Cilantro Lime Rice • Two Purple Figs

September 3, 2024

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This Cilantro Lime Rice is a zesty, vibrant and engaging copycat recipe to Chipotle’s well-known rice. The one distinction is that we added a lot extra taste and cooked it to fluffy perfection. This straightforward rice recipe is the right facet dish to any Mexican meals and it cooks in 20 minutes! So collect up your lime, cilantro, jalapenos and let’s make the perfect cilantro lime rice recipe!

A plate of cilantro lime rice top view showing the fluffy cooked rice, the specks of green from cilantro, scallions, lime zest, jalapenos and surrounded by lime slices, jalapenos and a tea towel

Whereas we love this cilantro lime rice recipe, we have to point out that it was impressed by Chipotle’s well-known dish. We additionally need to point out that this model is MUCH tastier. Sure. We imply it!

We took all the things that we liked concerning the cilantro lime rice recipe, after which boosted it some extra. Our model has a hefty quantity of vibrant cilantro, a complete jalapeno diced in (which is elective), extra scallions. And naturally, a lot of lime zest and juice.

One other wonderful distinction is that we DO NOT boil our rice, like EVER. Okay so this can be a bit controversial. However we, Mediterraneans prepare dinner all our rice dishes utilizing the identical approach as rice pilaf. This principally means sautéing the rice in oil (butter or ghee) earlier than including within the water and letting the rice prepare dinner on low to soak up that liquid.

This video exhibits how straightforward it’s to prepare dinner fluffy and engaging rice. Extra particulars under 🙂

Why You Must Make Cilantro Lime Rice

It’s bursting with FLAVOR! Each chew is a zest of aromas.
The recipe could be completely adjusted to your style, including kind of of cilantro, jalapeno or lime–the key elements.
You’ll pair it with loads of Mexican dishes!
The rice cooks in 20 minutes.
Our approach (traditional Mediterranean type of cooking rice) for fluffy rice will blow you away–no extra boiled tasteless rice!
You may make it upfront, use it for meal prep, and even freeze it!
Leftovers make the perfect bowls : hi there Fajita Bowl 🧡, salads, burritos, wraps and extra!

Elements You’ll Want

ingredients to make cilantro lime rice on a board including the bowl of rice, some olive oil in a bowl, some chopped cilantro, chopped scallions, lime zest, lime juice in bowls and chilli powder, some jalapeno minced

Rice. Use lengthy grain rice for this recipe. Jasmine rice or basmati are nice selections.
Cilantro. You should use stems and leaves for this recipe. start with the stems and end off by including the leaves.
Lime. Each lime zest and lime juice are used right here for max taste.
Jalapeno. Fully elective, however oh so beneficial!! Use half a jalapeno, 1 / 4 of it, use deseeded, full on seeded, nonetheless works for you!
Garlic and Scallions. The bottom taste for the rice.
Olive oil. We use some to sauté with after which end of the rice with much more style by including a drizzle of it on the finish.
Seasoning. Whereas salt is sufficient right here, we add a little bit of chilli powder for an additional stage of taste.

How To Make Cilantro Lime Rice

Scallions and garlic sautéing in olive oil in a pot to flavor the base of cilantro lime rice recipe

Begin by making the bottom of the dish. Sauté some chopped scallions and minced garlic in olive oil for two minutes till aromatic. It will infuse the recipe with a lot taste.
Subsequent we add within the rice. You may rinse the rice, soak the rice forward of time, nonetheless it’s pointless. If in case you have time, I beneficial rinsing solely, no want for soaking.
Season the rice with salt and chilli powder. Chilli powder is an additional addition from us, and positively elective. We love the additional contact of taste of chilli powder. be at liberty to skip it.
The rice will get sautéed with the scallions garlic, seasoning and olive oil for one more 2 minutes. This toasts the rice, including taste and texture.
The water goes subsequent, or inventory. Undoubtedly use inventory for further taste, and when you’re out of it, water will do the job simply wonderful.
You’ll maintain the rice on excessive warmth and wait till the water has come to a boil.
At that time you’ll flip the warmth to the bottom setting, place the lid in your pot and let the rice prepare dinner.
This takes about 16-20 minutes. Uncover and also you’ll get fluffy, smooth, lengthy grain rice. It’s not mushy, not chewy, simply completely cooked and soaked with taste from the bottom of garlic and scallions, and the inventory if utilizing.
Now you’ll taste the cilantro lime rice with the cilantro lime. Add within the cilantro, lime zest and juice, olive oil, minced jalapeno, minced scallions.
Give {that a} combine and also you’re all set for a scrumptious rice expertise like NO OTHER!!!

Rice Cooker Cilantro Lime Rice

To make this recipe within the rice cooker, add the scallions, garlic, olive oil, rinsed rice and water/inventory into the basket of your rice cooker. Cook dinner in accordance with the machine. When prepared, add within the cilantro, lime, jalapeno and remaining substances. Toss properly and it’s prepared.

A spatula showing a spoonful of cilantro lime rice in the pot or rice cooker when tossed with the final lime zest, lime juice, cilantro , jalapeno and scallions showing specks of green and fluffy cooked white rice

Serve Cilantro Lime Rice

This recipe is ideal for Fajita Bowl, Salmon Bowl and any Sheet Pan Fajitas. Additionally makes an ideal facet dish with our Grilled Trout, Grilled Shrimp, Floor Hen Tacos, Air Fryer Complete Hen. Add it to this Taco Salad, Crunchwrap Supreme, and don’t neglect a dollop of Mango Pico De Gallo, Genuine Guacamole Recipe or Home made Salsa.

Suggestions for the BEST Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Use lengthy grain rice for a fluffier and textured dish. jasmine rice or basmati work greatest.
Rinse the rice to take away any further starch and have it tremendous fluffy when cooked.
Sautee the scallions and garlic first to infuse the oil earlier than cooking. Skip this half when you’re utilizing a rice cooker.
likewise sauté the rice for a nuttier style and higher texture earlier than including within the liquid.
Inventory or water can be utilized.
ensure to prepare dinner the rice at all times on the LOWEST warmth setting as soon as the liquid has to a boil.
When prepared, add within the flavorings immediately–cilantro, lime, jalapeno, scallions and extra olive oil.
Use zest and juice of the lime for max taste!

Variations of Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Use brown rice or black wild rice for a nuttier, more healthy dish. Alter cooking occasions and water/liquid quantity to make sure it cooks correctly.
Use cauliflower to make cauliflower cilantro lime rice. Observe the steps on this Dill Cauliflower Rice to make cauliflower rice from scratch.
Strive broccoli rice for a variation too.
Add some black beans to the recipe. As soon as the recipe is prepared, add in some rinsed canned black beans for further protein and to make it a hearty facet dish.

Storing Cilantro Lime Rice, Freezing and reheating

Leftover of this dish could be saved in an air tight container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
To freeze the rice, ensure it has cooled for 2 hours after cooking. Then portion the rice into ziploc luggage or sealed containers and freeze them for as much as 3 months.
To reheat leftover rice, you’ll be able to microwave it with a teaspoon of water. Likewise you’ll be able to add it to a submit with a tablespoon of water, set the warmth o low with the lid on and let it warmth up for 10-Quarter-hour.
If reheating the frozen one, you’ll be able to thaw it first within the fridge for a couple of hours and reheat as above.
When reheating, be sure you add in a little bit of recent cilantro and a squeeze of lime to pop up the flavors much more.

cilantro lime rice served on a plate with some jalapeno slices as a granish showing the specks of green on the fluffy rice

Mexican Recipes To Strive

Birria Tacos
Sheet Pan Fajitas
Strawberry Mojito
Lamb Tacos
Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe
Taco Soup
Nacho Fries
Salmon Tacos