Chipotle Cheap Meals Guide
Value at Chipotle is decided almost entirely by which additions carry a surcharge and which do not, and this Chipotle cheap meals guide works from that division rather than from menu prices, which vary by location and change often. The single most valuable fact: beans, fajita vegetables, salsa, lettuce and rice are included, and each one adds real food to a bowl.
What is included versus what is premium
Prices differ between restaurants, so this is expressed as tiers rather than dollar figures. Check your own location's menu for the current numbers.
- Included with an entrée — rice, beans, all four salsas, fajita vegetables, romaine and supergreens
- Premium — guacamole and queso blanco, on every format
- Double protein — charged at roughly a second protein portion, and the only surcharge with a strong nutritional return
- Chips and sides — a separate purchase, and the weakest value per gram of protein on the menu at 7 g for 540 calories (the chips breakdown)
The free additions ranked by what they contribute
If the goal is the most food and the most protein for one entrée price, these are the scoops to take.
| Included item | Cal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sodium | Sugar | Sat fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Beans | 130 | 8 g | 22 g | 1.5 g | 7 g | 210 mg | 1 g | 0 g |
| Pinto Beans | 130 | 8 g | 21 g | 1.5 g | 8 g | 210 mg | 1 g | 0 g |
| Cilantro-Lime White Rice | 210 | 4 g | 40 g | 4 g | 1 g | 350 mg | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fajita Vegetables | 20 | 1 g | 5 g | 0 g | 1 g | 150 mg | 2 g | 0 g |
| Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa | 80 | 3 g | 16 g | 1.5 g | 3 g | 330 mg | 4 g | 0 g |
| Romaine Lettuce | 5 | 0 g | 1 g | 0 g | 1 g | 0 mg | 0 g | 0 g |
Double beans is the standout: 16 g of protein and 14 g of fiber for 260 calories, generally at no additional cost.
A high-value build using no premium items
Chicken, white rice, double black beans, roasted chili-corn salsa, fajita vegetables and lettuce — one entrée, no surcharges.
| Build | Cal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sodium | Sugar | Sat fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value build | 755 | 56 g | 106 g | 15.5 g | 20 g | 1,560 mg | 8 g | 3 g |
56 g of protein and 20 g of fiber for 755 calories, without paying for guacamole or a side.
Two entrées from one order
A burrito or bowl with double protein and double beans divides into two meals of roughly 428 calories each, both carrying around 42 g of protein. The meal-prep guide covers what survives a night in the fridge.