What to Get at Chipotle If You're Cutting: Build a Macro-Friendly Meal

November 17, 2025 •

3 min read

Did you know that a standard Chipotle burrito can contain over 1,000 calories, but that doesn't mean it's off-limits when you're cutting? With smart choices and strategic ordering, you can build a delicious, high-protein, and calorie-conscious meal that aligns with your fat loss goals.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a breakdown of how to build customized, macro-friendly meals at Chipotle. Make smart ingredient choices by focusing on lean proteins, low-calorie vegetables, and flavor-boosting salsas while controlling portion sizes.

Key Points

Choose a bowl or salad: Avoid the high-calorie flour tortilla to instantly save over 320 calories and reduce carbohydrates.
Opt for lean protein: Chicken and steak are the best low-calorie, high-protein choices available to help you feel full and maintain muscle mass.
Load up on veggies: Ask for extra fajita veggies and lettuce to add volume, fiber, and nutrients for very few calories.
Be mindful of toppings: Skip high-calorie additions like queso, sour cream, and vinaigrette, and use lower-calorie salsas for flavor.
Control your portions: Ask for lighter portions of rice, beans, or guacamole to keep calories in check, or track your exact macros using Chipotle's online calculator.
Boost satiety with fiber: Brown rice, beans, and extra vegetables add crucial fiber to keep you feeling full and satisfied on fewer calories.

Build a Strategic Meal Plan

Eating out while maintaining a calorie deficit can be challenging, but it's entirely possible at Chipotle due to its highly customizable menu. The key is to avoid common high-calorie traps, such as the large flour tortilla and certain creamy toppings, and instead focus on nutrient-dense, high-volume ingredients. By carefully selecting your base, protein, and toppings, you can create a meal that keeps you full and satisfied without derailing your progress.

Step 1: Choose Your Base Wisely

The base of your meal sets the foundation for its overall calorie and carbohydrate count. A single flour tortilla for a burrito adds over 320 calories and 50 grams of carbohydrates alone, making it the first thing to eliminate when cutting.

Salad: The best low-calorie, low-carb base is the Supergreens lettuce blend. It provides volume, fiber, and minimal calories, making it a filling option.
Cauliflower Rice: For a higher-volume, low-carb base, swap traditional rice for cilantro-lime cauliflower rice, which is available for a limited time.
Light Rice: If you want some carbohydrates, opt for a small, half-portion of cilantro-lime brown rice. It offers more fiber than white rice.

Step 2: Prioritize Lean Protein

Protein is crucial for retaining muscle mass and increasing satiety while cutting. Chipotle offers several protein options, but some are much leaner than others.

Lean Choices: Both steak and chicken are excellent lean protein choices. Steak has slightly fewer calories per serving (150 cal vs. 180 cal).
Plant-Based Option: For a plant-based alternative, sofritas (150 cal) is another good low-calorie option.
Avoid: Carnitas (210 cal) and the Smoked Brisket (360 cal) are higher in fat and calories, making them less ideal for cutting.
Go Double: Consider ordering a double portion of a lean protein to boost your satiety and muscle-building macros.

Step 3: Load Up on Low-Calorie Veggies

Vegetables add significant volume, fiber, and nutrients for very few calories. They are your best friend when in a calorie deficit.

Fajita Veggies: Load up on extra fajita veggies—the sautéed bell peppers and onions—which add a mere 20 calories per serving.
Salsas: Use salsas to add flavor without excess calories. Fresh Tomato, Tomatillo-Green Chili, and Tomatillo-Red Chili salsas are your lowest-calorie options, with just 15-30 calories per serving.
Avoid: The Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa is higher in calories (80 cal) and should be used sparingly.

Step 4: Add Smart, Flavorful Toppings

This is where many people go wrong. High-calorie toppings can quickly turn a lean meal into a caloric surplus.

Guacamole: While high in healthy fats, a standard serving of guacamole is 230 calories. Ask for a light portion or get it on the side to control how much you add.
Avoid: Creamy toppings like queso blanco (120 cal), sour cream (110 cal), and cheese (100 cal) can add hundreds of unnecessary calories. The Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette (220 cal) should also be skipped entirely.
Extra Lettuce: For more volume, ask for extra lettuce for just a few extra calories.

Navigating Chipotle Nutrition: A Comparison Table

Here’s a quick reference for making mindful choices to optimize your macros at Chipotle:


Ingredient Category	Best Choices for Cutting	Less Ideal for Cutting
Base	Supergreens (salad), Cauliflower Rice, Light Brown Rice	Flour Tortilla, White Rice, Full Portion of Brown Rice
Protein	Steak (150 cal), Chicken (180 cal), Sofritas (150 cal)	Carnitas (210 cal), Smoked Brisket (360 cal)
Veggies/Salsas	Fajita Veggies (20 cal), Fresh Tomato Salsa (25 cal), Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa (15 cal), Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa (30 cal)	Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa (80 cal)
Toppings	Light Guacamole (230 cal), Extra Lettuce	Queso Blanco (120 cal), Sour Cream (110 cal), Cheese (100 cal), Vinaigrette (220 cal)

Sample Low-Calorie, High-Protein Chipotle Orders

The Lean Machine Bowl

Base: Supergreens Lettuce
Protein: Double Steak
Veggies: Extra Fajita Veggies
Toppings: Fresh Tomato Salsa, Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa, extra lettuce

The Balanced Bowl

Base: Light Brown Rice
Protein: Chicken
Veggies: Black Beans, Fajita Veggies
Toppings: Light Guacamole, Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa

The Plant-Powered Bowl

Base: Supergreens Lettuce, Light Brown Rice
Protein: Sofritas
Veggies: Black Beans, Extra Fajita Veggies
Toppings: Fresh Tomato Salsa, Guacamole

Conclusion: Mindful Eating at Chipotle

Chipotle can be a fantastic, fast-food option for those with cutting goals, but it requires mindful ordering. By choosing a bowl or salad, focusing on lean proteins like chicken and steak, and loading up on low-calorie vegetables and salsa, you can build a meal that supports your calorie deficit. It's easy to track the nutritional impact of your choices using Chipotle's official online nutrition calculator. You can build and view the nutrition for your exact order before you even leave the house. This simple strategy allows you to enjoy a flavorful and satisfying meal without sacrificing your progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, a Chipotle bowl can be excellent for cutting if you build it correctly. By focusing on lean protein, vegetables, and low-calorie salsas while skipping high-calorie toppings and the tortilla, you can create a high-protein, satisfying meal.

Steak is one of the lowest-calorie protein options, at 150 calories per standard serving. Chicken is a close second at 180 calories per serving, making both great choices for cutting.

You can, but you should be mindful of the portion size. A standard serving of guacamole adds 230 calories to your meal. Ask for a light scoop or get it on the side to manage your intake.

To significantly reduce carbs, skip the rice and beans entirely. Instead, start with a Supergreens lettuce blend base and load up on extra fajita veggies for a filling, low-carb meal.

From a purely calorie perspective, both brown and white rice have similar calorie counts per serving. However, brown rice offers more fiber, which can help with satiety. For the lowest calories, consider skipping rice altogether.

The Fresh Tomato (Pico), Tomatillo-Green Chili, and Tomatillo-Red Chili salsas are your best bets, as they are low-calorie options. Be aware that the Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa is higher in calories.

A typical, non-customized burrito or bowl can easily contain 900 to 1,000 calories or more, especially with a flour tortilla and creamy toppings. This highlights why customizing your order is essential when cutting.

A great high-protein, low-calorie example is a salad bowl with a Supergreens base, double chicken or steak, extra fajita veggies, and your choice of low-calorie salsas like pico de gallo.

Using the Chipotle app or online ordering tool allows you to specify 'light' portions for ingredients like rice or guacamole, which can help ensure consistent, smaller serving sizes for calorie control.