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Home » Chipotle Seasoned Rice

Chipotle Seasoned Rice

February 20, 2023 by Debi 28 Comments

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Chipotle Seasoned Rice is a delicious nicely seasoned rice that’s perfect as a side dish  for any meal, including taco night. It’s also great inside of tacos and burritos and is a wonderful burrito rice recipe!

Are you a health-conscious person who’s seeking out new and flavorful recipes? Then this recipe is an excellent choice for you! It’s perfect for people who are looking for an easy and convenient way to eat healthier without sacrificing taste.

Serve this Mexican style rice for a true south of the border flavor experience. It’s super easy to make and budget friendly. With this recipe you’ll learn how to season rice for burritos and tacos. It makes a great Taco Tuesday addition!

With recipes like my Mexican Veggie Casserole Bake and Mexican Street Corn  you’ll get a great taco bar that will make everyone in the family happy. This is one of my Mexican Food Recipes you’ll want in your recipe box!

I first shared this burrito rice recipe in 2014. I’ve updated the photos and information for a better user experience.

a white bowl filled with spiced rice and the title of the recipe in the upper left: Chipotle Seasoned Rice.
Easy to make & so delicious! It’ll be a staple in your house too!

We appreciate your support

Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Taco night

I’m pretty sure that every meal could be tacos, and I’d be a happy camper. Of course, tacos can be pretty much anything stuffed inside a tortilla.

This Chipotle Seasoned Rice is a super easy side dish for taco night. Of course, this goes really well in a taco as well!

And it smells so good as it cooks with all those aromatic spices simmering away on the stove.

Serve Chimichurri Salmon over the top of this rice side dish for a delicious easy dinner!

Drizzle some cilantro lime dressing over the top for fun. It’s also fun to serve this seasoned rice on a taco bar with some Cilantro Lime Rice. Be sure to put some avocado and salsa on the taco bar as well!

Some like it hot

This rice makes a mildly spicy side dish. And it’s the perfect light heat level or adding to your Mexican dishes.

If you aren’t a fan of spicy hot things, don’t worry, it’s a nice mild heat level, and if you’re putting it in burritos, you’ll never notice it. If you’re eating it on the side, you can cut the chipotle powder in half to reduce the spice level.

You can also use chili powder instead of the chipotle powder. Here in the states, chili powder is usually very mild, not spicy at all. 

cooked rice in a small blue pot with handles in front of some cilantro and radishes.

Can I make Mexican rice with brown rice?

I’ve made this Chipotle Seasoned Rice with {affiliate links} white rice or brown rice, or a combination of both. It kind of depends on my mood, what’s in the cupboard, or who’s eating it.

Sometimes I’ll do equal parts white rice and brown rice.

If you use all brown rice, check it at the end of the 20 minutes cooking time to see if it needs additional water and cooking time, as brown rice will often need a little bit more of both to be done.

Extra-long grain white rice, basmati rice, or brown rice work well, too. The exact amount of liquid and cooking time will depend on the type of rice you use. Check package instructions for specific measurements.

For the rice that you see in the pictures, I used Jasmine rice. It’s a long grain rice, and a great choice.

I’ve also used several other varieties of white rice, and they all come out great. As always, check for doneness at the end to see if the rice needs more cooking time or more liquid.

What kind of broth should I use?

As always, use your favorite broth for this dish. The one that you and your family already like will be the best flavor in this dish.

I recommend vegetable broth to keep the rice vegetarian, in fact it’s also vegan. Use my delicious homemade vegetarian broth recipe for great flavor with less sodium.

But, yes, you can use chicken broth instead if you prefer.

How to make seasoned rice

Seasoned with lots of spices, then simmered slowly, this Chipotle Seasoned Mexican Rice is never bland or boring. Don’t settle for plain white rice, especially when it’s so easy to make this flavorful side dish!

The full printable recipe ingredients and instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can find important tips and tricks in the post.

rice ingredients in a pot.

Combine all ingredients in a medium pot, stir, and place over high heat.

Frankly, not having to sauté onions beforehand saves you so much time!

Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low, and simmer for twenty minutes.

Fluff the rice, stir, and taste for salt, adding any if necessary.

Top with chives or fresh cilantro if desired, and serve. That’s it! So easy and delicious!

boiling spiced broth on left, and cooked rice on right.

Storage & reheating

Leftover rice can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.

You can freeze it, too, for a couple months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

Burrito rice seasoning

Google tells me you guys find this recipe with the terms “burrito rice seasoning”, “seasoned rice for burritos”, “how to season rice for burritos”, and “chipotle seasoned rice” most often.

Rice in in burritos is great! It adds a nice flavor and some nutrition. And this seasoned rice recipe helps up the flavor even more!

What type of rice is used in burritos?

Traditionally, long grain rice, like jasmine, basmati, or long grain white or brown rice is used in burritos.
 
Long grain rice grains are long and slender, and aren’t sticky when cooked. So, they won’t clump and will separate nicely in your tacos and burritos.
 
If you want to make sure to avoid sticky rice, just rinse the uncooked rice under running water until the water runs clear. Then cook as directed.

Do Mexicans put rice in burritos?

Yes, having lived in Southern California all my life, and having eaten in many Mexican homes and at authentic Mexican restaurants, rice is a common filling in burritos and tacos.

Can I add taco seasoning to rice?


Yes, you can add taco seasoning packets to rice. But this is so much better and most likely has way less sodium than those flavor packets!
 
This will be your favorite way for how to season rice for burritos!

Serving suggestions

What can you do with taco seasoned rice?

Chipotle Seasoned Rice can help you create a unique and flavorful meal with minimal effort, while feeling good about the health benefits that come along with it. The spicy and smoky flavors of the recipe can evoke feelings of comfort and satisfaction.

It’s great in so many ways! Serve it as a side dish, you know, beans and rice, just like what you get at a Mexican restaurant.

Use this easy seasoned rice to fill a burrito.

It’s perfect for meal prep. By adding the spicy, smoky flavor of Chipotle Seasoned Rice, the meal becomes both nutritious and delicious.

It’s so good in taco bowls! Build a bowl using this rice as a base. Try it in my Shrimp & Mexican Street Corn Bowls.

Here are some recipes that you can serve with Chipotle Rice:

  • Fish tacos
  • Crock pot carne asada
  • Taco filling made with carne asada marinade
  • Easy black bean enchiladas

Chipotle Seasoned Rice is an easy and convenient way to enjoy a healthy and flavorful meal. Try the recipe and see for yourself how it can elevate your dishes with a flavorful yet healthy addition!

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If you try this recipe,
please come back & leave a comment below letting us know how it goes.
Share a picture & tag @lifecurrents on Instagram.
Or you can upload a “tried it” photo (I would love to see)
via the pin.

Looking down into a bowl of seasoned rice topped with green chives, title underneath: Chipotle Seasoned Rice.
Don’t forget to pin this recipe!

Recipe

a white bowl filled with Chipotle Seasoned Rice topped with chives, a cloth napkin behind.

Chipotle Seasoned Rice

Debi
Looking for a tasty and healthy way to season your taco & burrito rice? Try our Chipotle Seasoned Rice! This flavorful mix of cumin, garlic,chili and more is sure to liven up any burrito bowl.
5 from 19 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4 servings
Calories 211 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 2 ¼ cup vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or light tasting oil of your choice

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium pot, stir, and place over high heat. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low, and simmer for twenty minutes. Top with chives or cilantro if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 827mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 604IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword chipotle, rice, seasonings
Tried this recipe?Mention @LifeCurrents or tag #LifeCurrents!

Chipotle Seasoned Rice vegan side dish vegetarian gluten-free
One of the original photos from when I first published this recipe.
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Filed Under: Budget, Gluten-free, Lunch, Mexican Food, Side Dishes, Vegan Tagged With: chipotle, Cooking, Food, gluten-free, healthy, Mexican, recipe, rice, side dish, vegan, vegetarian

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about debi

ABOUT DEBI

Hello! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes. My husband eats meat, so occasionally I share some of his dishes as well. And, I’ll share tasty treats and projects that we do. Read more...

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Comments

  1. Michelle F.

    December 16, 2014 at 10:47 am

    This is so good. I love the spice and smokiness of Chipotle. Made my taco night way more fun!

  2. Heather

    December 16, 2014 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    Oh I love rice and chipotle! This combination is perfect for taco night and it wasn’t too spicy for the kids!

  3. Ginger

    December 16, 2014 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    What a great way to flavor rice. It was so easy to make and so much better than plain rice!

  4. Robin Rue

    December 16, 2014 at 11:40 am

    5 stars
    This is phenomenal! I love flavored rice 🙂 and this was so easy to make!

  5. Cindy

    December 16, 2014 at 1:25 pm

    5 stars
    This is great!! YUM A super easy recipe and a tasty one too!

  6. Joanne

    December 16, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    5 stars
    This is a perfect side dish in my family, they like rice, and this is one they love.

  7. Sophia

    December 16, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    5 stars
    Love this simple and tasty twist on rice to make it more flavorful! This was AMAZING in a roasted vegetable burrito!

  8. Liz Mays

    December 16, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    5 stars
    I serve this as a regular side dish over here. It’s incredible!

  9. katerina

    December 16, 2014 at 11:52 pm

    Very aromatic and appetizing!

  10. mikewinsc

    December 17, 2014 at 7:34 am

    I adjusted the chipotle ratio because of the kids but I really love it. Yes, I like it hot! 😉

  11. Miranda

    December 17, 2014 at 8:44 am

    Oh! This is so good! I love when a dish is aromatic as it cooks! My tacos always mean one thing. Meat and cheese. The hubs better look out because I think I’m going to change it up! He ate this as a side, but I think I want it in the tacos from now on!

  12. Melodi Steinberg

    December 17, 2014 at 9:06 am

    Yum! I love rice and this is simple to make.

  13. Kendra

    December 17, 2014 at 10:59 am

    I love rice and it’s so good with chipotle!

  14. Nicky

    December 17, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    This is delicious. I eat this with a few grilled vegetables and make it a meal.

  15. cheri

    December 17, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Debi, great rice dish, brown rice is my favorite too!

  16. ashleym

    December 17, 2014 at 3:51 pm

    Yum that’s good! I love a good spicy rice dish.

  17. Danielle

    December 17, 2014 at 8:07 pm

    Yum! This tastes great! I love rice and love Mexican dishes even more. Perfect!

  18. Kristin

    December 17, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    I am so glad I tried that! It’s so tasty!

  19. Caitlin

    December 17, 2014 at 9:12 pm

    This is an awesome side.

  20. Debra

    December 18, 2014 at 1:24 pm

    This is delicious! Right up my husband’s alley!

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Hi! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents, where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes with some great desserts and other goodies mixed in! Read More >>>

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