This Cilantro and Lime Rice is much more flavorful than most cilantro lime rice recipes. By toasting the rice in butter, lime juice, and salt and then simmering it in broth, you get a flavor-packed rice that you’ll want to make again and again.
The Best Lime Cilantro Rice Recipe
This Lime and Cilantro Rice is packed with so much more flavor than any other cilantro lime rice you’ll try.
The rice is toasted in a butter, lime, and salt mixture before simmering in chicken broth.
Most cilantro lime rice you’ll try simply adds the lime and cilantro after plain rice has been cooked leaving you with mediocre rice.
This recipe offers you a bold flavored rice that has the cilantro lime taste in every grain. You won’t try it feeling like the cilantro and lime were an afterthought. It’s perfect for burrito bowls, as a side dish, or packed inside your favorite quesadillas.
There’s a few steps you don’t want to skip when it comes to cooking rice that has the best texture and flavor.
What You’ll Love About this Cilantro Lime Rice
- It’s got that just right lime flavor. Not too tart, not too bland. Just enough to brighten up your whole plate without taking over.
- It actually tastes like something. So many cilantro lime rice recipes are just white rice with green specs. Not this one. Every bite is seasoned and intentional.
- It turns basic dinners into something special. Scoop it under some grilled chicken, toss it in a bowl, or pile it into tacos. It makes everything feel a little more “put together”.
- It’s shortcut friendly without tasting lazy. You can use any white rice you’ve got and still end up with something craveable.
- No fancy tools, no extra dishes. Just a pot and few simple ingredients you might already have on hand.
- It’s a meal prep champ. It reheats like a dream and holds up all week. I’ve even eaten it cold straight form the container more than once. No shame!
Easy Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients
Here’s what you will need to make this easy cilantro lime rice recipe:
- butter – I suggest unsalted so that you can salt it to taste.
- rice – You can use either basmati rice or jasmine rice for the best texture and taste. Just remember if you use a different type of rice, they have different cook times.
- salt – Kosher salt or sea salt is ideal for cooking with.
- whole lime – Pre-made juice won’t give you the same results as a fresh lime. You want the zest from the skin as well as the juice inside for the most flavorful lime rice. Lemon could work in a pinch.
- chicken stock – You can also use water but stock is more flavorful and will give you the best results. You could use vegetable broth as well.
- fresh cilantro – Cilantro can be found in bundles or clamshells in the produce section of the grocery store. If you’re not a cilantro fan, you can omit it.
You can customize this rice recipe to your liking. I really like this spicy chili lime rice. It gets even better with jalapeños for some extra spiciness!
How to make Cilantro Lime Rice
Making this lime cilantro rice is so simple, and doesn’t take much more time than regular rice.
Toast the Rice
- First, add the butter to a large skillet and melt it over medium heat.
- Add in the rice and stir frequently. Toast the rice for about 1 minute. This adds flavor to the rice.
- Sprinkle in the salt and add half of the lime juice.
Cook the Rice
- Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot with a lid and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Uncover the rice and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Add in the remaining lime juice, zest, and cilantro.
- Stir to combine.
Lime Cilantro Rice Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Spicy cilantro lime rice – Add in some diced jalapenos or red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Coconut cilantro lime rice – when cooking the rice, you can add in coconut milk instead of water. You can also put in some shredded coconut.
Orange citrus cilantro lime rice – Use a combination of lime and orange juice in the rice for an extra bright citrus flavor.
Herbed cilantro lime rice – Add in extra fresh chopped herbs like parsley, basil, or dill along with the cilantro.
If you’re not a big fan of cilantro, there’s a few different things you could replace it with including:
- parsley
- basil
- chives
- green onions
What to Serve with Cilantro and Lime Rice
A great thing about cilantro lime rice is how well it pairs with a variety of dishes. I like to lean towards tex mex type dishes to pair it with.
- Put it on the bottom of a burrito bowl with your favorite toppings, such as chicken fajitas, a spicy salsa and creamy guacamole.
- Serve it in bowls with this easy, slow cooker salsa verde chicken.
- Stuff it into a burrito with your favorite fillings.
- Serve it on the side of beef tacos (or your favorite tacos) along with refried beans.
How to Store Lime Cilantro Rice
Storing rice properly is key.
Store it in a shallow, airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 to 5 days. Rice can grow dangerous bacteria, so don’t eat it after 5 days.
Can you freeze cilantro lime rice?
To store it longer, spread it on a sheet pan, freeze it for an hour, and spoon it into a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to six months.
Keep in mind that the lime zest and cilantro may become discolored within a day or two, but it will still taste delicious.
Lime Cilantro Rice Recipe FAQs
Burritos are delicious with long-grain white rice. Try them with a flavorful rice, such as cilantro lime rice, to bring in even more flavor to your burrito.
Chipotle restaurants make their cilantro rice daily in each store. They use long-grain white rice for their cilantro lime rice, which is steamed with bay leaves for extra flavor, but they also serve brown rice as well.
Other fresh herbs can be substituted for cilantro when making cilantro lime rice. Try it with thyme, basil, mint or parsley.
It is recommended that you rinse rice 4-5 times before cooking regardless of the type of rice you are using. Not only does it clean the rice, but it gets rid of the extra starch that makes it gummy.
kitchen tools to make cilantro lime rice
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Buy Now → More Recipes with Rice
- Chicken & Rice Soup
- Southwest Chicken Rice Skillet
- Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole
- Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker)
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Cilantro and Lime Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup rice basmati or jasmine
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 whole lime juiced and zested
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 handful cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Add butter to a large skillet and melt over medium heat.
- Add in the rice and stir frequently. Toast the rice for about 1 minute.
- Add in the salt and half of the lime juice.
- Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Cover with a lid and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Uncover the rice and fluff.
- Add in the remaining lime juice, zest, and cilantro.
- Stir to combine and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
