Just as you can use smart shopping hacks to save money at just about any store, you can use nutrition hacks to order Chipotle meals that are surprisingly healthy but still delicious.
From omitting (or editing) the ingredients to ordering smaller portions, you can get your Chipotle fix for 500 calories or less without feeling deprived.
Check out some of the delicious burritos, bowls, and more we helped concoct to make your next Chipotle order delicious and nutritious.
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Barbacoa salad (500 calories)
Barbacoa isn’t the healthiest protein at Chipotle, so ordering it in a salad is the way to strike a balance. Top your lettuce with the barbacoa and a small scoop of pinto beans.
Omit the dressing in favor of red salsa and guac, and you have a healthy, high-fiber flavor bomb. And don’t be shy about those veggie additions.
Build your own kid's meal (460)
Use portion control and editing to design a tasty meal that won’t leave you bloated. Start with steak, the leanest animal protein Chipotle has, and opt for the corn tortillas.
For toppings, add rice or beans, cheese, and salsa — but feel free to mix it up. Get the side of fruit as a little treat.
Chicken burrito (500, half)
Burritos are the OG specialty at Chipotle, but everyone knows they’re huge. Keep things healthy by only eating half for a meal.
Half a chicken burrito with brown rice, beans, several salsas, lettuce, and either cheese or sour cream is about 500 calories — perfect for a tasty lunch. Plus, store it right in the fridge, and you can have a tasty meal tomorrow while saving a few bucks.
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Chicken salad (460 calories)
One of the healthiest Chipotle orders is a salad topped with chicken. Just be sure to skip the chipotle-honey vinaigrette, which has a whopping 220 calories.
Instead, opt for tomatillo greens and fresh tomato salsas, guac, and fajita vegetables for a fresh, green meal rich in fiber and healthy fats.
Keto salad bowl (470 calories)
Chipotle’s Lifestyle menu has some healthy gems, including the keto salad bowl for carb-conscious folks. It comes with lettuce, chicken, fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo green salsa, and yes, yummy cheese and sour cream.
We love having the last two ingredients together so we don’t feel deprived.
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Kid's quesadilla with steak (395 calories)
When in doubt, order from the kid’s menu. Yes, even an ooey-gooey quesadilla squeaks by as healthy-ish in this context. Plus, it’s just fun.
Ingredients are the tortilla, cheese, and steak. Add beans for extra protein and fiber, and as always, get the side of fruit.
Sofritas burrito bowl (500 calories)
Skipping the rice keeps this plant-based favorite at around 500 calories. Also, ask for a scoop of your beans of choice, just make sure the portion is on the smaller side.
Top it all off with lettuce, fajita veggies, roasted corn-chili salsa, and cheese. And if you can’t live without the rice, skip the corn salsa and beans to keep it to 500 calories.
Steak salad (445 calories)
Another super healthy Chipotle menu item on this list is the steak salad, thanks to the power of lean protein and fresh veggies.
Order yours with guac, fresh tomato salsa, guac, tomatillo green salsa, and fajita veggies for a true nutritional powerhouse. As usual, skip the chipotle-honey vinaigrette to keep the calories in check.
Steak burrito bowl (500 calories)
Asking your server to make the scoops a bit smaller can shave off calories at every step. That’s how to make the classic steak burrito bowl work in your favor.
Order steak, beans, and rice, then top with lettuce, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, and tomatillo green salsa for a dish so hearty you’ll forget it’s low-cal.
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Two chicken tacos (464 calories)
Who would argue that tacos aren’t a perfect food? Certainly not us, which is why we’re huge fans of Chipotle’s chicken tacos.
Go classic with two (for portion control) chicken tacos on flour tortillas and load them up with yummy cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and fresh tomato and tomatillo green salsa. Chef’s kiss.
Three sofritas tacos (495 calories)
Plant-based tacos are just as wonderful as the meaty kind and equally healthy — hence the vote for Chipotle’s sofritas tacos.
Order three of these bad boys on corn tortillas and top with lettuce, fresh tomato salsa, corn salsa, tomatillo green salsa, and fajita veggies. Flavortown, here you come.
Three steak tacos (500 calories)
Our final taco pick comes with Chipotle’s leanest, meanest protein: steak. Go ahead and order three on the crispy corn tortillas for some crunch.
As for toppings, you can’t go wrong with cheese, fajita veggies, and tomatillo green salsa for a hint of spice. It’s quite a filling meal.
Vegetarian burrito (495, half)
Even before Chipotle had sofritas on the menu, you could order a fully plant-based burrito. And yes, that includes tasty, healthy guac.
Add brown rice, black or pinto beans, roasted corn and tomatillo green salsas, and lettuce. Eat half for lunch and half for dinner for a super healthy day. You don’t need dairy to be delicious.
Vegetarian salad (495 calories)
Any dietitian would be pleased to hear you ordered this dish: Chipotle’s vegetarian salad, which comes with guac. As usual, hold the dressing to save on unnecessary calories.
Instead, opt for lettuce, fajita veggies, black beans, roasted corn and tomatillo red salsa (the spicy one this time). It’s veggie bliss.
Wholesome bowl (470 calories)
The last option on our list is coming in hot from the Lifestyle menu, the aptly named wholesome bowl, suitable for paleo and keto dieters.
It comes with lettuce, chicken (though you could sub steak), guac, fresh tomato salsa, and fajita veggies. You could add the hot salsa and still come in at 500 calories, too.
Bottom line
The truth is in order to lead a successful and healthy life, it comes down to planning. Whether you are trying to strategically save more on everyday essentials or consciously planning takeout orders, the extra thought goes a long way.
Eating healthy isn’t difficult at Chipotle if you come to the table with nutrition knowledge in your arsenal. Even if you enjoy the fattier dairy options, moderation and planning mean you can sometimes keep it on the menu.
You’ll want to be just as sensible in your beverage selection at Chipotle, especially if you’re minding your sugar intake. But of course, all things in moderation, including moderation itself.
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