High protein Chipotle order: the best picks, checked

This guide ranks every Chipotle item by protein per calorie, using Chipotle's US nutrition facts menu (code OCT-2024-US-CK). That is the same data behind our Chipotle nutrition calculator. We also rebuilt the items on Chipotle's High Protein Menu, launched on 23 December 2025, to check that its published totals add up.

Quick answer: what is the best high protein Chipotle order?

Chipotle's own Double High Protein Bowl has 81 g of protein in 760 calories. It holds double chicken, light white rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, Monterey Jack cheese and extra romaine. For more protein per calorie, drop the rice and cheese. Chicken alone gives 32 g in 180 calories.

Key takeaways

• Chicken has the most protein per calorie at Chipotle: 32 g in 180 calories, or 17.8 g per 100 calories.
• Barbacoa (14.1 g per 100 calories) and steak (14.0) come next. Carnitas gives 11.0 and sofritas 5.3.
• All eight High Protein Menu items we rebuilt from the per-item numbers landed within 5 calories and 1 g of protein of Chipotle's published totals.
• Rice, sour cream, guacamole and the vinaigrette add calories with little protein. Beans add 8 g of protein and 7 to 8 g of fiber.

Chipotle items ranked by protein per calorie

Protein per 100 calories is the protein divided by the calories, times 100. It shows which items add protein without adding many calories. A high ratio on a small portion still adds little in total: supergreens score 6.7, but a portion holds 1 g.

The fresh tomato, tomatillo-green and tomatillo-red salsas and the romaine list 0 g of protein, at 30 calories or fewer each.

Chipotle's High Protein Menu, rebuilt and checked

Chipotle launched its High Protein Menu in the US and Canada on 23 December 2025, with items from 15 to 81 g of protein, according to its press release. The menu calls the chicken Adobo Chicken; the nutrition menu lists it as Chicken, with the same 180 calories and 32 g of protein.

We added up each item from the per-item numbers in the table above, counting double as two portions and light or half as half a portion. Then we compared our totals with Chipotle's.

Every total lands within 5 calories, 1 g of protein and 1 g of fiber, which fits Chipotle rounding its published totals. We left out the single Adobo Chicken Taco, because the nutrition menu lists soft tortillas only as a set of three.

The match also tests how a light portion counts. Chipotle publishes no figure for light. With light rice counted as half a portion, the Double High Protein Bowl comes to 760 calories, Chipotle's own number. At a full portion of rice it would be 865.

How to build a high protein Chipotle bowl

1. Pick chicken, or double it. Two portions add 64 g of protein for 360 calories.
2. Add black or pinto beans for 8 g of protein and 7 or 8 g of fiber, at 130 calories.
3. Take the rice light or skip it. A full portion is 210 calories for 4 g of protein.
4. Pile on fajita vegetables, salsa and romaine. Each is 30 calories or fewer.
5. Choose cheese over sour cream for a dairy topping: both are 110 calories, but cheese has 6 g of protein and sour cream 2 g.

High protein Chipotle orders under 500 calories

These builds use the same per-item numbers. Each one is a regular portion of every item unless it says light or double.

Sodium climbs fast on these orders. By our count the Double High Protein Bowl carries 1,895 mg, which is 82 percent of the 2,300 mg Daily Value the FDA sets for food labels. The fresh tomato salsa alone adds 550 mg. Chipotle's release gives no sodium figures, so check yours in the Chipotle nutrition calculator if you watch salt.

How much protein do you need from one meal?

That depends on your daily target. The protein calculator works out a daily range from your weight. For example, the adult RDA is 0.8 g per kg a day, which is 64 g at 80 kg. The 81 g Double High Protein Bowl covers more than that in one meal. If you track calories too, the TDEE calculator estimates how many you burn in a day.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein is in Chipotle chicken?

32 g in one 4 oz portion, at 180 calories. Double chicken is 64 g for 360 calories.

Which Chipotle protein has the most protein?

Chicken, at 32 g a portion. Barbacoa has 24 g, carnitas 23 g, steak 21 g and sofritas 8 g.

What is the Chipotle High Protein Cup?

A 4 oz side of chicken or steak, launched with the High Protein Menu. The chicken cup is 180 calories and 32 g of protein, per Chipotle. The nutrition menu lists steak at 150 calories and 21 g.

Are sofritas high in protein?

Not compared with the meats. Sofritas have 8 g of protein in 150 calories, which is 5.3 g per 100 calories. Every meat option scores more than twice that.

Does light rice really mean half?

Chipotle does not publish a figure for light. Its High Protein Menu totals match only when light rice counts as half a portion, which is how our calculator counts it.

Is a high protein Chipotle bowl healthy?

That depends on the rest of your day. The protein is high, and so is the sodium: the orders above run from 1,025 to 1,895 mg, between 45 and 82 percent of the Daily Value.

Conclusion

Chicken, beans and a light hand with the rice make the highest protein Chipotle orders, and Chipotle's own High Protein Menu follows the same pattern. Build your order in the Chipotle nutrition calculator to see every total, including sodium. For high protein meals to cook at home, see the TheSawad cookbooks.

Sources

1. Chipotle, "Chipotle unveils its first-ever High Protein Menu featuring a new snack-ready High Protein Cup", press release, 18 December 2025 (read 10 October 2026).
2. Chipotle, US Nutrition Facts paper menu, code OCT-2024-US-CK, cross-checked against Chipotle's online nutrition calculator (checked 8 October 2026). Every item figure on this page comes from it.
3. US Food and Drug Administration, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels: sodium 2,300 mg (read 8 October 2026).