When you think of fast food, greasy fries, hamburgers, and fried chicken probably come to mind. But Chipotle is different. Known for its fresh ingredients and build-your-own meals, Chipotle makes it easy to order healthy fast food. Unlike typical fast food, Chipotle’s menu is flexible, allowing you to mix and match to suit your diet. Whether you’re trying to cut calories, get more protein, or just eat a balanced meal, Chipotle has you covered. So, what are the healthiest Chipotle orders you can make at the fast-casual Mexican grill, and which combination of ingredients can amount to a filling, well-balanced meal? We asked dietitians for their top 10 picks for a delicious and nutritious meal.
Tips for Customizing a Healthy Chipotle Order
If you’re trying to choose a healthy meal for your next Chipotle visit, here are a few key tips.
- Add extra veggies: Load up on as many veggies as possible. A base of shredded lettuce topped with fajita veggies is a great start to building a meal that packs volume for fewer calories.
- Skip the tortilla: While delicious, the burrito-size tortilla is over 300 calories. For many, this takes up most of their meal calorie budget.
- Avoid chips: A single order of chips is over 500 calories and provides little nutritional value. Focus on the ingredients in your entrée order and less on the side items for a balanced, healthy meal.
The Healthiest Chipotle Orders We Recommend
All foods can be part of an overall healthy diet. (Yes, even queso!) However, we have narrowed down our healthiest Chipotle orders based on a few factors: Calories, saturated fat, fiber, and carbohydrate content, among other elements explained below. If you are trying to maximize nutrient density while staying mindful of calories, we’ve done the work to make your next order foolproof.
Read on to learn the 10 healthiest Chipotle orders you can make. Then, check out The Healthiest Order at Moe’s Southwest Grill.
Go Half Veggie Bowl
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 615
Fat: 23 g
Carbs: 73 g
Protein: 30 g
You can order the Veggie Full Bowl at Chipotle, which is fully vegetarian-friendly and comes with 18 grams of protein. But one of our favorite options is the Go Half Veggie Bowl, which is perfect for those who eat meat but want a smaller portion. This bowl comes with a half order of chicken and a half order of Sofritas (Chipotle’s plant-based protein), bringing your protein count up to 30 grams. Along with protein, you’ll get a fiber boost from the lettuce, veggies, and salsa.
The Wholesome Bowl
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 460
Fat: 29 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 35 g
At 460 calories, the Wholesome Bowl is a great option that fits the calorie needs of a wide range of adults. Loaded with protein and fiber, two satiating ingredients, this meal will keep you feeling full while packing in tons of micronutrients. Vegetables are known for their vitamin and mineral content, and the supergreen lettuce mix, fajita veggies, tomato salsa, and guacamole in this meal all contribute many of the nutrients.
The fat content of this bowl is relatively high, although the majority of fat grams come from healthy unsaturated fat that can benefit blood cholesterol levels and reduce body inflammation. If you are looking to lessen the fat grams in the meal, ask for the guacamole on the side and use half with this meal while saving the other half for a later meal or snack.
Chicken Salad With Queso
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 460
Fat: 29 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 34 g
Another salad option for those looking to load up on veggies at Chipotle, this recipe includes the supergreen mix, chicken, a light portion of brown rice, roasted chili-corn salsa, fajita veggies, and uses queso blanco in place of the chipotle-honey vinaigrette dressing. (See, I told you queso can be part of a healthy meal!)
While this salad does contain more saturated fat than the other salad options, it is also loaded with other valuable nutrients, like fiber and protein, in addition to packing in several servings of veggies. To scale back saturated fat, total fat, and calories in the meal, you can ask for a lighter serving of queso.
Plant-Powered Bowl
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 720
Fat: 38 g
Carbs: 83 g
Protein: 18 g
The Plant-Powered Bowl is the perfect choice for vegans or vegetarians who need an extra protein boost. Made with greens, rice, veggies, corn salsa, guac, and Sofritas (Chipotle’s plant-based protein made from tofu), this bowl will help keep you full and energized without any animal products.
Three Steak Tacos
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 460
Fat: 29 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 34 g
While you may be better off skipping the side of chips, the crispy corn tortilla tacos are a great option if you want some crunch in your meal. Pack your three taco shells with steak, light black beans, tomatillo green salsa, and romaine lettuce to make this a complete meal. With a good balance of macronutrients in this meal and an impressive amount of fiber, you’ll find these tacos to be filling.
If three tacos are more than you’d like in a meal, eat two and save one for a snack later in the day. Alternatively, if you’d like to add more volume to this meal, add extra romaine lettuce and include the fajita veggies for an additional 25 calories.
Kids Quesadilla With Steak
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 360
Fat: 15 g
Carbs: 31 g
Protein: 24 g
Portion control is the name of the game with this menu item. Start with a basic kid’s quesadilla, which is made with a soft flour tortilla and cheese, and add steak. Add a portion of black beans and enjoy the side of fruit with the meal as a healthier dessert to round out your meal.
Barbacoa Salad With Guacamole
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 460
Fat: 29 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 34 g
Not all salads are created equally, and they can be surprisingly high in calories and fat if you aren’t mindful of the ingredients included. For a healthy salad from Chipotle, start with the supergreen lettuce blend made of romaine, baby kale and baby spinach, and top with barbacoa and a light portion of pinto beans. Skip the dressing that comes on the side, and instead use guacamole and tomatillo-red salsa to dress your salad.
At 13 grams of fiber, this is one of the higher-fiber meals on this list. Fiber can feed the good bacteria in your gut and may aid in weight loss, among other functions.
Steak Burrito Bowl With Cheese & Sour Cream
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 460
Fat: 29 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 34 g
For those who love their dairy, this bowl is a great option that keeps calories, total fat, and saturated fat reasonable. The trick is portion control. Start with a serving of steak and light brown rice, and top with fresh tomato salsa, romaine lettuce, and light portions of cheese and sour cream.
Although lower in fiber than other items on this list, you can swap the brown rice for beans to boost fiber for about 25 extra calories. You can also do it with the “extra” portion of romaine lettuce for more veggies. At under 400 calories, this meal packs in nutrient density while still including favorite ingredients you may have thought were off limits in your healthy meal.
High-Protein Bowl
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 845
Fat: 28 g
Carbs: 68 g
Protein: 82 g
This High-Protein Bowl is a bit higher in calories and packs in a ton of protein, so it’s ideal for those living an active lifestyle who may be increasing their calorie and protein intake. What’s great about this bowl is that you get 82 grams of protein (mostly from the double chicken serving) and 10 grams of fiber from the black beans, tomatoes, and lettuce. Eating more fiber, especially when paired with protein, can help keep you full for longer.
Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 460
Fat: 29 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 34 g
For those who prefer to limit their intake of animal foods, this Sofritas vegetarian bowl still provides a good balance of nutrients while skipping the meat. Build your bowl with Sofritas as your main protein, and include a light portion of black beans, roasted corn-chili salsa, fajita veggies, cheese, and romaine lettuce to round out the meal.
Although a higher sodium and sugar option, this meal also provides nearly half the daily fiber recommendation, according to the American Heart Association. The several portions of vegetables in this meal, including beans, provide a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, which could otherwise be limited in a plant-based meal.
