Go Back
+ servings
White Bowl of Cilantro Lime Rice with lime slice and surrounded by limes and cilantro in front of an Instant Pot.
Print

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice makes the classic Chipotle Copycat Cilantro Lime Rice Mexican side dish recipe easier to make in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! It will be ready quickly for your Mexican dinner!
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Cilantro Lime Rice
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Natural Release 15 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 169kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white rice (long grain preferred)
  • 2 cups water (or chicken broth)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • juice from 2 limes
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • In the instant pot inner pot, add the water (or broth), rice and salt. (NOTE: If you like your rice less sticky, rinse the rice first before putting it into the instant pot.)
  • Place the lid on the instant pot, making sure the knob is set to sealed. Select MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (depending on model), change pressure to LOW. Pressure cook for 12 minutes and let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally for 15 minutes.  (This means that you do nothing for 15 minutes.)
  • Carefully release the rest of the pressure and remove the lid.
  • Add the lime and lemon juice. Fluff rice with a wooden spoon or fork making sure to incorporate the lemon and lime juice. 
  • Finally add the cilantro and mix until it’s spread evenly throughout the rice.

Notes

  • How Much Salt Should I Add?
    • That depends. I always recommend using the amount of salt in a recipe as a guideline rather than a hard fact as people's taste preferences vary widely when it comes to the amount of salt to add.
    • If you use chicken broth instead of water, then I would recommend reducing the amount of salt that you add to accommodate for the salt that is included in the chicken broth. If you use reduced-sodium chicken broth, then you could reduce the salt by a smaller amount.
  • How To Make the Rice Less Sticky?
    • If you like the rice less sticky, then rinse the rice thoroughly with cold water before adding to the Instant Pot. 
  • What is The Correct Water to Rice Ratio For Cilantro Lime Rice in an Instant Pot?
    • 1:1 officially from Instant Pot. Start with this ratio for your first rice recipe.
    • 1.25:1 is my preference.
    • 1.5:1 is the maximum water to rice ratio that I have seen for pressure cooking.
  • What Is the Best Rice To Use for Cilantro Lime Rice?
    • As mentioned under ingredients, I recommend using long grain white rice for the best results.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg