I could eat a bowl of this rice all by itself, so happily. Bless you for this recipe, Kim! I’m so excited I finally have a level-up cilantro lime rice that I love! I’m going to try it next with Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas. Or maybe with Carne Guisada! yes please. Okay here we go, let’s make it! But for this stage of young motherhood and all the wildness it brings, I love a good beach trip where the only thing on my agenda is drinking a second virgin Pina Colada and lounging with a book. Turns out, Eric and I are really excellent at this whole “doing nothing” thing. The thing about an all inclusive resort is, you really can order as much food as you want. (And I don’t even feel guilty; we are their cheapest customers because we don’t drink alcohol 😂) So we’re at a restaurant one night, and Eric orders dessert. The waiter pauses from taking his notes, looks up and asks, “Are you telling me what you want, or are you just reading the menu out loud?” Because Eric had ordered ALL the desserts on the menu. All of them. Send help guys 😅 You better believe we demolished every last bite. I’ve tried lots of different recipes for Cilantro Lime Rice and guys, none of them blew me away. Rice is good all by itself (with a lil help from our bubba butter of course) and when you add some cilantro and lime at the end, it’s good. But I was looking for that GREEN and SUPER FLAVORFUL rice I’ve had in certain “fancier” Mexican restaurants, where the cilantro lime flavor is absorbed in the rice itself, amping up the flavor significantly. Chipotle’s rice is good, but honestly it’s got nothing on the green stuff. Then I DID eat it with my carnitas and could. not. stop. It’s so good, just all by itself, but especially with all the fixins like Pico de Gallo and a pot of Tejano Pinto Beans. So what makes it so good? The method is a huge part of it. Instead of adding cilantro to already-cooked rice, we are pureeing it with milk and chicken broth (so much more flavorful and creamy than water!), so the cilantro flavor can literally seep into the rice as it cooks and absorbs liquid. Then, we toast the rice until it’s golden brown in some butter and olive oil. This browning adds in lovely flavor that you can’t get any other way. Then some easy aromatics, onion and garlic, add in even more umph. And finally, once the rice is mostly cooked, we add in not just lime juice, but also plenty of lime zest too, to bring that punch of citrus flavor that I love. Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram Meanwhile, toast the rice in some butter and oil. I LOVE the flavor this brings out in the rice! I wish I made time to do this every time I cooked rice. Definitely don’t skip it for this recipe. That golden brown flavor is just 🤌 After the rice has toasted a bit, add in the onions and garlic and keep sautéing for a bit. Now it’s time for the fun. Pour in the green stuff! Bring it to a bowl, then cover and heat on low for a while. After about 15 minutes, it will look like this. ↑ So fun right? Fluff it up a bit, then don’t forget to add in the lime juice and zest. And voila! That’s it! Easy peasy. If you don’t have the time to make a full Mexican meal to go with this rice, make the simple black beans recipe I’ve included in the recipe notes. It’s super basic, but they are really good and a make a great (and cheap) last minute dinner! Those are the beans you see in some of today’s photos. I love slapping a fried egg on top. Add in some fried plantains, and you have one of my favorite meals of all time!
Cafe Rio Sweet Shredded Pork for Burritos (Slow Cooker/Instant Pot) » because it’s so flavorful, cilantro lime rice is PERFECT in a smothered burrito! Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans (Slow Cooker Mexican Beans) » a bowl of these beans with this rice, or both in a burrito with some cheese, would be HEAVEN Traditional Carne Guisada Tacos » this is some of the best tender beef perfect for tacos, burritos, in a bowl, you name it Best Chicken Tacos Recipe (Stovetop or Crockpot) » flavorful and moist, like from a taqueria! The freakin best Carne Asada I’ve ever put it my mouth ANYTHING from my Mexican/Tex Mex Recipes page – click through to find TONS of ideas on what to make 30 Minute Korean Beef Recipe » unbelievably good for how little effort it takes Asian Seared Chicken with Stir Fried Green Beans » I think this rice would pair really well with lots of Asian flavors as well. This is the crispiest seared chicken! Asian Pork Tenderloin Recipe (Slow Cooker) » easy, plus a caramelized glaze – yum Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peanut-Lime Sauce » an easy dinner perfect for busy weeknights Authentic Caribbean Jerk Chicken from Grillseeker Cajun Shrimp with Garlic Butter Sauce from Inspired Taste
To eat leftover rice, make sure it’s in a microwave safe dish, spritz with a bit of water, then cover with a splatter shield and microwave on high. The water spritzing is important, rice loses a lot of moisture as it sits in the fridge and you need to restore some of that if you want rice that isn’t dry as a bone. If it’s a single portion, try one minute, stir, and if it’s not all the way warmed through add another 30-60 seconds. If it’s a family sized serving, sprinkle with water, cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until hot and steaming. To use, you can thaw the rice in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours, then warm in the microwave for 1-5 minutes depending on portion size. Sometimes to speed up the process, I’ll take a bag straight from the freezer, open the seal but leave it in the bag and microwave for one minute. After that, it’s thawed enough to break into chunks into a serving bowl and then microwave until hot as instructed above. Don’t forget to add a little water.
How to cook Brown Rice in Instant Pot » flavorful, fluffy brown rice, and healthy to boot How to make Riced Cauliflower » doesn’t taste just like rice, but is delicious and a great low-carb alternative Roasted Red Potatoes in Oven » easiest recipe ever, and perfect alongside so many dinners The Best Garlic Butter Bread » I say yes to garlic bread at any opportunity I can. This recipe is the best! Aunt Shirley’s Mashed Potatoes Recipe with Cream Cheese » it’s hard to go wrong with the creamiest mashed potatoes of your life Sweet and Moist Cornbread Recipe » NO dry cornbread here, your new favorite recipe! Orzo Pilaf from Dad Cooks Dinner Hasselback Potatoes from Love and Lemons
