What Can I Eat at Chipotle That Is Keto Friendly?

October 26, 2025 •

4 min read

A standard burrito tortilla from Chipotle contains a high amount of carbohydrates, emphasizing the need for mindful menu choices when following a keto diet. However, it's easy to discover what you can eat at Chipotle that is keto friendly when you prioritize customizable bowl options and specific ingredients.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a detailed look at keto-friendly choices at Chipotle, from choosing a low-carb base to selecting the right proteins, vegetables, and high-fat toppings, while also pointing out carb-heavy ingredients to avoid.

Key Points

Start with a Bowl: Choose a burrito bowl or salad with lettuce instead of a burrito or tacos to eliminate high-carb tortillas.
Choose Your Protein: Stick to chicken, steak, carnitas, or barbacoa, as these are all keto-friendly and low in carbs.
Add Healthy Fats: Add cheese, sour cream, and guacamole to increase your fat intake.
Use Low-Carb Salsas: Choose Fresh Tomato, Tomatillo-Green Chili, or Tomatillo-Red Chili salsa, but be mindful of portion sizes.
Avoid High-Carb Culprits: Skip the rice, beans, corn salsa, and the Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette to stay in ketosis.
Consider Cauliflower Rice: Use Chipotle's cilantro-lime cauliflower rice as a low-carb alternative to traditional rice for a more filling bowl.
Double-Check Your Order: Use the official Chipotle nutrition calculator online or on the app to verify your custom meal’s carb count.

Building Your Perfect Keto-Friendly Chipotle Meal

Eating keto at Chipotle is manageable by focusing on fresh, low-carb ingredients and skipping carb-heavy items. The best approach is to order a salad or a burrito bowl and customize it with keto-approved fillings. The options are plentiful, allowing for a satisfying meal that keeps you on track with your macros.

Choose Your Base Wisely

The foundation of a keto-friendly Chipotle meal is the base, which is where you can make changes to avoid a high amount of carbohydrates.

Romaine or Supergreens Lettuce Blend: This is the lowest-carb option. The Supergreens blend has just 1g net carb per serving and offers extra nutrients.
Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice: This new menu item is a good option for keto dieters, allowing you to build a bowl that feels more like the traditional version, without the carb load of regular rice. A serving has low net carbs, making it a perfect base.

Select Your Proteins

Chipotle offers several protein choices that are all ideal for a ketogenic diet, providing protein and fat without carbs.

Chicken: A lean, solid choice for protein with only 1g net carb per serving.
Steak: The steak is another low-carb option, offering a hearty serving of protein.
Carnitas: This slow-cooked pork is tender, flavorful, and keto-friendly.
Barbacoa: Shredded beef that has been slow-cooked with seasoning, Barbacoa is a delicious, keto-approved protein.
Sofritas (Braised Tofu): Sofritas are higher in carbs than the other meats, with 6g net carbs per serving. This is a possible choice, but be mindful of your total carb count.
Chicken Al Pastor: This option contains added sugar, giving it a higher carb count than the standard chicken. It should be avoided or consumed with caution.

Add Flavor with Keto-Friendly Toppings

Load your bowl with healthy fats and vegetables to make it flavorful.

Cheese: Shredded Monterey Jack cheese adds fat and flavor with just 1g net carb per serving.
Sour Cream: A great source of fat, sour cream contains 2g net carbs per serving.
Guacamole: High in healthy fats, guacamole is a staple of a keto-friendly Chipotle bowl. A standard serving contains 2g net carbs.
Fajita Vegetables: Sautéed bell peppers and onions add flavor and nutrients for only 4g net carbs per serving.
Salsas: Not all salsas are keto-friendly. The safest options are the Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo), Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa, and Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa. Be aware that the Fresh Tomato and Tomatillo-Green Chili salsas both contain 4g net carbs per serving, so use them moderately.

What to Avoid on a Keto Diet at Chipotle

To ensure your meal remains keto-friendly, skip the high-carb items that can take you out of ketosis.

Tortillas, Taco Shells, and Chips: Avoid these as they are high in carbohydrates.
Rice: Both white and brown rice are not keto-friendly. Choose cauliflower rice or extra lettuce.
Beans: Black and pinto beans are high in carbs and should be skipped.
Corn Salsa: Corn is a grain and, therefore, too high in carbs for a keto diet.
Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette: Avoid this dressing because it is loaded with sugar and contains a high amount of carbs.

Keto Bowl vs. Regular Burrito: A Carb Comparison

Comparing a standard burrito and a customized keto bowl illustrates the difference the right choices can make.


Item	Standard Burrito (Not Keto)	Keto Bowl (Customized)
Base	Flour Tortilla, White Rice	Romaine Lettuce, Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice
Protein	Chicken	Steak, Double Portion
Fillings	Black Beans, Corn Salsa	Fajita Veggies, Fresh Tomato Salsa
Toppings	Cheese, Sour Cream	Cheese, Sour Cream, Guacamole
Approx. Total Net Carbs	90g+	~10g

This table shows the dramatic reduction in carbohydrates achieved by making smart, keto-friendly selections. The keto bowl provides satisfying protein and fat with minimal carbs, while the standard burrito is loaded with carbs from the tortilla, rice, and beans.

Sample Keto Bowl Combinations

Here are some keto-friendly combinations.

Classic Chicken Keto Bowl: Supergreens base, chicken, fajita veggies, cheese, fresh tomato salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
Steak and Cauliflower Rice Bowl: Cilantro-lime cauliflower rice, steak, cheese, tomatillo-red chili salsa, and guacamole.
Loaded Carnitas Salad: Romaine lettuce, carnitas, cheese, fresh tomato salsa, and extra guacamole.
Spicy Barbacoa Bowl: Supergreens base, barbacoa, cheese, tomatillo-green chili salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Conclusion

Eating a keto-friendly meal at Chipotle is simple and satisfying. Focus on a bowl or salad, avoid high-carb items like rice, beans, and tortillas, and load up on protein, healthy fats, and low-carb vegetables to create a customized and delicious meal that keeps you on track. Chipotle's online nutrition calculator is an excellent tool for planning your order ahead of time to ensure it meets your specific macro goals. You can enjoy this fast-casual restaurant while sticking to your ketogenic lifestyle.

For more nutritional details and to build your custom meal online, visit Chipotle's official nutrition calculator: https://www.chipotle.com/nutrition-calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, both black beans and pinto beans are high in carbohydrates and should be avoided on a keto diet.

Yes, but with caution. Chipotle's queso contains some carbs, so shredded cheese is often a safer and lower-carb choice. If you opt for queso, use a minimal amount and factor it into your daily carb limit.

Yes, Chipotle's Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice is a low-carb, keto-friendly base option that can replace regular rice in your bowl.

Chicken, steak, carnitas, and barbacoa are all excellent low-carb protein options for a keto diet. The Chicken Al Pastor has added sugar and should be avoided.

No, the Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette is high in sugar and carbs and is not suitable for a keto diet. Use a keto-friendly salsa or rely on the fats from cheese, sour cream, and guacamole instead.

Order a salad or burrito bowl with a base of lettuce or cilantro-lime cauliflower rice. Add your choice of keto-friendly protein (chicken, steak, carnitas, barbacoa), and top with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and a low-carb salsa.

Yes, the fajita vegetables (sautéed bell peppers and onions) are a great low-carb addition that adds flavor and nutrients to your bowl.

You can use the official Chipotle nutrition calculator on their website or app to build your custom meal and see the exact calorie, fat, protein, and carb content.