Keto Diet And Chipotle: Best Food Options

Chipotle is a popular choice for people on the keto diet, thanks to its highly customisable menu. The Tex-Mex fast-food chain offers a range of keto-friendly options, including protein-rich dishes and sugar-free drinks.

The Chipotle keto menu includes steak, chicken, barbacoa, carnitas, and cauliflower rice. You can also enjoy sides like guacamole, cheese, and sour cream, as well as sugar-free drinks such as unsweetened iced tea and Coke Zero.

Chipotle's customisable bowls and salads make it easy to create a keto-friendly meal. You can choose a base of lettuce and add meat and low-carb toppings, such as cheese, guacamole, and salsa.

The restaurant also offers a Keto Salad Bowl, which includes carnitas and tomatillo red-chile salsa, with only 6 grams of net carbs.

So, if you're following a keto diet, Chipotle is a great option for a convenient and tasty meal.

Keto-friendly ingredients at Chipotle

Chipotle offers a wide range of keto-friendly ingredients, allowing customers to create their own keto meals. Here are some of the keto-friendly ingredients you can choose from:

Proteins

• Chicken (0g net carbs)
• Steak (0g net carbs)
• Barbacoa (1g net carbs)
• Carnitas (0g net carbs)
• Garlic Guajillo Steak (1g net carbs)
• Carne Asada

Salsas

• Fresh Tomato Salsa (0-3g net carbs)
• Tomatillo Green-Chili Salsa (3-4g net carbs)
• Tomatillo Red-Chili Salsa (2.5-3g net carbs)

Toppings

• Romaine Lettuce (0g net carbs)
• Fajita Veggies (4g net carbs)
• Sour Cream (2g net carbs)
• Cheese (1g net carbs)
• Guacamole (2-4g net carbs)
• Queso Blanco (3.5-4g net carbs)

Sides

Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice (4g net carbs)

Drinks

• Unsweetened Iced Tea
• Coke Zero
• Diet Coke

Chipotle also offers a Keto Salad Bowl on their menu, which includes carnitas, tomatillo red-chile salsa, and other keto-friendly ingredients. This bowl has only 6g net carbs.

What to avoid at Chipotle on a keto diet

When eating at Chipotle while on a keto diet, there are several foods and ingredients that you should avoid to keep your meal low-carb. Here's a list of what to avoid and some tips to make your Chipotle meal keto-friendly:

Avoid High-Carb Foods:

• Tortillas and Tortilla Chips: Avoid all forms of tortillas, including flour or corn tortilla shells for tacos and burrito wrappers.
• Burritos: Burritos are wrapped in carb-filled tortillas, so it's best to avoid them.
• Rice: Say no to both white and brown Cilantro-Lime rice. Instead, opt for cauliflower rice or a lettuce base.
• Beans: Both black beans and pinto beans are high in carbs, with 15g and 13g net carbs per serving, respectively.
• Corn Products: Stay away from the Roasted-Chili Corn Salsa, which has 13g net carbs per 4-ounce serving. Corn is not keto-friendly.
• Regular Soda: Opt for water or unsweetened beverages instead of regular sodas and sweetened drinks to avoid extra carbs.
• Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette: This dressing has a surprising 17g of net carbs, so it's best to skip it and choose salsa or guacamole instead.

Tips for a Keto-Friendly Chipotle Meal:

• Build a Bowl: Instead of a burrito, build a bowl without rice and beans. Use lettuce as your base.
• Choose Your Protein: Pick low-carb protein options like chicken, steak, barbacoa, or carnitas. Mix and match to add variety to your meal.
• Select Your Salsas: Go for salsas like tomatillo green chili, tomatillo red chili, or fresh tomato salsa, but only in moderate amounts. Avoid salsas with high sugar or carb content.
• Add Low-Carb Toppings: Include healthy fats like lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Be mindful of portion sizes, especially with high-fat toppings.
• Customise Further: Ask for a side of tomatillo salsa instead of rice to make your meal more special.
• Choose Your Drink Wisely: Stick to plain water, unsweetened tea, or diet soda to avoid extra carbs from sugary drinks.

Keto salad bowl options at Chipotle

Chipotle offers a keto salad bowl that includes romaine lettuce, carnitas, hot salsa, cheese, and guacamole. The entire bowl contains 590 calories, 42 grams of fat, 32 grams of protein, and 7 grams of net carbs.

However, you can also build your own keto salad bowl by choosing from the following keto-friendly ingredients:

Base

Romaine lettuce (0g net carbs)

Meat

• Chicken (0g net carbs)
• Steak (0g net carbs)
• Barbacoa (1g net carb)
• Carnitas (0g net carbs)

Salsa

• Fresh tomato salsa (0g net carbs)
• Tomatillo-green chili salsa (4g net carbs)
• Tomatillo-red chili salsa (3g net carbs)

Toppings

• Cheese (1g net carb)
• Sour cream (2g net carbs)
• Guacamole (2g net carbs)

You can also add fajita veggies (4g net carbs) to your bowl, but be mindful of the portion size as they can add extra carbs to your meal.

When ordering a keto salad bowl at Chipotle, it is important to ask for no dressing, as their Chipotle honey vinaigrette contains 18g of carbs and 12g of sugar. Instead, you can use salsa or guacamole as a healthier alternative to add flavor to your meal.

Chipotle's keto salad bowl is a convenient and tasty option for those following a ketogenic diet, offering flexibility and customization to meet your specific dietary needs.

Keto bowl options at Chipotle

Chipotle offers a variety of keto-friendly options for those following a ketogenic diet. Here are some ideas for keto bowl options:

Keto Salad Bowl

This bowl typically includes romaine lettuce, carnitas, red salsa, cheese, and guacamole. You can also customize it by leaving out the red salsa or adding extra meat or veggies. The keto salad bowl has approximately 590 calories, 42 grams of fat, 15 grams of total carbs, 8 grams of dietary fiber, 7 grams of net carbs, and 32 grams of protein.

Whole30 Salad Bowl

This bowl is part of Chipotle's Lifestyle Bowls collection and is perfect for those on a keto diet. It includes romaine lettuce, carnitas, fajita veggies, tomato salsa, and guacamole. The nutritional content is approximately 495 calories, 34 grams of fat, 19 grams of total carbs, 9 grams of dietary fiber, 10 grams of net carbs, and 27 grams of protein.

Paleo Salad Bowl

Another option from the Lifestyle Bowls collection, the Paleo bowl, includes romaine lettuce, barbacoa, fajita veggies, green salsa, and guacamole. It has approximately 445 calories, 29 grams of fat, 21 grams of total carbs, 9 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of net carbs, and 28 grams of protein.

Custom Keto Bowl

You can also create your own keto bowl at Chipotle by choosing from their selection of keto-friendly ingredients. Here are some options for each component of the bowl:

• Protein: Chicken, steak, barbacoa, carnitas, or garlic guajillo steak. Chicken, steak, and carnitas have zero net carbs, while barbacoa has 1 gram and garlic guajillo steak has 1 gram.
• Salsa: Fresh tomato salsa (0 grams net carbs), tomatillo green chili salsa (4 grams net carbs), or tomatillo red chili salsa (3 grams net carbs).
• Toppings: Cheese (1 gram net carb), sour cream (2 grams net carbs), guacamole (2 grams net carbs for a side/topping portion and 4 grams for a large portion), and shredded lettuce (0 grams net carbs). You can also add fajita veggies (4 grams net carbs) for some extra texture and volume.
• Drink: Water, unsweetened iced tea, Coke Zero, or Diet Coke. Avoid regular sodas and sweetened drinks, as they can add unwanted carbs to your meal.

When building your keto bowl at Chipotle, remember to avoid rice, beans, tortillas, and corn salsa, as these are high in carbs. Instead, opt for a base of lettuce and pile on the low-carb toppings. Enjoy experimenting with different combinations to find your favorite keto bowl!

Customising your keto meal at Chipotle

Chipotle is a great place to eat out if you're on a keto diet because it's so easy to customise your order. You can control every single ingredient that goes into your meal, and the staff will build it right in front of you. Plus, Chipotle keeps adding more low-carb options to its menu.

Choose a bowl or salad base

Opt for a burrito bowl or a salad with a base of romaine lettuce or the supergreens blend (romaine, baby kale, and baby spinach). Avoid the rice and beans, and definitely say no to tortillas and tortilla chips.

Pick your protein

Go for low-carb protein options like chicken, steak, barbacoa, carnitas, or carne asada. Avoid sofritas, as it's a soy-based plant protein option with more carbs than the other choices.

Select your salsa

Choose from fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo green chilli salsa, or tomatillo red chilli salsa. These salsas have 0 to 4 grams of net carbs per serving. Avoid the roasted chile-corn salsa, which is high in carbs.

Add low-carb toppings

Load up on toppings like fajita veggies, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and, of course, guacamole. These toppings add healthy fats to your meal.

Customise further

You can ask for a side of tomatillo salsa instead of rice to make your meal even more special. Chipotle also offers a Keto Salad Bowl on its menu, which includes carnitas and tomatillo red-chile salsa.

Choose your drink wisely

Stick to plain water, unsweetened tea, or diet soda. Regular sodas and sweetened drinks can quickly add unwanted carbs to your meal.

Be mindful of portion sizes

Remember that even low-carb ingredients can add up if you overdo it. A serving of guacamole, for example, has about 2 grams of net carbs, so keep that in mind when adding extra scoops to your bowl.

Mix and match proteins

Don't be afraid to combine different proteins like chicken and barbacoa or chicken and steak. This adds variety to your meal and keeps things exciting.

Create your own keto burrito bowl

If you're craving a burrito, forget the tortilla and create a satisfying burrito bowl instead. Start with a base of lettuce, add your protein, and load up on low-carb toppings.

Be mindful of salsa choices

Request a side of salsa instead of rice or beans to add flavour to your meal without the carbs. The tomatillo green chilli and fresh tomato salsas are good choices, but remember to watch your portion sizes.

With these tips, you can enjoy a delicious and satisfying keto meal at Chipotle that fits your macros and nutritional needs.

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