Is it possible to maintain a ketogenic diet while enjoying the convenience of Chipotle? Absolutely! Chipotle offers a wealth of options for crafting delicious and satisfying keto-friendly meals. This guide will walk you through the ins and outs of navigating the Chipotle menu, ensuring you stay on track with your low-carb lifestyle.
Understanding the Basics of Keto at Chipotle
The key to a successful keto experience at Chipotle lies in understanding which ingredients to embrace and which to avoid. Due to their carb content, rice and beans are a no-go on keto. A serving of white rice contains 39 net carbs, brown rice has 34 net carbs, black beans have 15 net carbs, and the pinto beans have 13 net carbs. The other base options - burrito, tacos, and salad - range from 19 to 47 net carbs, which could potentially kick you out of ketosis.
Building Your Keto Bowl: A Step-by-Step Approach
The first decision you have to make is the type of meal to get, and there is really only 1 keto option. The Keto Salad Bowl! Everything else is your typical rice, bean, and burrito fiesta, so stay away from those and opt for a romaine lettuce base instead.
- Choose Your Base: Opt for a salad with romaine lettuce as your foundation. Heck! You could even ditch the romaine lettuce altogether and construct a bowl based off grilled meats, veggies, and cheese.
- Select Your Protein: Every protein option at Chipotle is fair game on the keto diet. Carnitas are a go to keto meat along with barbacoa to keep a high fat to protein ratio. Carnitas and barbacoa are both pulled meats the only difference is that carnitas are pork and barbacoa is beef.
- Load Up on Keto-Friendly Toppings: Cheese is definitely a staple on the keto diet. It makes for the best keto bowl with tons of protein and fat. Not to mention, these are also the tastiest toppings! Guacamole (nutrition per serving)- The infamous guacamole. You will probably be charged extra, but it is well worth it. Chipotle takes pride in their freshly made guacamole. Sour cream (nutrition per serving)- It may not be super high in protein, but it is high in fat!
Ingredients to Avoid
If you want to eat keto at Chipotle you need to know what to avoid to prevent ruining your keto meal.
- Burritos: or more accurately tortillas. This goes for chips as well which will not fit into a keto diet with their high carb count. Burritos are also normally PACKED with calories and carbs. If you start with a burrito they’ll also ask if you want rice and beans.
- Rice: Both white rice and brown rice are low quality carbs that should be avoided on a keto diet.
- Beans: This goes for both pinto beans and black beans. Pinto beans (the brown ones) are 21g of carbs per serving, and the black beans have 22g of carbs per serving.
- Roasted Chili Corn Salsa: Corn is definitely not keto. The nutrition per serving is 16g of carbs (13 net).
- The Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette: This sneaky dressing at Chipotle has a whopping 17g of net carbs.
Chipotle Keto Menu Hacks and Ordering Tips
- Online Menu Hack: As you look through their menu, you’ll see a link to set your “nutrition preferences.” Click that link to select your preference as “keto”.
- Double Meat or Guacamole: Don’t be afraid to ask for double meat or double guacamole if you need the extra fat macros. Want to ensure you truly get double meat? The extra chicken will run you just under $4, but it’s worth it if you’re really hungry.
- Secret tip: Order two types of meat- ex. 1/2 chicken 1/2 barbacoa.
- Customize Your Bowl: Each of us like to make our own Chipotle keto meal to stay low carb. Depending what flavors you like you can customize your bowl to match.
Chipotle's Lifestyle Bowls: A Convenient Keto Option
A couple of years ago, Chipotle launched a new collection of Lifestyle Bowls, loaded with low carb deliciousness to take the guesswork out of ordering while living the keto life. Now you don’t have to try and remember which items are keto-friendly, just simply order either the Wholesome Bowl Lifestyle Bowl or the new Grain Freedom Lifestyle Bowl from their menu and customize for keto and Whole30 as shown.
Read also: Your guide to a healthy keto meal at Chipotle.
- What is a Lifestyle Bowl? Chipotle Lifestyle Bowls are curated bowls designed to help you meet your goals no matter what they are - Keto, Whole30®, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, High Protein, Gluten Free, or Grain Free.
- A Wholesome Bowl is Paleo, Whole30®, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Keto, and comes with Supergreens, Chicken, Fajita Veggies, Fresh Tomato Salsa, and Guac.
Our Chipotle Lifestyle Bowls range in calories from 460 to 845 calories and are customizable to fit your macros and nutrients no matter what your goals are.
A Closer Look at Sour Cream
The only real high carb item chosen was the sour cream. Chipotle has a much higher carb sour cream than most store bought versions. It is about 5 net carbs per scoop they give you.
Nutritional Information and Macros
One serving of chipotle keto bowl 1 contains 740 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 11% carbs, 52% fat, and 37% protein. This is a good source of protein (122% of your Daily Value), fiber (25% of your Daily Value), and vitamin a (24% of your Daily Value).
Nutrition Facts For 1 serving of chipotle keto bowl 1 (595g)
| Nutrient | Value | %DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 740 | |
| Fats | 42g | 54% |
| Saturated fats | 14g | 70% |
| Trans fats | 0g | |
| Cholesterol | 220mg | 73% |
| Sodium | 1690mg | 73% |
| Carbs | 20g | 7% |
| Net carbs | 13g | |
| Fiber | 7g | 25% |
| Sugar | 0g | |
| Protein | 68g | |
| Calcium | 110mg | 11% |
| Iron | 3mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 0mg | 0% |
| Vitamin D | 0μg | 0% |
| Vitamins and Minerals | ||
| Vitamin A | 216μg | 24% |
| Vitamin C | 40mg | 44% |
Chipotle Keto Bowl Recipe
Ingredients Original Recipe Scaled to 1 serving
- Chicken Meal Components/Meat - Chipotle ½ cup or 113g
- Steak Chipotle 1 portion or 113g
- Guacamole Meal Components/Extras - Chipotle 1 Serving or 99g
Keto Friendly Drinks
Ditch the sodas and enjoy a glass of water, seltzer, or unsweetened iced tea.
Read also: Your Guide to Healthy Chipotle
Read also: Healthy Eating at Chipotle