Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
My version of Chipotle's cilantro-lime rice: 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. It serves 4 and takes about 40 minutes.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 420kcal
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.
Video
Notes
The citrus juice: Chipotle uses a blend of lemon and lime, and its website used to say a gallon is made with about 63 limes and 25 lemons. Two small limes to one large lemon is the ratio I found tastes like the restaurant's. You'll have extra; it keeps about a week in the fridge, or freeze it.
The rice: Most of the people who've worked at Chipotle have said they see 50-pound bags of Producer's brand long grain white rice, which you won't find in most stores. A few have seen Riceland, which is easy to find, so that's what I use. Any long-grain white rice works fine; jasmine or basmati gives you a different texture.
No cilantro: If you don't like cilantro, use a little oregano in its place, or leave it out and make plain citrus rice.
Brown rice: For Chipotle's brown rice, use 2 cups of long-grain brown rice and boil it in a big pot of water like pasta for 20 to 25 minutes, then drain it and season it the same way. The full steps are in my Chipotle steak burrito recipe.
The salt: People who've worked at Chipotle have said it uses Morton's coarse kosher salt, so the salt on this card is Morton kosher salt (about 4.8 grams a teaspoon). If you only have Morton table salt, use about a fifth less by the spoon.
Storage: Get the rice into the fridge within 2 hours, spread out in a shallow covered container. It keeps 3 to 4 days (the USDA's guidance for cooked leftovers); reheat it to 165°F.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 420kcal