I first wrote this guide in 2010, and Chipotle’s menu (and its nutrition numbers) have changed quite a bit since then. I’ve updated everything with Chipotle’s current nutrition information, and this time I also went through their ingredient lists.

Chipotle has more than 4,000 restaurants, and it’s one of the easier chains to eat well at. You build your own meal from a short list of ingredients, and (as you’ll see below) those ingredients are refreshingly real. I’ve posted before about Chipotle’s “Food with Integrity” approach.

Having said that, “real ingredients” doesn’t automatically mean “healthy meal.” If you have any other ideas or suggestions on how to put together a healthy meal at Chipotle, please post in the comments!

The short version: what to order

Get a bowl or a salad instead of a burrito: the flour tortilla alone is 320 calories and 600mg of sodium. Fill it with beans, fajita veggies, and a little brown rice. If you want meat, chicken and steak are the healthiest meats at Chipotle, with the most protein for the least sodium. Go easy on the cheese, sour cream, and queso, use salsa instead of the vinaigrette, and skip the chips (sorry!).

Bowl, burrito, salad, or tacos?

The biggest problem with Chipotle is the portion sizes. A chicken burrito with white rice, black beans, cheese, corn salsa, and sour cream comes to 1,140 calories, 16.5g of saturated fat, and 2,020mg of sodium. That’s most of a day’s saturated fat and sodium, in one burrito!

The single most caloric item in that burrito is the flour tortilla, weighing in at 320 calories (with a surprising 9 grams of fat, too). It also has 600mg of sodium, more than any other single thing in there.

Add a side of chips (540 calories) and you’re up to 1,680 calories and 2,410mg of sodium. That’s more than a whole day’s sodium.

So, my advice is to get a bowl instead of a burrito, skip the tortilla, and go easy on the rice. Load up that bowl with a little bit of rice, black beans, lots of fajita vegetables, and perhaps some chicken or steak. For example, a bowl with chicken, brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, green tomatillo salsa, and lettuce is 560 calories and 3g of saturated fat, with 45g of protein. It’s still 1,120mg of sodium (salt adds up fast at Chipotle, even when you order well), but that’s a lot better than the burrito. You’ll cut the calories significantly, and have a much more nutrient-dense meal.

Salads can be a great choice, but watch the dressing. The chipotle-honey vinaigrette has 850mg of sodium, more than anything else you can put in a burrito, bowl, or salad. Consider getting the green tomatillo salsa as a dressing rather than the vinaigrette. It’ll save you a ton of calories, fat, and sodium (15 calories and 260mg of sodium, vs. 220 calories and 850mg).

Tacos come three to an order. Get the crispy corn tortillas: three of them have no sodium at all, while three soft flour tortillas add 480mg.

What’s actually in it?

Back in 2010, I started October Unprocessed, a month-long challenge to eat only unprocessed food, using the Kitchen Test to decide what counts. These days there’s a name for the most heavily processed stuff: ultra-processed food. At most chains, the ingredient lists are full of it. (Subway, I’m looking at you.)

Chipotle is the exception. They say they use 53 ingredients in total, and they list every one of them on their ingredients page. Here’s what’s in the items that matter most. (One note: Chipotle doesn’t list ingredients by weight the way a package label does, so I’ve quoted them in the order Chipotle shows them.)

Ingredients highlighted in red are the most processed ones. At Chipotle, there’s exactly one.

Proteins

Chicken

• Black pepper, chipotle chili, chicken, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, high oleic sunflower oil, distilled vinegar, water

Steak

• Beef, black pepper, chipotle chili, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, high oleic sunflower oil, water

Barbacoa

• Bay leaf, beef, black pepper, chipotle chili, cloves, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, high oleic sunflower oil, water

Carnitas

• Bay leaf, black pepper, juniper berries, pork, salt, high oleic sunflower oil, thyme

Sofritas

• Bell pepper, black pepper, chipotle chili, cumin, garlic, gypsum, oregano, poblano pepper, salt, high oleic sunflower oil, soy beans, tomato, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, water, yellow onion

Every one of these is meat (or tofu), spices, oil, and salt. That’s it! Gypsum might sound odd, but it’s a traditional mineral used to turn soy milk into tofu. All four meats easily pass the Kitchen Test, so choosing between them comes down to the numbers. (More on that below.)

Tortillas and chips

Flour tortilla

• Canola oil, salt, water, wheat flour

Chips

• Corn masa flour, lime juice, salt, high oleic sunflower oil, water

Four ingredients in a flour tortilla. (Compare that to Subway’s Protein Pocket wrap, with its three different preservatives.) The tortilla’s problem isn’t what’s in it; it’s how big it is.

Queso, sour cream, and dressing

Queso Blanco

• Chipotle chili, white cheddar, cultured cream, garlic, Monterey Jack cheese, lemon juice, milk, poblano pepper, salt, serrano pepper, cornstarch, tomato, water, yellow onion

There it is: the only ingredient on the whole menu I’d flag. Cornstarch (probably to thicken it), in a sauce made of cheese and cream. Not exactly scary, but the queso has other problems (see the saturated fat below).

Cheese (Monterey Jack)

• Cheese cultures, milk, vegetable rennet, salt

Sour Cream

• Cultured cream

Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette

• Black pepper, chipotle chili, cumin, garlic, honey, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt, high oleic sunflower oil

Real cheese, real sour cream, and a dressing you could make at home. The issue with all of these is the saturated fat, sodium, or sugar, not the ingredients.

What’s the healthiest meat at Chipotle?

Since all four meats are made from simple, real ingredients, this one comes down to the numbers. Here they are, from best to worst. (Each is Chipotle’s standard 4-ounce serving.)

Chicken

180 cal · 3g sat fat · 310mg sodium · 0g fiber · 32g protein

The most protein and the least sodium of any meat at Chipotle. If you want meat, this is the one I’d pick.

Steak

150 cal · 2.5g sat fat · 330mg sodium · 1g fiber · 21g protein

The fewest calories of the four, and nearly as little sodium as the chicken. It has less protein, though: 21g vs. the chicken’s 32g.

Barbacoa

170 cal · 2.5g sat fat · 530mg sodium · 1g fiber · 24g protein

Is barbacoa healthy? It’s not bad! Chipotle’s barbacoa is beef braised with spices, and it’s not any fattier than the other meats: 7g of fat, the same as the chicken, and the same saturated fat as the steak. The catch is the sodium. At 530mg, it has about 200mg more than the steak or chicken.

Carnitas

210 cal · 7g sat fat · 450mg sodium · 0g fiber · 23g protein

The most calories and by far the most saturated fat of any meat: more than twice as much as the chicken. That’s a third of a day’s saturated fat before you add anything else. (In the previous version of this post, Chipotle listed the carnitas at 2.5g of saturated fat. Now it’s 7g.)

Skipping the meat?

Chipotle has two meatless options: Sofritas (braised tofu), and “Veggie,” which includes guacamole. Their numbers are pretty different.

Sofritas

150 cal · 1.5g sat fat · 560mg sodium · 3g fiber · 8g protein

Surprise! Sofritas has more sodium than any of the meats, and only 8g of protein. That’s the same amount of protein as a serving of black beans (which have 210mg of sodium).

Veggie (with guacamole)

230 cal · 3.5g sat fat · 370mg sodium · 6g fiber · 2g protein

Although higher in calories, most of it is from unsaturated “good for you” fats (only 3.5g of its 22g of fat is saturated), and it has 6g of fiber. I’ll take guac over sour cream any day.

With either one, the beans do the heavy lifting: each serving has 8g of protein and 7-8g of fiber.

Vegans and vegetarians, take note: Chipotle says the sofritas, tortillas, vegetables, rice, beans, salsas, chips, and guacamole are all vegan. Vegans should skip the meats, cheese, queso, sour cream, and chipotle-honey vinaigrette (it has honey). If you eat dairy, Chipotle notes that its cheese and queso are made with vegetable-based rennet, and the sour cream is 100% cultured cream. Here’s Chipotle’s list for allergens & special diets.

The best and worst choices

In the lists below, ✅ marks the best-of-the-best, ❌ marks the worst-of-the-worst, and numbers highlighted in red are red flags (more than about a third of a day’s sodium, saturated fat, or added sugar).

Proteins – best choices

Chicken ✅
180 cal · 3g sat fat · 310mg sodium · 0g fiber · 32g protein

Steak
150 cal · 2.5g sat fat · 330mg sodium · 1g fiber · 21g protein

Veggie (guacamole) ✅
230 cal · 3.5g sat fat · 370mg sodium · 6g fiber · 2g protein
Pair it with beans for protein.

Proteins – worst choices

Carnitas ❌
210 cal · 7g sat fat · 450mg sodium · 0g fiber · 23g protein

Sofritas
150 cal · 1.5g sat fat · 560mg sodium · 3g fiber · 8g protein
The saltiest protein, with the least protein.

Barbacoa
170 cal · 2.5g sat fat · 530mg sodium · 1g fiber · 24g protein
Not bad, just saltier than the chicken or steak.

Rice and beans – best choices

Black Beans ✅
130 cal · 0g sat fat · 210mg sodium · 7g fiber · 8g protein

Pinto Beans ✅
130 cal · 0g sat fat · 210mg sodium · 8g fiber · 8g protein
Practically identical to the black beans now. Pick whichever you like.

Brown Rice
210 cal · 0g sat fat · 190mg sodium · 2g fiber · 4g protein

Rice and beans – worst choice

White Rice
210 cal · 1g sat fat · 350mg sodium · 1g fiber · 4g protein
Same calories as the brown rice, but almost twice the sodium and half the fiber. 🤷‍♂️

Salsas – best choices

Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa (2 ounces) ✅
15 cal · 0g sat fat · 260mg sodium · 0g fiber · 0g protein

Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa (4 ounces)
80 cal · 0g sat fat · 330mg sodium · 3g fiber · 3g protein

Salsas – worst choices

Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa (2 ounces) ❌
30 cal · 0g sat fat · 500mg sodium · 1g fiber · 0g protein
The saltiest salsa, ounce for ounce.

Fresh Tomato Salsa (4 ounces)
25 cal · 0g sat fat · 550mg sodium · 1g fiber · 0g protein
It’s all fresh veggies, but it has more sodium than the chicken. Ask for a light scoop.

Toppings and dressing – best choices

Fajita Veggies ✅
20 cal · 0g sat fat · 150mg sodium · 1g fiber · 1g protein
Peppers and onions. Get them on everything.

Guacamole (4 ounces) ✅
230 cal · 3.5g sat fat · 370mg sodium · 6g fiber · 2g protein

Supergreens Lettuce Blend ✅
15 cal · 0g sat fat · 15mg sodium · 2g fiber · 1g protein
Romaine, baby kale, and baby spinach. Pure veggies!

Romaine ✅
5 cal · 0g sat fat · 0mg sodium · 1g fiber · 0g protein

Toppings and dressing – worst choices

Sour Cream (2 ounces) ❌
110 cal · 7g sat fat · 30mg sodium · 0g fiber · 2g protein

Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette (2 ounces) ❌
220 cal · 2.5g sat fat · 850mg sodium · 1g fiber · 12g sugar
Use a salsa as your dressing instead.

Queso Blanco (2 ounces)
120 cal · 6g sat fat · 250mg sodium · 0g fiber · 5g protein

Cheese (1 ounce)
110 cal · 5g sat fat · 190mg sodium · 0g fiber · 6g protein
Yeah, I love the cheese too. If you do get some, promise me you’ll go easy on it, okay?

Chips, sides, and drinks – just skip them

Chips (regular) ❌
540 cal · 3.5g sat fat · 390mg sodium · 7g fiber · 7g protein
Chipotle says a regular bag serves two. (Does anyone actually share them?)

Chips & Queso Blanco (large) ❌
1,290 cal
The large queso alone has 23g sat fat and 980mg sodium.

Regular soda (22 ounces) ❌
260-300 cal · 70-85g sugar
More than a whole day’s added sugar. Get water or the unsweetened iced tea (10 calories, no sugar) instead.

Lemonade and agua fresca (22 ounces)
170-230 cal · 37-50g sugar

My go-to Chipotle order

My usual has been a veggie burrito: white rice, black beans, lettuce, and guacamole. It has plenty of flavor (and protein, with all those beans), so I don’t miss the meat. (I try to avoid factory-farmed meat. Here’s more on how I think about meat and eggs.)

But when I added it up for this update, my burrito came to 895 calories and 1,530mg of sodium. Yikes. So I’m taking my own advice, and here’s my new order:

✅ Veggie bowl with brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, supergreens lettuce, and guacamole.
605 cal · 3.5g sat fat · 935mg sodium · 18g fiber · 16g protein

That’s 290 fewer calories and 595mg less sodium, with the same fiber…and still a ton of food. 💪

What’s your go-to order at Chipotle? Share it in the comments!

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Menu Mondays are my recommendations for the most healthful options at chain restaurants. Although it may be tough to find “perfect” options when eating out, it’s important to choose “better” whenever possible, and I hope these guides will help make that easier for you. Here’s how I decide.

✅ indicates the “best-of-the-best,” and ❌ indicates the “worst-of-the-worst,” more or less.

Where these numbers come from: All nutrition numbers are from Chipotle’s nutrition facts, and ingredients are from Chipotle’s ingredients page, both checked October 2026. The latest numbers are always in Chipotle’s nutrition calculator. The meal totals are my own math, adding up Chipotle’s numbers. The red-flag lines are based on the FDA’s Daily Values (2,300mg of sodium, 20g of saturated fat, and 50g of added sugar per day). Limited-time items, like the Pollo Asado, aren’t in Chipotle’s nutrition guide, so they’re not covered here.

Photo: “Chicken Bliss Bowl” by David Ciani, edited. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.