If you love chipotle’s cilantro lime brown rice and have been looking for an easy way to make it at home, you’ve found the best copycat recipe! Packed with fresh flavors, healthy, and delicious - this cilantro lime rice can complement any Mexican-style dish.

My family makes this cilantro lime brown rice at least weekly now to have on hand. 

This instant pot recipe is made with simple, wholesome ingredients using only an instant pot or pressure cooker (stovetop instructions included). You can make it in about 45 minutes and store it in the freezer up to 3 months for a quick grab-and-go meal. 

Cilantro lime rice is a perfect side dish adding fresh flavor to any mexican, tex-mex, or latin-inspired meal. It goes so well with my chipotle copycat burrito bowls. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

- Much healthier and lower in calories than chipotle’s cilantro lime rice (they use lots of oil)

- Taste and texture is absolutely perfect

- Super easy side dish to make

- Delicious with any Mexican recipes

- Perfect base to any dish

- Super easy meal prep option (great time saver)

- Kid-friendly and approved! 

• Try it with my Chipotle Burrito Bowls recipe!

What You’ll Need For This Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker or Rice Cooker - An instant pot is truly a girl’s best friend (sorry diamonds or dogs). If you don’t have one, now’s the time to invest!! Thank me later when you save a lot of time making your delicious plant-based recipes!

Brown rice - For this recipe, long-grain brown brings the best results. You can also use medium-grain, but I do not suggest short-grain brown rice. Long-grain rice just gives this cilantro lime rice a better texture than others might. Another option is to make it with jasmine rice, white rice, or brown basmati rice (keep in mind the amount of water and cook time will vary).

Garlic - I tend to buy the pre-minced cans of garlic for convenience instead of mincing my own. If you’re using this as well, simply add 1 teaspoon garlic. 

Lime juice - Fresh lime juice squeezed from a lime will bring the best flavor, but you can also use store-bought lime juice. You can use lemon juice instead but it will not bring the same results. You can even add a little lime zest from your lime to make the most of the tangy flavor. 

Cilantro - If you’re one of those people with a genetic disposition to cilantro, believing it tastes like soap, this might not be the best recipe for you. But if you’re like me and you love fresh cilantro, enjoy! Make sure to use only the leaves and the tender stems. 

*Olive oil is optional if you want to add this in with the rice and water in the first step. I don’t think olive oil is necessary and I like to only consume whole fats in their natural form instead of pressed, concentrated oils. If you’re like me, enjoy this oil-free recipe!

**You can also use vegetable or chicken broth in place of water to add a bit more flavor, but I don’t believe it’s necessary and it only adds an extra ingredient for you to have to worry about. 

How To Make Cilantro Lime Rice In An Instant Pot

Add the rice, water, and garlic to an instant pot and stir to be sure rice does not stick to the bottom. 

Close the lid and set to high pressure for 12 minutes (or click the automatic rice button). 

When the rice is done, let the pressure release naturally. 

Once pressure is released, open the lid to fluff with a fork. Add garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and salt to taste, then stir well to combine. 

How To Make Cilantro Rice On The Stove

Add the rice, garlic, and 4 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer for about 45 minutes until rice is done and all liquid is absorbed. Be sure not to open the lid during this time. 

When rice is cooked, stir in cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste.

heck out how to cook perfect brown rice over the stovetop for more.

Tips & FAQ’s 

- Use fresh lime juice if you can and only add after the rice is cooked. Add more juice if you want more lime flavor.

- If you use white rice instead of brown, be sure to also reduce the cooking time to about 3 minutes on high pressure with a natural release. Brown rice is more intact and requires a longer cooking time in order to come out fluffy and tender.

What Goes Well With Cilantro Lime Rice?

Any mexican, tex-mex, or even latin recipes would go really well with this cilantro lime rice. Enjoy black or refried beans and this instant pot cilantro-lime rice on their own, add it to some fajita veggie tacos, or try out my chipotle copycat burrito bowl recipe! 

Chipotle Copycat Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

If you love chipotle’s cilantro lime rice and have been looking for an easy way to make it at home, you’ve found the best copycat recipe! This rice recipe has the perfect flavor balance of lime and cilantro. It really complements any tex mex meal or burrito bowl.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Instant Pot Pressure Release 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups long-grain brown rice
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice or 1 lime
• 1 cup lightly packed chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems only

Instructions

 

• Add the rice, water, and garlic to an instant pot and stir to be sure rice does not stick to the bottom.
• Close the lid and set to high pressure for 12 minutes (or click the automatic rice button).
• When the rice is done, let the pressure release naturally.
• Once pressure is released, open the lid to fluff with a fork. Add garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and salt to taste, then stir well to combine.

Video

Notes

- Use fresh lime juice if you can and only add after the rice is cooked. Add more juice if you want more lime flavor.

- If you use white rice instead of brown, be sure to also reduce the cooking time to about 3 minutes on high pressure with a natural release. Brown rice is more intact and requires a longer cooking time in order to come out fluffy and tender.

Keyword Chipotle Copycat, Cilantro Lime Brown Rice, Rice

How To Store And Save Leftovers

You can save cilantro lime brown rice leftovers once it has cooled to room temperature. Use an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days OR in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw out the frozen rice when ready to eat and heat in a saute pan with a little water or microwave for a minute. 

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?

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