I first wrote this guide in 2010, after an unplanned dinner at Chili’s. The menu has changed a lot since then (the salad in the photo is long gone), so I’ve updated everything with Chili’s current nutrition information.

Back in 2010, I found myself quite hungry and ready for dinner, but the only viable option nearby happened to be a Chili’s. I hadn’t been to one in quite a few years, and I figured it would be good research.

We walked in and asked the host if they had nutrition information. He had a stack on the counter, right next to the menus. As he handed it to us, he quietly said, “Here you go, but you probably won’t stay after you read this.”

We then spent five minutes looking through the pamphlet, figuring out what to order. I was determined to prove that it is possible to have a reasonably healthy meal at Chili’s. It wasn’t a perfect macrobiotic plate, but it was relatively healthy, tasty, and satisfying.*

We ordered a Guiltless Grill Caribbean Salad with Shrimp, but were served the Asian Salad (that’s it in the photo). I forgot to ask for the dressing on the side, and it was drowning in it — to the point where it was hard to eat because it was so overpowering.

The lesson from that dinner still holds: you can eat reasonably well at Chili’s, but you have to choose carefully. (And ask for the dressing on the side!)

The short version: what to order

Chili’s is a tough one, because nearly every main dish has more than 1,000mg of sodium. Your best bets: the Classic 6 oz Sirloin with steamed broccoli (290 calories and 880mg of sodium), the veggie fajitas with corn tortillas, or the Guiltless 6 oz Sirloin. The Santa Fe Salad and the Ancho Salmon are pretty good choices, too, though they’re really salty.

Start with a side salad instead of an appetizer. And skip the Margarita Grilled Chicken: it’s on the Guiltless Grill menu, but it has 2,660mg of sodium, more than an entire day’s worth.

Is anything at Chili’s actually healthy?

A few things, if you order carefully. The problem at Chili’s isn’t so much calories or fat (though there’s plenty of both). It’s salt.

Of all the main dishes in Chili’s nutrition guide, only three have less than 1,000mg of sodium: the veggie fajitas and the 6 oz and 10 oz Classic Sirloin. Plenty of them have more than the FDA’s Daily Value of 2,300mg for an entire day, like the Chipotle Chicken Fresh Mex Bowl (2,610mg), the Buffalo Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich (3,400mg), and the Smoked Cajun Pasta (4,890mg).

The good news? Chili’s has lean steaks, grilled fish, beans, and real vegetables on the menu. Build your meal around those, and you’ll do just fine.

What about the Guiltless Grill?

Chili’s has offered “Guiltless Grill” options for a long time. I remember years ago in Chicago they had a separate section on the menu with that title, and also listed the calorie counts right on the menu. In 2010, a little chili icon next to the Guiltless items meant they were under 750 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat, and 25 grams of total fat.

These days, Chili’s doesn’t say what makes an item “Guiltless.” Their menu just calls it “Deliciously satisfying with a better-for-you twist.” And just like in 2010, the Guiltless Grill doesn’t limit the insanely high amounts of sodium.

Case in point: the Margarita Grilled Chicken, which comes with Mexican rice, black beans, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips. It has 2,660mg of sodium. That’s more than a whole day’s worth, on the “Guiltless” menu. (!!!)

And here’s a funny one. The Guiltless 6 oz Sirloin (with roasted asparagus) is 300 calories and 1,010mg of sodium. But if you add up Chili’s own numbers for the Classic 6 oz Sirloin and a side of asparagus, you get 285 calories and 765mg of sodium. So the regular steak with a veggie side is actually a bit lighter than the Guiltless one. (The Guiltless version has a cilantro-pesto drizzle and pico de gallo instead of garlic butter, which probably explains the extra salt.)

One more oddity: Chili’s nutrition guide still lists a Guiltless Grill Chicken Platter (350 calories, 1,480mg sodium), but I couldn’t find it on their current online menu.

What’s actually in it?

Chili’s doesn’t say. They publish nutrition numbers and an allergen guide, but no ingredient lists, so there’s no way to know how processed any given dish is.

That matters to me. 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.

So without ingredient lists, my advice is to pick dishes that look like food you could make at home: a grilled steak, a piece of salmon, steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, black beans, fajita veggies. Be wary of anything fried, breaded, or smothered in queso. (Chili’s allergen guide does tell us one thing: their fried foods are cooked in 100% soybean oil.)

And if you get to pick the restaurant? Chipotle lists every ingredient it uses, and they’re refreshingly real. (Just watch the portion sizes.)

The best and worst choices

In the lists below, ✅ marks the best-of-the-best, ❌ marks the worst-of-the-worst, and items with no mark are pretty good (or not-so-good) choices. Numbers highlighted in red are red flags: more than about a third of a day’s sodium, saturated fat, or sugar.

Guiltless Grill – best choices

Guiltless 6 oz Sirloin ✅
300 cal · 4g sat fat · 1,010mg sodium · 3g fiber · 38g protein
With roasted asparagus, pico de gallo, and a cilantro-pesto drizzle.

Guiltless 10 oz Sirloin
450 cal · 6g sat fat · 1,310mg sodium · 3g fiber · 59g protein

Santa Fe Salad
540 cal · 6g sat fat · 1,580mg sodium · 6g fiber · 35g protein
Grilled chicken, guacamole, and pico, with ranch and Santa Fe sauce. Ask for the dressings on the side.

Ancho Salmon**
590 cal · 5g sat fat · 1,770mg sodium · 0g fiber · 48g protein
With Mexican rice and steamed broccoli. (Chili’s lists it with 0g of fiber, which seems off, since the broccoli alone has 4g.)

Guiltless Grill – worst choice

Margarita Grilled Chicken ❌
640 cal · 2.5g sat fat · 2,660mg sodium · 8g fiber · 69g protein
Plenty of protein and fiber, but wow that’s a lot of sodium.

Steaks – best choices

Classic Sirloin, 6 oz ✅
250 cal · 4.5g sat fat · 630mg sodium · 0g fiber · 34g protein
That’s the steak alone. It comes with loaded mashed potatoes and broccoli; ask for broccoli or asparagus instead of the potatoes. With broccoli, it’s 290 calories and 880mg of sodium.

Classic Sirloin, 10 oz
390 cal · 6g sat fat · 950mg sodium · 0g fiber · 54g protein

Steaks – worst choices

Surf & Turf Ribeye ❌
690 cal · 17g sat fat · 2,250mg sodium · 0g fiber · 78g protein

Classic Ribeye
620 cal · 17g sat fat · 1,440mg sodium · 0g fiber · 67g protein
Most of a day’s saturated fat.

Fajitas – best choices

Chili’s lists the sizzling skillet (the meat and veggies) separately from the tortillas, toppings, and sides, so you can mix and match.

Veggie Fajitas ✅
340 cal · 3g sat fat · 840mg sodium · 12g fiber · 17g protein
With four corn tortillas, it’s 580 calories, 885mg of sodium, and 17g of fiber.

Corn Tortillas (4) ✅
240 cal · 4g sat fat · 45mg sodium · 5g fiber · 5g protein

Chicken Fajitas
480 cal · 3.5g sat fat · 2,180mg sodium · 5g fiber · 62g protein
Lots of protein, but lots of salt, too.

Fajitas – worst choices

Fajita Trio ❌
590 cal · 6g sat fat · 2,820mg sodium · 4g fiber · 71g protein

Shrimp Fajitas
310 cal · 3.5g sat fat · 2,280mg sodium · 3g fiber · 25g protein
The fewest calories of the meat options, but the most sodium of the singles.

Flour Tortillas (4)
390 cal · 7g sat fat · 920mg sodium · 2g fiber · 8g protein
Twenty times the sodium of the corn tortillas.

Fresh Fajita Toppings
260 cal · 12g sat fat · 440mg sodium · 0g fiber · 15g protein
More saturated fat than the steak fajitas (8g).

Salads and soups – best choices

House Side Salad (no dressing) ✅
130 cal · 3g sat fat · 290mg sodium · 1g fiber · 5g protein
With the lightest dressing, Avocado Ranch, it’s 260 calories and 550mg of sodium. A great way to start your meal.

Chicken Enchilada Soup (cup)
200 cal · 4g sat fat · 620mg sodium · 1g fiber · 10g protein

The Santa Fe Salad is a good choice, too. (See the Guiltless Grill, above.)

Salads and soups – worst choices

Quesadilla Explosion Salad with Crispers ❌
1,420 cal · 29g sat fat · 2,850mg sodium · 6g fiber · 51g protein

Chipotle Chicken Fresh Mex Bowl
880 cal · 11g sat fat · 2,610mg sodium · 7g fiber · 46g protein
“Fresh,” it says.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup (bowl)
430 cal · 19g sat fat · 1,220mg sodium · 2g fiber · 16g protein

Sides – best choices

Asparagus ✅
35 cal · 0g sat fat · 135mg sodium · 3g fiber · 3g protein

Steamed Broccoli ✅
40 cal · 0g sat fat · 250mg sodium · 4g fiber · 3g protein
Curiously, the kids’ menu broccoli has the same 40 calories but only 45mg of sodium. Maybe ask for yours unseasoned?

Black Beans ✅
110 cal · 0g sat fat · 480mg sodium · 5g fiber · 6g protein

Mexican Rice ✅
160 cal · 1g sat fat · 480mg sodium · 1g fiber · 3g protein

Sides – worst choices

Texas Cheese Fries (half order) ❌
1,300 cal · 38g sat fat · 2,600mg sodium · 5g fiber · 51g protein
A half order. As a side.

Loaded Mac & Cheese
350 cal · 13g sat fat · 1,140mg sodium · 1g fiber · 18g protein

Loaded Mashed Potatoes
320 cal · 6g sat fat · 790mg sodium · 2g fiber · 9g protein
The default side with the steaks. Swap it out.

Burgers and sandwiches – best choices

Nothing here is great, but these are the least bad. Chili’s lists the fries separately (420 calories, 660mg sodium), so get broccoli or asparagus on the side instead.

Veggie Santa Fe Burger
640 cal · 8g sat fat · 1,410mg sodium · 13g fiber · 28g protein
13g of fiber, more than any other burger or sandwich.

Black bean patty swap ✅
180 cal · 1g sat fat · 450mg sodium · 9g fiber · 15g protein
Chili’s nutrition guide lists a black bean patty you can sub in. Compared to the beef patty, that saves 290 calories and 15g of saturated fat, and adds 9g of fiber.

Burgers and sandwiches – worst choices

Double Bacon Rancher Burger ❌
1,710 cal · 50g sat fat · 2,640mg sodium · 2g fiber · 107g protein

Buffalo Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich
710 cal · 6g sat fat · 3,400mg sodium · 2g fiber · 43g protein
The fewest calories of the crispy chicken sandwiches, and the most sodium.

Appetizers – just skip them

I looked hard for a decent appetizer. There isn’t one. Here’s why:

The chips. Chili’s chips alone are 880 calories, before you dip them in anything. The salsa. It’s mostly vegetables, but the salsa has 1,110mg of sodium on its own, more than the chips! Everything else is fried, smothered in cheese, or both.

Start with a house side salad or a cup of chicken enchilada soup instead.

Bottomless Chips & Salsa
910 cal · 7g sat fat · 1,920mg sodium · 8g fiber · 13g protein
In 2010, this was the lightest appetizer on the menu, at 480 calories.

Southwestern Eggrolls
1,020 cal · 13g sat fat · 2,830mg sodium · 11g fiber · 36g protein

Chicken Bacon Ranch Nachos ❌
2,260 cal · 67g sat fat · 4,280mg sodium · 11g fiber · 112g protein
More than three days’ worth of saturated fat.

Fried Mozzarella (6) ❌
1,790 cal · 53g sat fat · 5,260mg sodium · 10g fiber · 95g protein
More than two days’ worth of sodium, and more than two and a half days’ worth of saturated fat.

Chicken Crispers, pasta, quesadillas, and ribs – avoid them all

Chicken Crisper Combos ❌
790-1,710 cal · 2,650-6,270mg sodium

Pastas ❌
1,010-1,540 cal · 2,670-4,890mg sodium
Even the Veggie Pasta has 2,670mg of sodium.

Quesadillas ❌
1,390-1,700 cal · 36-43g sat fat
Two days’ worth of saturated fat, give or take.

Can’t recommend any of the ribs because of the fat and sodium, but if you insist, and it’s your weekly cheat meal, at least limit it to a half rack.

House BBQ Ribs, half rack
1,130 cal · 28g sat fat · 1,650mg sodium · 49g sugar

House BBQ Ribs, full rack ❌
2,160 cal · 56g sat fat · 2,860mg sodium · 74g sugar

Desserts – hardly worth it

Molten Chocolate Cake ❌
1,140 cal · 28g sat fat · 1,030mg sodium · 110g sugar

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie ❌
1,210 cal · 31g sat fat · 700mg sodium · 110g sugar

Peanut Butter Pie
920 cal · 29g sat fat · 400mg sodium · 57g sugar

Chili’s only lists total sugar, not added sugar, but in a cookie, odds are good most of it is added. 110g is more than twice the FDA’s Daily Value for added sugar (50g). If you’re splurging, split one with the whole table.

Kids menu – best choices

Chicken Grillers ✅
150 cal · 0.5g sat fat · 760mg sodium · 1g fiber · 30g protein
Chili’s menu lists these at 280 calories with a side, so these numbers (from the nutrition guide, where they’re called “Grilled Chicken Bites”) are probably for the chicken alone. Pick the broccoli!

Side Steamed Broccoli ✅
40 cal · 0g sat fat · 45mg sodium · 4g fiber · 3g protein

Side Corn Kernels
120 cal · 0g sat fat · 0mg sodium · 3g fiber · 4g protein

Kids menu – worst choices

Cheesy Chicken Pasta ❌
620 cal · 11g sat fat · 2,050mg sodium · 4g fiber · 47g protein
Nearly a whole day’s sodium for an adult… in a kids’ meal.

Cheese Pizza
500 cal · 14g sat fat · 760mg sodium · 2g fiber · 17g protein

Crispy Crispers
570 cal · 7g sat fat · 1,620mg sodium · 1g fiber · 24g protein

I’m sure I’ve missed some good options, so if you have a favorite healthy order at Chili’s, please 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.

* After we finished eating, we were quite full and satisfied; however, about 90 minutes later, we both were hungry again and also kind of queasy. Very strange…

** A note on salmon: Chili’s describes it as Atlantic salmon, which means it’s farmed, and therefore it’s best to avoid it. (According to NOAA Fisheries, only farm-raised Atlantic salmon are found in U.S. seafood markets.) For more about how farmed salmon rates, see the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch salmon recommendations.

Where these numbers come from: All nutrition numbers are from Chili’s interactive nutrition menu, which Chili’s links from its nutrition page. Chili’s doesn’t offer a printable nutrition guide, but it does have a printable allergen guide. Both were last updated by Chili’s on August 4, 2026, and I checked them in October 2026. Descriptions of what comes with each dish are from Chili’s menu. The meal totals are my own math, adding up Chili’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). Chili’s doesn’t list added sugar, so I’ve flagged total sugar instead. Drinks, limited-time items, and a few kids’ items on Chili’s menu (like the Cheese Quesadilla) aren’t in Chili’s nutrition guide, so they’re not covered here. And a few items in the nutrition guide (like the Peanut Butter Pie) aren’t on Chili’s online menu, so check with your server.