Chipotle copycat rice is an Instant Pot cilantro lime rice that’s the perfect side dish to any Mexican-inspired meal. Just like the restaurant’s classic recipe, this easy dish is made with white rice, fresh lime juice, and cilantro. You had no idea it was so simple to make this Chipotle rice, and you can do it in the Instant Pot in just 20 minutes!
It’s easy to cook rice in an Instant Pot. Just click any of these to learn how:
Instant Pot Sushi Rice
Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice
Instant Pot White Jasmine Rice
Wild Rice in the Instant Pot
Table of Contents
What is Chipotle Copycat Rice?
Chipotle Mexican Grill is a restaurant that serves burritos, burrito bowls, salads, tacos, and other Tex-Mex style foods. Usually referred to simply as ‘Chipotle,’ the restaurant allows customers to fully customize their meal. One of the most popular items you can choose is Chipotle’s famous Cilantro Lime Rice, a flavorful side dish, base for a burrito bowl, or filling in a wrapped burrito.
What Rice is Best to Use?
There are plenty of rice varieties you can use for copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice. This recipe calls for white rice, but of course, there are lots of types of white rice, so which you choose to use is up to you.
We recommend a long grain white rice for this recipe, and that’s what Chipotle uses too!
What goes in Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice?
This recipe is super simple and needs just rice, cilantro, salt, and lime juice.
You can also add a bay leaf, but it’s not necessary.
What can I serve with Cilantro Lime Rice?
Cilantro Lime Rice is usually considered a side dish to complement Mexican food, however, it can also be served alongside other dishes. Cuban food and other Spanish or South American dishes taste delicious with cilantro lime rice, too. Here are some of my favorites:
- Tacos
- Burritos
- Burrito bowls
- Salads
- Skirt steak
- Fajitas
- Carne asada
- Shrimp and other seafood
- Baked chicken
- Black beans
Ingredients
To make Chipotle copycat rice, you’ll need:
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup lime juice
How to Make
STEP ONE: Combine the rice and water. To your Instant Pot, add the rice and water.
STEP TWO: Set Instant Pot to Rice setting. Place the cover onto the instant pot making sure to close the sealing valve. Turn to the Rice setting. Set the time to 5 minutes. Once the time is up, let the rice naturally release for 10 minutes. You can do a quick release after the 10 minutes is up.
STEP THREE: Blend in the rest of the ingredients. Remove the lid and add the cilantro and lime juice. Gently stir in. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- Use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water for a flavorful addition to this recipe. You can even use coconut water, or for a sweet flavor, try using 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup pineapple juice.
- Stir in the zest of 1 lemon for a flavorful punch!
- Rinse your rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This will help your rice to be fluffy instead of sticky, as it will remove a lot of the starch.
How to Store Leftovers
You can make this recipe in batches if you’d like and freeze it to use in meals for months! Rice stores really well in the freezer. Portion it out and place it in freezer-safe Ziplocs or small airtight containers. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
This rice will also last in the fridge for 3-4 days, but will begin to dry out even after just a day. So, when reheating, you may need to add a few tablespoons of water or a bit of oil. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts until hot throughout, or reheat in a pan over medium heat, stirring often.
FAQs
Yes, you can, but it needs a longer cook time. Instead of cooking using the Rice setting, manually set the timer for 22 minutes on high pressure and continue to do a natural pressure release.
I don’t recommend it. This recipe really needs the pressure to release naturally to allow the rice time to absorb the remaining water.
This is totally up to you! The stems have a bolder, more noticeable flavor than the leaves, but they are also crunchier and have a different texture. Chipotle’s rice does have stems in it, so you likely won’t mind them if you like the original version.
Chipotle Copycat Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup lime juice
Instructions
- Combine the rice and water. To your instant pot add the rice and water.
- Set instant pot to Rice setting. Place the cover onto the instant pot making sure to close the sealing valve. Turn to the Rice setting. Set the time to 5 minutes. Once the time is up let the rice naturally release for 10 minutes. You can do a quick release after the 10 minutes is up.
- Blend in the rest of the ingredients. Remove the lid and add the cilantro and lime juice. Gently stir in. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water for a flavorful addition to this recipe. You can even use coconut water, or for a sweet flavor, try using 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup pineapple juice.
- Stir in the zest of 1 lemon for a flavorful punch!
- Rinse your rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This will help your rice to be fluffy instead of sticky, as it will remove a lot of the starch.
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