This recipe for Cafe Rio Rice features fluffy white rice with a delicious cilantro lime flavor. It comes together in no time with the help of your rice cooker!
My favorite meal to get at Cafe Rio is the delicious shredded chicken salad.
It’s filled with Cafe Rio chicken, black beans, cilantro lime rice, and topped with lettuce and other delicious fresh ingredients.
The cilantro lime rice is one of my favorite parts of the meal because it soaks up the creamy tomatillo dressing, which gives it even more flavor.
If you ever get the craving for Cafe Rio rice but don’t want to spend money eating out, this recipe is incredibly easy to make at home for a fraction of the cost!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Blend 1/2 bunch of cilantro, 4 ounces of canned of diced green chilies, and 1/2 small onion in a food processor or blender until combined, but still chunky.
Add 2 cups of uncooked white rice, 4 cups of water, 2 chicken bouillon cubes, 4 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice to your rice cooker. Mix well.
Add the cilantro mixture to the rice and stir once more.
Place the lid on the rice cooker and cook the rice according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
When the rice is done, stir and fluff the rice to make sure all of the ingredients are mixed before serving.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
2 cups of rice and 4 cups of liquid is a lot so make sure your rice cooker is big enough to handle the amount! You can also make this recipe in your Instant Pot using the Rice button.
To make blending the onion and cilantro easy, start with the onion since it has the biggest pieces. Then add the cilantro leaves and finish with the diced chilies since they are already cut.
If you don’t have any chicken bouillon on hand, you can use 4 cups of chicken broth or any of these substitutes for chicken broth.
You can also use these cilantro substitutes if you don’t like the flavor.
We love to use this rice in a tortilla for a homemade Cafe Rio salad, but you could also use it in:
BURRITOS: Wrap Cafe Rio chicken, cheese, rice, and beans in a burrito-sized tortilla and cover with enchilada sauce and more cheese. Cook at 350 degrees until cheese has melted.
POWER BOWLS: Substitute this cilantro lime rice for the almond wild rice in this healthy chicken power bowl.
FISH DISHES: Serve it with this brown sugar baked salmon for a fresh and flavorful side dish.
More Like This
Looking for more Cafe Rio or rice cooker recipes? You’ll love these!
I hope your family loves this Cafe Rio rice recipe! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
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Cafe Rio Rice (Cilantro Lime)
Ingredients
- ½ bunch cilantro
- 4 ounces diced green chilies (1 can)
- ½ small onion
- 2 cups uncooked white rice
- 4 cups water
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Blend cilantro, green chilies, and onion in a food processor or blender until combined, but still chunky.
- Add rice, water, chicken bouillon cubes, minced garlic, butter, cumin, salt, and lime juice to your rice cooker. Mix well.
- Add the cilantro mixture to the rice and stir once more.
- Place the lid on the rice cooker and cook the rice according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the rice is done, stir and fluff the rice to make sure all of the ingredients are mixed before serving.