Yep, this cilantro lime brown rice tastes just like Chipotle’s! Chipotle’s burrito bowls are my go-to “fast food” meal when we’re in a hurry. Likewise, this homemade brown rice has become a kitchen staple. It’s so versatile.
If you have this cilantro lime brown rice in the fridge, you can throw together a meal in a hurry. Add beans or cooked eggs, top with some salsa or guacamole, and you’ll have a burrito bowl in ten minutes. If you have leftover greens or vegetables, this is the perfect way to use them up.
This cilantro lime brown rice is also a great side dish that will round out your Mexican-themed meals or anything that comes off your grill this summer. It starts with a base of perfectly cooked brown rice, a healthy whole grain. I often stir in a can of well-rinsed black beans for some extra protein.
I originally created this recipe for my cookbook, Love Real Food. If you haven’t tried those burrito bowls yet (page 142), you have been missing out on a delicious and quick weeknight meal. I’m sharing the recipe for the rice here, just in case!
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice Ingredients
I modeled this recipe off Chipotle’s ingredients for their cilantro lime rice. Chipotle says, “We simmer the whole-grain rice with bay leaves to add savory flavors, then season it with lemon and lime juices and toss it with cilantro for a slightly tart, fresh taste.”
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
Long-Grain Brown Rice
Long-grain brown rice is key. I love its slightly nutty flavor and the natural separation of the grains. I typically buy the Lundberg Farms brand (red bag).
Bay Leaf
We’ll cook the rice with a bay leaf, which infuses the rice with a subtle layer of savory flavor.
Fresh Cilantro
Chopped cilantro adds a burst of fresh flavor to this rice recipe. It’s not complete without it.
Lime Juice
You can’t make cilantro lime rice without lime! You’ll need the juice from about 1 medium lime for this recipe.
Lemon Juice
That’s right, there’s lemon juice in your cilantro-lime rice! Lemon brightens up the flavor and rounds out the lime. Chipotle uses a lime-and-lemon citrus juice blend for their recipes, but we’ll use a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead.
Olive Oil
You’ve probably noticed a light sheen on Chipotle’s rice, and it’s because they’ve added oil. Stirring in a little oil adds richness and prevents the rice from clumping together. Chipotle uses canola, sunflower or rice bran oil, but I like to use minimally processed extra-virgin olive oil instead.
Uses for Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Cilantro lime rice goes great with your Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. Here are some serving ideas.
Make Burritos or Burrito Bowls
Serve this rice with any combination of the following:
- Beans: Refried Beans or cooked beans
- Salsa: Pico de Gallo, Red Salsa or Salsa Verde
- Avocado: Guacamole or Avocado Sauce or fresh avocado slices
- Don’t miss the burrito bowls in my cookbook, Love Real Food (shown below).
Serve as a Side Dish
Cilantro lime rice is the perfect side dish. Here are some entrées that would go well:
- Tacos: Epic Vegetarian Tacos or any of these fun options
- Enchiladas: Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas or Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas or Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
- More Mexican Classics: Quesadillas, Huevos Rancheros and more
Please let me know how your rice turns out in the comments. I’m always so eager to hear from you.
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 ½ cups 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Cooked
- Cuisine: Mexican
This cilantro lime brown rice recipe is the perfect side dish for Mexican meals! It tastes just like Chipotle’s, and it’s so easy to make. Recipe yields 4 ½ cups, enough for 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups long-grain brown rice or brown basmati rice, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)*
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Pour in the rinsed rice and drop in the bay leaf. Give the mixture a brief stir and let it boil for 30 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent overflow.
- Drain the rice, return it to the pot, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes off the heat. Discard the bay leaf and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Add the cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and stir to combine. Taste and add additional salt if necessary (I usually add an extra ¼ teaspoon). Cover until you’re ready to serve.
- Leftover rice will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.
Notes
Recipe originally published in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 142).
Change it up: For some extra protein, stir one can of well-rinsed black beans (or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans) into the rice after cooking.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Sarah | Well and Full
I love the rice at Chipotle so I will definitely need to try this recipe! :)
Kate
Be sure to let me know if you agree, Sarah!
Connie Toong
Tried this recipe and have to say it is very yummy and I shall keep this as I love brown rice, and the lemon or lime juice, olive oil and herbs gave it a very good taste. Thanks Katherine. I love it when you give the nutritional value.
Kate
You’re welcome, Connie!
Hayley
This is such perfect timing Kate! I was planning on making the burrito bowls in your cookbook with fajita vegetables and kale slaw this weekend as meal prep lunches for next week and I was considering omitting then lemon juice from the rice because I was like really? I love seeing your explanation and I’m definitely going to keep that in now :) your cookbook is my absolute favourite vegetarian resource!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear! Yes, I know seems weird but really makes it! Thanks for sharing, Hayley.
SunshineMama
This recipe works perfectly every time and it does taste just like Chipotle’s rice. I love your cookbook! All of the recipes I’ve made have been delicious. It’s the best cookbook I own by far and the pictures are fantastic. Thank you so much for creating it! I’ve been able to make yummy and healthy food that my kids will eat :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you so much, Sunshine! I really appreciate it.
Ron Doty
This was perfect served with my fresh grilled Yellow fin Tuna. Brilliant recipe. Thank you. I completely love your style of cooking. I can’t say enough about your talent. I am a dog lover as well, and knew the moment that I found out Cookie was your pup, I would bond with your talents.
★★★★★
Ron Doty-Tolaro
I’ve never eaten at Chipotle but spent many years in the islands and this is a delicious reminder of those days. I could not bear the thought of comparing your food to anything that came out of a fast food restaurant.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Ron! Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate your review.
Anita Fearn Griffin
How can I adapt this recipe to the Instant Pot? I absolutely love your recipes!
Kate
Hi Anita! You should be able to cook your rive according to Instant Pot directions, adding in the specified ingredients in the recipe to cook per my recipe. Then, once rice is done cooking, follow instructions accordingly. Let me know if this makes sense!
John Mueller
Flavor is amazing. I added some of the lime zest as well. The only drawback was the rice was very gluey. I followed the recipe to the letter. Does anyone have any suggestions? I tried a recipe last week for boiled rice and it turned out the same way. Thanks.
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Emma
Hi! I think excess starch can make rice gluey–I usually rinse rice until the water runs clear, which, depending on the brand of rice, can take some time. Good luck!
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! Did you rinse the rice prior too? You may want to cook it for a little less time. See if that helps!
Sarah
Do you think this would still turn out if you make it in a rice cooker?
Kate
Sure! Cook the rice per directions for your rice cooker following the same steps here. It should work well.
Janet Johnson-Mertz
I will try this. I have been making your Kale & Quinoa salad for about a year and we love it so much, I make it almost once a week, if not more often. But a bay leaf in rice? I will try it, and will let you know what I think. I need more veggie recipes that my family will like. They need to try more veggie main dishes. I have to make usually double what is recommended so there is some left for them! I would love it if they would ask me for more veggies. I will have to come back and rate this rice recipe. Just made tzatziki. I am having a hard time leaving it to sit in the fridge. So excited to try!
Kate
Please let me know what you think, Janet! The bay leaf really helps with the overall flavor.
Sally
This recipe for cilantro lime rice was delicious. It took no time to make, and I was so happy I was able to use the cilantro from my yard. I did add the black beans for protein. My husband also like this combo. Thanks for the recipe. I will be making this again.
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Kate
You’re welcome, Sally! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Kathy
I made this tonight for dinner – added the black beans to the rice, and served it with heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with cilantro, and asparagus with garlic. We loved the fresh flavor of the rice. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing it with us.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kathy!
Jill
Ohhh, this is SO GOOD! I made it tonight for dinner, THANK YOU ! I have made several unsuccessful attempts over the years trying to like brown rice, this was sort of a last college try for me, lol. Perfect amount of zing, cilantro, and salt, EXCELLENT RECIPE
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Jill!
Emma Green
Delicious. Thank you for the recipe. And for all the other ones. They make me really happy!
Kate
You’re welcome, Emma! I’m happy you are enjoying them.
Nancy M Perine
Hi! Love yourwebsite/blog. Your recipe for Cilantro Lime Brown Rice caught my eye. I had everything on hand, even down to the cilantro from our herb garden down behind the condo This was a fun/easy recipe and we all loved it. Thanks for sharing!
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Kate
Thank you! I’m excited you love the blog.
Patti
Can this be done substituting quinoa for the rice?
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Kate
You could try it! Cooking time will vary. Use my perfect quinoa recipe to start! Let me know what you think.
Vanessa McKeever
Just made this rice! Wow!! So good, and so easy!!! Another recipe of yours to add to my recipe book! Love your recipes Kate! Keep em coming!!
Vanessa
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Karen H
Hi I was wondering how much water to boil? It’s my first time making brown rice so I want to get it right :) thanks in advance!
Kate
Hi Karen! Rule of thumb, make sure you have double the water than rice. I like to do a little more and drain at the end. Here is my how to on cooking rice: https://cookieandkate.com/perfect-brown-rice-recipe/
Anna Demongeot
Is there a reason you boil rather than steaming your rice? Thanks, Anna
Kate
Hi Anna! I find it turns out better and consistent texture based on the method I shared.
Carrie
Love this recipe! Tastes great and easy to make. I’m using the extra for a rice bowl. So glad I found your website and looking forward to purchasing your cookbook.
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Kate
Thank you, Carrie! I hope you love the cookbook.
regs
so delicious, gonna try your recipe, thanks for sharing
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Kate
You’re welcome, Regs!
Amber
Hi Kate! I’m thinking of making this for a large group gathering tonight, but I don’t have fresh cilantro on hand (and I know it tastes soapy to some people). Can I just omit it or will it really affect the flavor? I was going to use it as a side to your veggie black bean enchiladas.
Kate
Hey Amber! You can omit it, but it won’t taste herbal or have the fun green flecks. Still tasty, though!
Kimberly
Really truly delicious rice, and was even fresher and better than Chipotle! I have been trying to reproduce theirs for a while and this exceeded my other attempts by far. I made my rice in a rice cooker (brown Jasmine) and added the mix-ins right there after it cooked. So good that I went and bought your cookbook and look forward to discovering more yummy things. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kimberly!
Teresa
Perfect! I wish that I had fresh cilantro, but I made do with some cilantro I had frozen in the freezer. It still tasted great and now I can’t wait to make it when I can go to the store to get some fresh!
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arlene
i’m a little late to the party, i just made this rice and it was fantastic. I love brown rice and use it in lots of my meals, and this has a great latin twist to it!! black bean salso happen to be a staple for me (i’m from cuba!!) so this really hit all the bases for me
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Hayley
Hi Kate, I’m just wondering it there’s a reason you rinse your rice first before cooking? My package doesn’t say to do so, and while the rice seems fine, I wonder if rinsing first makes a huge difference?
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Kate
Hi Hayley! Rinsing removes excess starch from the rice, which helps ensure that your rice is nice and fluffy, not sticky. If you don’t rinse it, not a deal breaker, but you might find some rice “goo” at the bottom of the pot.
Hayley
This makes so much sense. I did have a bit of goo at the bottom of my pot but I didn’t really get what it was until now! The burrito bowls (from your cookbook) were still awesome but now I know they’ll be better next time!
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kashish food
Thanks for sharing this amazing post. can we use basmati rice in this recipe
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Linda
Made this rice tonight. It’s absolutely outstanding! All the flavors are so good together. Followed recipe as written. Chose to use Jasmine Brown Rice. Thank you so much for this keeper.❤️
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Mireille
So flavourful! Absolutely scrumptious!
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Jen
How does anyone suggest to reheat left over rice? Thanks
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Kate
Hi Jen! You can gently reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Holly
I literally never make plain rice anymore. it’s this recipe or nothing lmao
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Kate
I love it! Thank you for your review, Holly.
Mary Mirkin
This is an easy recipe and it turned out GREAT!
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