How to Order at Chipotle.

Image courtesy of Restaurant Business

Chipotle is one of the easiest places to build a Balanced Meal because almost everything is customizable. The trick is deciding what you want your Quality Protein, vegetables, Healthy Fats and optional Complex Carb to be before everything gets piled into the bowl.

Build your own, or start with one of Chipotle's High Protein options and adjust it.

Build Your Meal

Non-Starchy Veggies
Supergreens or romaine as your base
Fajita veggies
Fresh tomato salsa
Tomatillo-green chili salsa or tomatillo-red chili salsa

Quality Protein
Adobo chicken
Steak
Barbacoa
Carnitas
Larger appetite or higher protein needs: double your protein
Vegetarian: sofritas

Healthy Fats, pick two
Guacamole
Cheese
Sour cream

Complex Carbs (Optional), choose one
Black or pinto beans
Brown or white rice
Roasted chili-corn salsa
Corn tortillas

Skipping the Complex Carb?
Choose an additional Healthy Fat if you want one.

Make It Your Own

High Protein-Low Calorie Bowl
Adobo chicken, Supergreens, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa and guacamole. This one already fits the formula well. Keep it as is, or add extra chicken for a larger appetite or higher protein needs. Skipping the Complex Carb means you can add another Healthy Fat, such as cheese or sour cream, if you want one. Chipotle currently lists this at 36g protein and 10g fiber. 

Double High Protein Bowl
Double Adobo chicken, light white rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, Monterey Jack cheese and extra lettuce. The protein and vegetables are already handled. This bowl contains both rice and beans, so if you want to simplify your Complex Carbs, choose the one you actually want and add extra vegetables in place of the other where available. Chipotle currently lists this bowl at 81g protein. 

High Protein-High Fiber Bowl
Adobo chicken, light brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, roasted chili-corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa and lettuce. This one stacks rice, beans and corn salsa, but it also provides 46g protein and 14g fiber as built. If you want a more moderate-carb version, choose the rice, beans or corn salsa you actually want rather than automatically keeping all three. 

Build Your Own Salad
Start with Supergreens, add chicken, steak, barbacoa, carnitas or sofritas, fajita veggies and salsa. Add your Healthy Fats, then beans, rice or corn salsa if having a Complex Carb.

Build Your Own Bowl
Start with extra lettuce or Supergreens rather than automatically making rice the base. Add your Quality Protein, fajita veggies and salsa. Choose your Complex Carb if having one, then finish with your Healthy Fats.

Vegetarian Bowl
Start with Supergreens, sofritas, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa and guacamole. Add black or pinto beans as your Complex Carb if you want them. For a larger appetite or higher protein needs, order extra sofritas.

Watch Out For

• The carb stack. Rice + beans + corn salsa + tortillas can quickly become several Complex Carb choices in the same meal. You do not have to remove carbs. Choose what you actually want.

• Chips on autopilot. If you want chips, have them intentionally rather than treating them as the automatic side to a bowl that already contains rice, beans or corn.

• Chipotle Honey Chicken. It is currently back on the menu and is made with honey. It can still fit, just know that you are choosing a sweetened protein rather than standard Adobo chicken. Chipotle's current site confirms Honey Chicken is back. 

• More toppings does not automatically mean a better bowl. Build around Quality Protein and vegetables first, then choose the Healthy Fats and Complex Carb you actually want.

Notes

• For the general rules, see how to order at a restaurant for weight loss.

• You do not automatically need double protein. Chipotle currently lists a standard serving of Adobo chicken at 32g protein. Choose the portion that fits your appetite and needs. 

• Skipping your Complex Carb? You can choose an additional Healthy Fat.

• Beans contain protein, carbohydrate and fiber. In the Eat Shed Glow® Method, count them as your Complex Carb rather than relying on them as your primary Quality Protein.

• Guacamole is a Healthy Fat. If you already have guacamole plus cheese or sour cream, you do not need to keep adding fats just because they are available.

• Chipotle changes limited-time proteins and menu items, so check the current menu when ordering.

• If you have celiac disease or a food allergy, check Chipotle's current ingredient and allergen information when ordering.

• This is your No B.S. Salad, built at a counter.