The Flavorful Aldi Rice That's Just Like Chipotle's, According To Customers

While often dismissed as a simple bulk pantry staple, rice can make or break a meal. There are many types of rice, and when you enjoy a tasty variety while dining out — like Chipotle's famed cilantro lime — it's not always obvious how to replicate the dish at home. Thankfully, trusty Aldi is here to help; the store sells a ready-to-eat dupe. Called Park Street Deli Cilantro Lime Rice, this private-label item offers convenience that rivals even the fast casual chain.

Distributed in a refrigerated, 1-pound package, the item simply requires a short, two-minute microwave pulse, and a tangy, fluffy bowl of long-grain rice is done. Plus, the package typically costs around the $4 mark for an entire pound — likely cheaper than requesting a side at Chipotle. It's a gem that caught the eye of Redditors, who laud its malleability; "I dump the entire microwave chicken fajitas with the sauce into this rice bowl," wrote one user. So while making cilantro lime rice from scratch isn't difficult, this Aldi find saves time during time-strapped, day-to-day moments.

There's nothing wrong with a bowl of rice for a meal; however, Aldi offers plenty of convenient delicacies to further replicate the Chipotle experience. The store sells a myriad of flavorful proteins under the same Park Street Deli brand, easing the creation of a burrito bowl at home. There are the chicken fajitas, as well as pork carnitas, beef brisket, and more. You could also grab the ready-to-eat Del Real Barbacoa for another protein that mirrors the chain's meats.

Don't forget a mouthwatering sauce, a significant part of Chipotle's charm. The chain uses two types of cheese — cheddar and Monterey Jack — in its queso blanco. While Aldi doesn't sell precisely the same composition, it does offer an American cheese-based white queso, a recipe with more resemblance to the classic Tex-Mex composition. 

Alternatively, finish your bowl with a flavorful dressing, like a bottle of chipotle-flavored ranch, which resembles the smoky, creamy flavors of Chipotle's adobo ranch. Finally, add some creamy store-bought guacamole (a condiment Chipotle is known for) to round out the meal.