Which Chipotle Meats Are Keto-Friendly?

October 25, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Chipotle's official nutrition data, most of their main meat options contain minimal carbohydrates, making them excellent choices for a ketogenic diet. Navigating the menu can feel overwhelming, but understanding which Chipotle meats are keto is the first step toward a delicious, low-carb meal on the go. This guide breaks down the best protein selections and provides all the details you need to stay in ketosis while enjoying your favorite fast-casual restaurant.

Quick Summary

All of Chipotle's main meat options, including chicken, steak, carnitas, and barbacoa, are keto-friendly, containing very few carbohydrates per serving. The best choices are those with the lowest carb counts, making them a safe and versatile protein base for a customizable, ketogenic bowl or salad. Toppings like cheese, sour cream, and guacamole can boost fat content while keeping your meal low-carb.

Key Points

All Core Meats are Keto-Friendly: Chicken, steak, carnitas, and barbacoa are all low-carb protein options at Chipotle.
Build a Bowl, Not a Burrito: To stay keto, choose a salad bowl with lettuce instead of a tortilla or rice base.
Lean Protein Options: The chicken and steak are particularly low in carbs, with only 0-1g net carbs per serving.
Higher Fat Protein Options: Carnitas and barbacoa are also low in carbs and offer a slightly higher fat content.
Boost Fats with Toppings: Increase your fat macros by adding guacamole, cheese, and sour cream to your bowl.
Avoid High-Carb Additions: Skip rice, beans, and corn salsa, which are high in carbohydrates.
Choose Salsas Wisely: Stick to the fresh tomato, tomatillo-green chili, or tomatillo-red chili salsas and avoid the corn salsa.
Customization is Key: Chipotle's build-your-own model makes it easy to control ingredients and track macros for a perfect keto meal.

Keto-Friendly Protein Powerhouses at Chipotle

For those following a ketogenic diet, Chipotle offers a surprising amount of customization, especially when it comes to protein. The key to staying in ketosis is avoiding the high-carb bases like rice and tortillas and focusing on the protein, vegetables, and high-fat toppings. Luckily, the restaurant's core meat selections are all excellent low-carb options, marinated and cooked to perfection without adding significant carbs.

Chicken

The grilled, adobo-marinated chicken is one of the most popular and reliable keto-friendly choices at Chipotle. Per standard 4 oz serving, it contains 0g net carbs, making it a perfectly safe and delicious protein source for your meal. It is a lean option, high in protein, which helps with satiety and muscle preservation on a ketogenic diet. For those looking for a slightly different flavor profile, the Chicken Al Pastor is also an option, but be aware that it has 2g of added sugar, slightly increasing the carb count to 4g net carbs per serving. Always check your macros if you're tracking strictly.

Steak

For a richer flavor and texture, the grilled adobo-marinated steak is another superb low-carb option. With only 1g net carb per standard 4 oz serving, it provides a hearty portion of protein with very little carbohydrate impact. Steak is a fantastic choice for boosting your protein intake while staying well within your daily carb limits.

Carnitas

The slow-braised, shredded pork known as carnitas is a high-fat and high-protein option that is a staple for many keto diets. It's cooked until tender and has a rich, satisfying taste. A standard 4 oz serving of carnitas contains just 1g net carb, making it a highly desirable choice for those aiming for a higher fat content in their meals.

Barbacoa

This shredded, braised beef is another flavorful and savory meat that works well for a keto diet. Per standard 4 oz serving, barbacoa has 1g net carb, providing another low-carb protein option with a distinct spice blend. The preparation involves a braising process that keeps the meat juicy and tender.

Comparison of Keto-Friendly Chipotle Meats

This table provides a quick overview of the main meat options and their nutritional stats based on Chipotle's 4 oz serving size.


Meat Option	Calories	Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Net Carbs (g)	Keto Friendliness
Chicken	180	7	32	0	Excellent
Steak	150	6	21	1	Excellent
Carnitas	210	12	23	1	Excellent
Barbacoa	170	7	24	1	Excellent
Chicken Al Pastor	205	11	23	4	Moderate (check macros)
Sofritas (Vegan)	150	10	8	6	Moderate (check macros)

Building Your Keto Chipotle Bowl

Creating a successful keto meal at Chipotle is all about customization. Start with a low-carb base and load up on your preferred keto-friendly meats and toppings.

Choose your base: Opt for a salad bowl with romaine or Supergreens lettuce blend instead of rice or a tortilla.
Add your meat: Pick any of the excellent low-carb meat options, such as steak, chicken, or carnitas. You can even ask for a double portion of meat to boost your protein intake.
Pile on the fats: To increase your fat intake, add high-fat toppings. Guacamole is a classic choice, and so are shredded cheese and sour cream. Queso Blanco is also a good option, with only 3g net carbs per serving.
Include fresh vegetables and salsas: Fill your bowl with fajita vegetables (bell peppers and onions) and opt for fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo-green chili salsa, or tomatillo-red chili salsa. Be mindful that these add a small amount of carbs, so portion control is key. Avoid the roasted chili-corn salsa, which is much higher in carbs.

What to Avoid on a Keto Diet at Chipotle

To ensure your Chipotle meal remains keto-friendly, it's crucial to know which ingredients to avoid.

Tortillas and chips: The most obvious culprits, these are high in carbs and should be avoided entirely.
Rice and beans: Both the cilantro-lime rice (white and brown) and the black and pinto beans are high-carb additions that will kick you out of ketosis.
Corn Salsa: This salsa has significantly more carbs than the others and should be skipped to stay on track.
Sugary drinks: Stick to water, unsweetened iced tea, or diet soda instead of sugary drinks or lemonade.

Conclusion

Chipotle is a highly accessible fast-casual restaurant for those on a ketogenic diet, provided you make smart choices. All of the standard meat options—chicken, steak, carnitas, and barbacoa—are excellent, low-carb protein sources that can form the basis of a satisfying meal. By choosing a salad or bowl as your foundation and filling it with keto-approved meats, fats like guacamole and cheese, and low-carb salsas, you can enjoy a delicious meal without derailing your diet. Awareness of the high-carb culprits like rice, beans, and tortillas is key to success.

For more detailed nutritional information and guidance on custom building your meal, visit Chipotle's official nutrition calculator on their website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Both the grilled chicken and the grilled steak are excellent low-carb options, with the chicken containing 0g net carbs and the steak containing 1g net carb per standard 4 oz serving.

Yes, Chipotle's carnitas are keto-friendly. A standard 4 oz serving of carnitas has only 1g net carb, making it a great low-carb, higher-fat protein choice.

Yes, barbacoa is a good keto option. It contains 1g net carb per standard 4 oz serving, providing a flavorful and tender shredded beef protein.

Sofritas, the plant-based protein option, is a moderate choice for keto. It contains 6g net carbs per serving, which is higher than the meat options. It can still fit into your macros, but you should track it carefully.

Order a salad bowl with romaine lettuce or Supergreens as your base. Choose any keto-friendly meat, then add fajita veggies, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Skip the rice, beans, and corn salsa.

Yes, Chipotle offers specific Lifestyle Bowls, including a Keto Salad Bowl. This bowl typically includes Supergreens, steak, tomatillo-red chili salsa, cheese, and guacamole, but you can always customize it.

Both are keto-friendly, but for the lowest carb count, shredded cheese is the best option (1g net carb). Queso has a slightly higher carb count at 3g net carbs per serving, so choose based on your preference and macro goals.