Cilantro Lime Rice is hands down one of my favorite rice dishes to make because it’s super tasty, easy to make, and a great way to revamp regular white rice. Now if you love Chipotle’s Cilantro Lime Rice, then you’ll definitely love this recipe. Keep in mind, that there’s a bunch of ways of making this dish.
To start, you want to make the perfect white rice and that can mean different things to different people. For me, it means using a 1:1 ratio of water and long grain white rice. Now I know there are some of you who use a 2:1 ratio and that’s also fine. Water to rice ratio all differ according to how you cook your rice. I truly believe that cooking rice is really an exercise in knowing your stove, heat settings, and pots and pans that you’re using. Depending on where I’m making white rice whether it’s my kitchen or my mothers, I may alter the ratios. However, I never use a 2:1 ratio and that’s simply because I keep my cooking method the same.
I personally like to bring water to boil with salt and oil. I then add the rinsed rice, mix, and let the water dry up. Once the water has evaporated, I mix again and cover the pot with a lid reducing the flame to the lowest possible setting. I then let the rice steam for about 30 minutes before fluffing up. This gives me the perfect rice every time! There are others who continuously stir the rice and add more water until the rice is fully cooked. Do whatever works for you!
When making Cilantro Lime Rice, you want to start with fluffy white rice. Once the rice is done and just before you serve it, add fresh lime and chopped cilantro. You can make the rice as sour as you like. I think one lime is just enough to give the rice a subtle tartness that isn’t too overpowering. Enjoy this rice with chicken, tacos, carnitas and more!
Feel free to watch my step-by-step tutorial on How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice on my YouTube Channel: Chef Zee Cooks.
And now for the recipe…
Ingredients
- 2 cups Long Grain White Rice
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 Lime
- 1 tbs Freshly Chopped Cilantro
Instructions
- Wash rice thoroughly about 2-3 times.
- Over medium heat, bring 2 cups of water to boil. Make sure to season water with salt and olive oil. Note that regular canola oil can also be used.
- Once water has begun to boil, add rice and stir every few minutes until water has completely evaporated. Once the water has evaporated, mix rice one last and final time. Cover rice pot with lid and reduce flame to lowest possible setting. After 30 mins, uncover rice and gently fluff up. Make sure not to open lid before the 30 mins.
- After fluffing up rice, transfer rice to bowl and squeeze fresh lime. Then add freshly chopped cilantro and mix. Add cilantro and lime once you're ready to serve. Enjoy warm.