Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (Old-School Copycat)
This Chipotle cilantro lime rice recipe is long-grain white rice cooked with oil and bay leaves, then tossed with more oil, cilantro, salt and a blend of lemon and lime juice, the way Chipotle seasons it. It serves 4 and takes about 40 minutes, and the brown rice version is below.
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Chipotle's Cilantro-Lime Rice Has Lemon in It
I think when most people see "cilantro-lime" rice on the menu, they assume it's straight lime juice. But Chipotle uses a blend of lemon and lime juice, and it's the same citrus juice I use in my beans, corn salsa and guacamole.
From what I understand, there's no real trick to how Chipotle cooks the rice itself, except the oil and bay leaves that go in the pot. Then it gets more oil and the seasoning once it's done.
To figure this out, I went through the ingredient list on Chipotle's website and read what a lot of people who've worked at Chipotle have said about it online. It's the same rice that's in my Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl.
What I Tested
The citrus juice took the most testing. Chipotle's website used to say a gallon of their citrus juice is made with about 63 limes and only 25 lemons.
I tried a bunch of different ratios at home, and 2 small limes for every 1 large lemon tasted exactly like the samples I picked up at Chipotle. Once it's squeezed, that comes out roughly even, a little more lemon than lime.
For the rice, most of the people who've worked there have said they see 50-pound bags of Producer's brand extra fancy long grain white rice, which is hard to find in a regular grocery store. A handful have said they've seen Riceland brand enriched long grain white rice at their locations, and Riceland is easy to find at a lot of grocery stores, so that's what I use.
Why This Cilantro Lime Rice Works
- A citrus juice of 2 small limes to 1 large lemon. It's close to the 63-limes-to-25-lemons blend Chipotle's website used to describe.
- Oil and bay leaves in the pot. From what I understand, that's the only real trick to how Chipotle cooks its rice.
- Washed rice. Rinsing off the surface starch keeps the rice from clumping.
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients
Long-grain white rice. Riceland is the brand I use, but any long-grain white rice works fine. Jasmine or basmati will give you a different texture.
Limes and a lemon. Juice them and strain out the pulp and seeds. You'll have more citrus juice than the rice needs, and the rest keeps about a week in the fridge, or you can freeze it.
Cilantro. If you don't like cilantro, use a little oregano in its place, or leave it out and make plain citrus rice.
Neutral oil. Any neutral oil works. I use avocado oil at home.
Morton kosher salt. People who've worked at Chipotle have said it's the salt the restaurant uses, so the amount on the card is written for it. If you only have Morton table salt, use about a fifth less by the spoon.
How to Make Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
1. Make the citrus juice
Juice 2 small limes and 1 large lemon and strain out all the pulp and seeds. It's a ratio, so juice more at the same ratio if you need it for other things.
2. Wash the rice
Wash the rice under several changes of running water until the water runs clear, which gets rid of the surface starch that makes it clump.
3. Cook it with oil and bay leaves
Put the washed rice in a rice cooker or a large pot with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the bay leaves and the water the package calls for. When it's done, let it steam for 10 minutes before you take the lid off.
4. Season it
Move the rice to a large bowl, pour the other 2 tablespoons of oil over it and stir until every grain is coated. Whisk the salt into the citrus juice with the cilantro until the salt dissolves, then pour it over the rice and stir it in.
Taste it and add a little more salt or citrus juice if it needs it.
Chipotle Brown Rice
As far as I know, Chipotle's brown rice is seasoned exactly the same way. The only thing that changes is how you cook it, and I've got the whole thing in my Chipotle Steak Burrito recipe and on YouTube.
The usual way, where the rice takes in a measured amount of water in a covered pot, takes so long with brown rice that it's hard to get the water right, and it ends up either undercooked or totally mushy. So I boil it like pasta instead.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 bay leaves and 2 cups of washed long-grain brown rice, and boil it for about 20 to 25 minutes, tasting a few grains toward the end, until it's tender. Drain it, then toss it with 2 tablespoons of neutral oil and season it with 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt whisked into 2 tablespoons of citrus juice, with 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro.
If you'd rather use a rice cooker, cook the washed brown rice with 1 tablespoon of oil and the bay leaves on the regular brown rice setting. Some rice cookers have a GABA setting, which soaks the rice in warm water for a couple of hours before it cooks, and Chipotle doesn't cook its rice that way.
Storage
Get the rice into the fridge within 2 hours, spread out in a shallow covered container so it cools fast. It keeps 3 to 4 days, which is the USDA's guidance for cooked leftovers, and reheat it until it reaches 165°F.
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Questions
Can I use bottled lemon and lime juice?
Yes. Fresh is what I use, and I haven't tested bottled, but I'd start at about 60% lemon to 40% lime and adjust it to taste.
Do I need to wash the rice?
For white rice, yes, because the surface starch makes it clump. For brown rice boiled like pasta, I still do it, but it's probably not necessary, since most of the surface starch ends up in the big pot of water you drain off.
Can I make it without a rice cooker?
Yes. Cook the white rice in a large pot with the oil, bay leaves and the water the package calls for, the same as any long-grain rice.
If you make this, leave a star rating in the card below; it helps other people find the recipe.
More Mexican-Style Recipes
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Chipotle Steak Burrito
- Chipotle Black Beans
- Chipotle Pinto Beans
- Chipotle Corn Salsa
Recipe
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
Equipment
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
Citrus Juice
- 2 small limes this is a ratio; scale up as needed
- 1 large lemon
Cilantro-Lime Rice
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- water per the package instructions
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
- 2 tablespoon citrus juice
Instructions
Make the Citrus Juice
- Juice 2 small limes and 1 large lemon. Strain out all pulp and seeds. This is a ratio, not a fixed quantity. Scale up as needed. Store in the fridge for about a week, or freeze it.
Cook the Cilantro-Lime Rice
- Wash the rice under several changes of running water until the water runs clear. This removes surface starch that causes clumping.
- Add the washed rice to a rice cooker or large pot with 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, 2 bay leaves, and water per package instructions. Cook until done, then let steam for 10 minutes before removing the lid.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a large bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over the rice and stir until coated. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, cilantro, and citrus juice until the salt dissolves. Pour this over the rice and stir until well incorporated. Adjust seasoning with extra salt and citrus juice.
