Keto At Chipotle: A Guide To Low-Carb Burrito Bowls
Chipotle have got to be my favorite chain restaurant for when I want to at least pretend I’m being healthy. Unlike the much more carb heavy Mexican eateries like Del Taco, Chipotle is a place that’s much easier to be keto at without having to make big sacrifices. So, if you want some delicious Mexican food without the carbs, here is how you can eat keto at Chipotle.
Before eating at Chipotle
Even though Chipotle is one of the better places to dine when on the ketogenic diet, it never hurts to do a bit of research beforehand (after all you came to thing article). So, before turning up to Chipotle, it’s a good idea to have a look at their menu, which you can find here.
I would also recommend you have a look at the the nutritional information so you don’t get caught out by hidden carbs. Their calculator is actually incredibly useful and I hope it becomes the standard at more restaurants. They even have a keto setting to help you find meals that work for you.
Tips for eating keto at Chipotle
Here are some tips to help you stay in ketosis while eating at Chipotle:
- Go with the bowls: Chipotle’s burrito or salad bowls are a great way to get all the keto-friendly ingredients without having to worry about carbs from tortillas.
- Get double protein: Chipotle allows you to double up on protein in your bowl, which is great for getting enough fat and proteins in each meal.
- Choose low carb fillings: When it comes to fillings, go for lower carb options like fajita veggies and salsas, instead of rice or beans.
- Be careful of the guac: I love guacamole and you probably do to. But it’s important to remember that it does actually have a surprising amount of carbs in it. I recommend you get it on the side and use it sparingly.
What to order at Chipotle?
Let’s keep things simple, there are basically two types dishes that you can eat while on keto. You can either get the standard burrito bowl or the salad bowl. That’s basically all you need to know!
Yes, it’s possible to get the tacos and just remove the tortilla but let’s be honest, that’s an unnecessary hassle. Similarly you could try ordering the Grain Freedom Bowl from their lifestyle bowls menu, just be careful as it does have 12 grams of carbs meaning you need to be extra careful about carbs for the rest of the day.
Now, let’s talk about building you bowl and the potential ingredients you can choose.
Proteins
Most of the proteins are pretty good for keto folks like us. I would recommend the chicken or carnitas which have no carbs at all, but most of these are fine. I would just avoid the Sofritas as they are 9 grams of carbs per portion.
- CHICKEN AL PASTOR 4g carbs
- CHICKEN 0g carbs
- GARLIC GUAJILLO STEAK 3g carbs
- POLLO ASADO 3g carbs
- STEAK 1g carbs
- BARBACOA 2g carbs
- CARNITAS 0g carbs
Rice
Obviously rice is off limits for us keto people so don’t get either of the options.
Beans
Despite being a very good source of protein, you may be surprised to hear that beans actually have quite a lot of carbs. All the beans at Chipotle, have at least 22 grams of carbs so I would recommend you skip this. (If you’re worried about protein, why not double up on chicken or steak).
Extras
Finally the extras. There are a few things to watch out for here so let’s get into it.
As mentioned before, guacamole has a lot of hidden carbs so I would be careful with that. If you have plenty of room after your meal try and get it on the side instead.
Cheese, sour cream, and lettuce all have very few carbs so feel free to add as much of these as you like.
Salsas are fine too, but they do have a little bit more carbs at 4 grams per portion, but I would caution against the roasted chilli corn salsa as it contains a topping 8 grams of carbs.
The fajita veggies are a little bit high in carbs at 5 grams per portion so I would avoid it, but it’s up to you depending on how many carbs you can have.
Finally, the queso blanco isn’t too many carbs either so it’s probably fine as long as you have built up too many carbs elsewhere.
- GUACAMOLE 8g
- FRESH TOMATO SALSA 4g
- TOMATILLO-GREEN CHILI SALSA 4g
- TOMATILLO-RED CHILI SALSA 4g
- SOUR CREAM 2g
- FAJITA VEGGIES 5g
- CHEESE 1g
- ROMAINE LETTUCE 1g
- QUESO BLANCO 4g
Drinks
Water is usually the best bet to drink, but you can also go for a Coke Zero or any other diet soda too. Just avoid the lemonade or any on diet sodas.
My burrito bowl
Now, let me show you my go to burrito bowl.
I start out with double chicken and double steak. Then I top that off with lots of cheese, lettuce, sour cream, salsa and maybe a little guac on the side. This comes to 7 grams of carbs for the whole meal before adding guac which can bring it up to 15 grams, so again, be careful. Finally, I usually wash it down with a Diet Coke.
What to avoid at Chipotle?
As usual, you want to avoid anything with tortillas like the tacos, quesadillas or burritos. Similarly, you want to stay far away from the tortilla chips as these are of course, just carbs. Finally, it’s important to remind you that, any drinks that are not water or are sugar free like lemonade, juice or fresca’s are off limits.
Summary
Chipotle are by far one of my favorite fast food options for keto eatings. Ordering keto at Chipotle is pretty easy and you really don’t feel like you’re missing out. Just remember to follow these tips and go enjoy a great Mexican bowl!
