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13 Healthy Chipotle Keto Menu Options

13 Healthy Chipotle Keto Menu Options
Twenty years ago, fast food meant burgers and fries served in paper bags to most people.

But thanks to restaurants like Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast food industry has completely changed. Now, there's a whole slew of restaurants where you can get quality food quick and easy.

And because Chipotle is committed to using ingredients that are healthy, sustainable, and even organic, it's a far superior option to most fast food places if you're on the keto diet.

Here's a Chipotle keto menu guide you can use to craft the perfect low-carb meal the next time you stop in.

Is it Okay to Eat Chipotle on Keto?

Yes. In fact, Chipotle is one of the best fast food restaurants you can choose on a low-carb diet like keto. It offers "Lifestyle Bowls," which include Keto, Whole30, Paleo, Vegetarian, and Vegan options, to name a few. Some locations recently started testing cauliflower rice as a lower-carb option.

But you don't have to pick one of the lifestyle bowls if you'd prefer to customize your order off their general menu. There are quite a few healthy protein and fat sources on the menu. And each meal is customized right in front of you, so you can remove all (or at least some) of the high-carb food items.

And unlike some fast food joints, Chipotle also maintains a quality standard for their foods. 

For example, they don't use meat that was injected with hormones. They also place a priority on using local organic ingredients whenever possible.

Occasionally, they'll use ingredients that don't meet their food standards. But they're always transparent about when their food doesn't meet their quality standard. (Perhaps you've noticed the signs posted there already.)

If sustainability and overall health are priorities for you, that's just another reason to eat at Chipotle instead of a place like McDonald's.

(Just don't scoff too hard at McDonald's. You can eat keto there, too. Plus, the McDonald's Corporation owns Chipotle—and it's largely responsible for Chipotle's rapid growth between 1995 and the late 2000s [1].)

Tips for Eating Keto at Chipotle

If you're planning to eat at Chipotle, start by using their online nutrition calculator

This way you can craft what you want without holding up the line or asking how many carbs or calories each ingredient is going to add to your meal.

Here's how to do it:

  1. Click the nutrition calculator link above.
chipotle keto menu
  1. Click the option Salad or Burrito Bowl (a salad is probably going to be more filling). 
chipotle keto menu

chipotle keto menu

chipotle keto menu

  1. Go down the list and select your food options. To the right, you'll see a nifty macronutrient calculator you can use that breaks your meal into protein, fat, and carbs. Adjust accordingly.
Try to stick to a protein, veggies, guacamole, cheese, and one salsa, and you should remain under 20g of carbs. The next two sections will help you further decide what to include and exclude.

What’s Keto-Friendly at Chipotle?

Here are 13 of the food items you can include in your bowl or salad at Chipotle. 

We have also rounded up the nutrition facts for some of the individual ingredients of this restaurant. Check them out [2]!

Protein Options

  1. Carnitas
Nutrition Stats: 210 calories, 12g fat, 23g protein, 0g carbs 
  1. Chicken
Nutrition Stats: 180 calories, 7g fat, 32g protein, 0g carbs 
  1. Steak
Nutrition Stats: 150 calories, 6g fat, 21g protein, 1g carbs 
  1. Barbacoa
Nutrition Stats: 170 calories, 7g fat, 24g protein, 2g carbs 

Fat Options

  1. Monterey Jack Cheese
Nutrition Stats: 110 calories, 8g fat, 6g protein, 1g carbs 
  1. Sour Cream
Nutrition Stats: 110 calories, 9g fat, 2g protein, 2g carbs 
  1. Queso
Nutrition Stats: 120 calories, 8g fat, 6g protein, 4g carbs
  1. Guacamole
Nutrition Stats: 230 calories, 22g fat, 2g protein, 8g carbs  

Carbohydrate Options

  1. Romaine Lettuce
Nutrition Stats: 5 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein, 1g carbs 
  1. Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa
Nutrition Stats: 15 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein, 4g carbs 
  1. Fresh Tomato Salsa
Nutrition Stats: 25 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein, 4g carbs 
  1. Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa
Nutrition Stats: 30 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein, 4g carbs 
  1. Fajita Vegetables
Nutrition Stats: 20 calories, 0g fat, 1g protein, 5g carbs 

The 6 Worst Keto Options at Chipotle

Even though Chipotle is generally a good option for keto dieters, there are some high-carb culprits to look out for. These are the 6 foods you should always avoid.
  1. White Rice
One cup (158g) of white rice contains 0.4g fat, 44.5g carbs, 0.1g sugar, and 205 calories [3].
  1. Tortilla Chips
One ounce (28g) of tortilla chips contains 1.6g fat, 22.4g carbs, 0.2g sugar, and 116 calories [4].
  1. Black Beans
One cup (172g) of black beans contains 0.9g fat, 40.8g carbs, 0g sugar, and 227 calories [5].

This nutrient breakdown is why we don't really recommend beans on keto, unless eaten in extreme moderation. You'll get plenty of carbs from the veggies and guacamole.

  1. Taco Shells
One large (21g) taco shell contains 4.4g fat, 13.3g carbs, 0.3g sugar, and 98.1 calories [6].
  1. Pinto Beans
One cup (171g) of pinto beans contains 1.1g fat, 44.8g carbs, 0.6g sugar, and 245 calories [7].

Just a note: their guacamole has 8g of carbs per serving, making it the highest carb of all the "acceptable" food options. It's probably best to stick to only one serving when ordering it.

  1. Salad Dressing
One serving of Chipotle's salad dressing has 220 calories, 16g of fat, 18g of carbs, and 1g of protein [8].

It might be disheartening to eat a salad without dressing. A good substitute is to mix your salsa thoroughly so that it acts like one!

Eating Keto at Chipotle Is Possible

As far as fast food joints go, staying keto at chipotle is entirely possible.

The key is to plan what you're going to get before you enter the restaurant using their online app—that way you know exactly how many grams of carbs you're getting and which foods to stay away from. (You also won't hold up the line asking about each ingredient.)

Salads and burrito bowls are the way to go. But since you aren't putting rice in the bowl (unless your location is experimenting with cauliflower rice), it's probably best to get the salad. Just skip the dressing. It has 18g of carbs per serving, and you can use salsa instead.

We hope this Chipotle keto menu guide was useful for you. For more low-carb and keto recipes, check out our recipe section!

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