Vibes for Dinner
side
Cilantro Lime Rice
By Mitch · September 29, 2026
Fluffy rice cooker rice finished with butter, lime zest, and fresh cilantro. The easiest side for tacos, burrito bowls, or anything smoky.
Prep
5 minutes
Cook
25 minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- chicken broth
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 tbsp butter
- 1 lime
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Method
- 1
Rinse long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati) in a sieve until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
- 2
Add the rice to the rice cooker with chicken broth to the line for 1 1/2 cups of rice, kosher salt, and a bay leaf (optional). Run the normal white rice setting.
- 3
When it's done, let it rest with the lid on for 10 minutes.
- 4
Remove the bay leaf. Add butter, the zest of lime, and about half its juice. Fluff with a fork or paddle.
- 5
Fold in chopped cilantro. Taste and add more lime juice or salt as needed.
Notes
- Add the lime and cilantro after cooking, never before. Cooked lime juice turns bitter and cilantro loses its flavour.
- The zest does most of the work. The juice adds sourness, but the zest is what makes it smell like lime.
- Cooking in broth instead of water is the biggest upgrade for the least effort.
- For extra flavour, add a pinch of cumin or a minced garlic clove to the cooker before cooking.