Chipotle is a great option for those on a keto diet. The fast-food chain offers a variety of keto-friendly options, including their Keto Salad Bowl, which contains carnitas, salsa, cheese, and guacamole. In addition to their keto-specific menu items, Chipotle's customizable bowls and salads can be tailored to fit a keto diet by choosing from a variety of low-carb options such as romaine lettuce, fajita veggies, chicken, steak, carnitas, barbacoa, and guacamole. It's important to avoid high-carb items like tortillas, chips, rice, beans, and corn salsa.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Keto-friendly options | Carnitas, chicken, steak, barbacoa, fajita veggies, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, romaine lettuce, salsa, cauliflower rice |
High-carb culprits to avoid | Tortillas, tortilla chips, rice, beans, roasted chile-corn salsa, Chipotle honey vinaigrette |
Customization | Possible to customize orders through Chipotle's online nutrition calculator |
Online ordering | Available through Chipotle's mobile app or website |
What You'll Learn
Keto-friendly Chipotle ingredients
Chipotle is a great place to eat out if you're on a keto diet, as it offers a wide range of keto-friendly ingredients. The key to staying keto at Chipotle is to customise your order, opting for a burrito bowl or salad base, and piling on the veggies, proteins, and healthy fats.
Base
Romaine lettuce (0g net carbs)
Proteins
- Chicken (0g net carbs)
- Steak (0g net carbs)
- Carnitas (0g net carbs)
- Barbacoa (1g net carb)
- Chorizo (1 net carb)
Veggies
- Fajita veggies (4g net carbs)
- Cauliflower rice (4g net carbs)
Toppings/Salsas
- Fresh tomato salsa (0g net carbs)
- Tomatillo-green chilli salsa (4g net carbs)
- Tomatillo-red chilli salsa (2.5-3g net carbs)
- Sour cream (2g net carbs)
- Cheese (1g net carbs)
- Guacamole (2g net carbs)
Drinks
If you're on a keto diet, it's best to stick to water, unsweetened iced tea, or seltzer.
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What to avoid when eating keto at Chipotle
When eating keto at Chipotle, there are several items that should be avoided to stay within your macros.
Firstly, it is best to avoid burritos, tortillas, and tortilla chips. This includes soft or crispy tacos, and anything else that is tortilla-based. These items are high in carbs and will quickly exceed your daily allowance.
Rice is another food to avoid when eating keto at Chipotle. Both the white and brown cilantro-lime rice options are high in carbs and low in quality, so it is best to opt for romaine lettuce as your base instead.
Beans are also a no-go when following a keto diet. Both pinto and black beans have a high carb content, with 21g and 22g of carbs per serving, respectively.
Corn is another ingredient to be wary of, as it is not keto-friendly. The roasted chili corn salsa should be avoided, as it contains 16g of carbs per serving.
Salad dressings should also be chosen carefully. The Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette, for example, has a high carb content with 17g of net carbs. Instead, you could use salsa as a dressing or opt for guacamole.
Finally, be mindful of extras and portion sizes. While fajita veggies and salsa are keto-friendly, too much of these can add extra carbs to your meal. It is important to calculate your macros and stick to your plan when ordering at Chipotle.
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Keto Chipotle meal examples
Megha's Keto Chipotle Meal
- Barbacoa: 165 calories, 7g fat, 2g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g net carbs, 24g protein
- Romaine Lettuce: 10 calories, 0g fat, 2g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g net carbs, 1g protein
- Fresh Tomato Salsa: 25 calories, 0g fat, 1g carb, 1g fiber, 0g net carbs, 0g protein
- Tomatillo Green Chili Salsa: 15 calories, 0g fat, 4g carb, 0g fiber, 4g net carbs, 0g protein
- Sour Cream: 115 calories, 9g fat, 5g carbs, 0g fiber, 5g net carbs, 2g protein
- Cheese: 100 calories, 7.5g fat, 1g carb, 0g fiber, 1g net carbs, 6g protein
- Guacamole: 230 calories, 22g fat, 8g carb, 6g fiber, 2g net carbs, 2g protein
Matt's Keto Chipotle Meal
- Chicken: 180 calories, 7g fat, 0g carbs, .5g fiber, 32g protein
- Romaine Lettuce: 10 calories, 0g fat, 2g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g protein
- Tomatillo Red Salsa: 30 calories, 0g fat, 4g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 0g protein
- Cheese: 100 calories, 7.5g fat, 1g carb, 0g fiber, 6g protein
- Guacamole: 230 calories, 22g fat, 8g carb, 6g fiber, 2g protein
Keto Salad Bowl
Romaine lettuce, carnitas, hot salsa, cheese, and guacamole.
Raj Alan's Keto Salad Bowl
- Romaine lettuce
- Carnitas (or chicken)
- Fajita Veggies
- Fresh tomato salsa
- Cheese
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
Chicken & Steak Bowl
- 1/2 Chicken, 1/2 Steak
- Switch the cheese for guac
Chicken & Carnitas Bowl
- 1/2 Chicken, 1/2 Carnitas
- Guac and sour cream
Chicken & Salsa Bowl
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
Carnitas & Fajitas Bowl
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- Fajita Veggies
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
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How to order keto at Chipotle
Chipotle is a great place to eat if you're on a keto diet. They have a range of keto-friendly options and are committed to using healthy, sustainable, and organic ingredients.
What to avoid
When ordering keto at Chipotle, there are a few things you'll want to avoid. These include:
- Burritos and tortillas
- Rice (both white and brown)
- Beans (both pinto and black)
- Roasted chilli corn salsa
- Chipotle honey vinaigrette
- Too many extras, such as too much salsa or too many fajita veggies
What to order
Now for the fun part—what you can order! The best way to order keto at Chipotle is to build your own bowl or salad. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Choose a base: Romaine lettuce is a great low-carb option. You can also ask for fajita veggies, such as grilled peppers and onions, for some extra flavour and nutrients.
- Pick your protein: Options include steak, carnitas (shredded pork), chicken, barbacoa (shredded beef), or carne asada.
- Add some fat: This could be in the form of cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or queso.
- Choose your salsa: Go for fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo green-chili salsa, or tomatillo red-chili salsa.
You can also order a Keto Salad Bowl, which includes carnitas, tomatillo red-chile salsa, cheese, and guacamole.
Customising your order
If you want to customise your order, Chipotle has a Nutrition Calculator on their website that allows you to input different ingredients and see the exact number of fat, protein, and carb grams. You can also order through their mobile app or online, which makes it easy to get your favourite keto-friendly meal.
Other tips
- Ask for two types of meat—for example, "half chicken and half steak"—to get more variety without paying extra.
- If you want fajita vegetables, make sure to ask for them, as they won't be offered automatically.
- Go wild with the hot sauces!
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Keto Chipotle macros
Chipotle is a great place to eat keto, offering a wide variety of low-carb options. The key to ordering keto at Chipotle is to stick to a meat or vegetarian base, romaine lettuce, and add healthy fats like cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.
What to Order
When ordering keto at Chipotle, you can choose from a variety of meat and vegetarian bases. The following options are recommended:
- Steak: 0g Net Carbs; 6g Fat
- Chicken: 0g Net Carbs; 7g Fat
- Carnitas: 0g Net Carbs; 12g Fat
- Barbacoa: 1g Net Carbs; 7g Fat
- Fajita Peppers: 4g Net Carbs
- Romaine Lettuce: 1g Net Carbs
To add some extra fat to your meal, choose from the following toppings:
- Sour Cream: 2g Net Carbs; 9g Fat
- Cheese: 1g Net Carbs; 8g Fat
- Guacamole: 2g Net Carbs; 22g Fat
- Queso: 3.5g Net Carbs; 8g Fat
You can also add salsa to your meal, but be mindful of the carb count. Here are some low-carb salsa options:
- Fresh Tomato Salsa: 3g Net Carbs
- Tomato Red-Chili Salsa: 3g Net Carbs
- Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa: 4g Net Carbs
- Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa: 3g Net Carbs
Sample Keto Chipotle Meals
- Keto Chipotle Salad Bowl: Romaine lettuce, carnitas, hot salsa, cheese, and guacamole. Macros: 590 Calories / 42g fat/ 32g protein/ 7g net carbs.
- Megha's Keto Chipotle Meal: Barbacoa, romaine lettuce, fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo green chili salsa, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole. Macros: 14g net carbs.
- Matt's Keto Chipotle Meal: Chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatillo red salsa, cheese, and guacamole. Macros: 11 grams net carbs (with sour cream).
What to Avoid
When ordering keto at Chipotle, there are a few things you should avoid to stay within your macros. These include:
- Burritos and tortillas: Burritos are packed with carbs and calories, and tortillas can have up to 47g net carbs.
- Rice: Both white and brown rice are high in carbs and should be avoided.
- Beans: Pinto and black beans are also high in carbs, with 13-22g net carbs per serving.
- Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa: Corn is not keto-friendly, and this salsa has 13g net carbs.
- Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette: This dressing has a surprising 17g net carbs.
Customizing Your Meal
Chipotle offers a Nutrition Calculator on their website, which allows you to calculate the exact macros for your customized meal. You can also order online or through their mobile app, making it easy to build a keto-friendly meal that fits your macros.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Chipotle offers keto-friendly meals. You can either order one of their Lifestyle Bowls or build your own keto meal from their general menu.
The Keto Lifestyle Bowl includes carnitas pork, red salsa, cheese, and guacamole.
Avoid tortillas, tortilla chips, rice, beans, and the Chipotle honey vinaigrette dressing.
Some keto-friendly options at Chipotle include carnitas, chicken, steak, barbacoa, romaine lettuce, fajita veggies, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.
Yes, Chipotle now offers cauliflower rice as a low-carb substitute for their traditional rice.