You can use any type of rice (white rice, jasmine rice or instant rice). If substituting, adjust the cooking time. White rice and jasmine rice will take about 15-20 minutes and instant rice should take about 10 minutes.
Does this cilantro brown rice recipe taste like Chipotle’s brown rice?
Yes! If you want it to taste even more like Chipotle’s brown rice, add a bay leaf when cooking and remove it when serving (that’s what they do!)
What should I serve with this Cilantro Lime Brown Rice?
This rice is perfect to make your own burrito bowls at home. Or simply use it as a side to all your Mexican favorites! It’s perfect to serve with chicken fajitas, fish tacos or throw in a taco salad.
Scratch Mexican side, this rice will go with just about anything. Perfect to pair with everything from chicken curry to really any meal you would enjoy rice with!
What To Eat With Cilantro Brown Rice:
- Chicken taquitos – ready in 20 minutes!
- Chicken enchiladas – high protein, best weeknight dinner & only 7 ingredients!
- Cream cheese salsa chicken tacos – 3-ingredient Crockpot recipe!
- Sheet pan shrimp fajitas – made with a teriyaki marinade + pineapple
- Sheet pan chicken fajitas – made with taco seasoning and easily one of the meals we make most often!
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
For more healthy side dish inspiration, check out this round up of 20+ healthy side dishes for any meal or browse all our healthy side dish recipes!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups brown jasmine rice (270g)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (30g)
- 1/2 tsp salt more to taste
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Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rice and a few shakes of salt. Boil for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender. Add more water as needed to continue cooking rice. Reduce heat as needed to prevent the water from flowing over.
- Drain the rice and return it to the pot. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.
- Mix in the chopped cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil and salt. Taste and add more salt, lime juice or cilantro as needed to taste.
Equipment
- Large pot
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
