What makes a perfect Whole30 Chipotle meal? We’ll show you…
All you have to do is order a Chipotle bowl and get:
lettuce + carnitas + tomato salsa + fajita veggies + guacamole
If you want to know why that’s a compliant meal, go ahead and read on!
Protein: Carnitas or Chicken
Carnitas and chicken are the only proteins from Chipotle that are 100% Whole30 compliant, so if you want meat in your meal, carnitas or chicken is the way to go.
What’s wrong with the other proteins at Chipotle? Great question. The carnitas and chicken are compliant because they are cooked in sunflower oil, rather than the rice bran oil that other meats (barbacoa, sofritas, steak) are prepared in.
Rice bran oil falls under the grains category, so it’s not allowed on Whole30.
Only the carnitas and chicken are cooked in sunflower oil, which is allowed on Whole30. It should be noted that while sunflower oil is allowed when eating out, it’s still recommended that you limit your use of sunflower oil when cooking at home.
Chipotle Lettuce Salad Base
Unsurprisingly, lettuce is totally fine on Whole30, so that’s what you’ll need as your base.
Leave off the beans and rice, as neither are compliant, since rice is a grain and beans are legumes.
To learn more about why legumes are not allowed on Whole30, read our full article on beans.
Chipotle Salsas
Roasted corn salsa is out, since corn is considered a grain and non-compliant for Whole30.
However, other salsas are fine. You can safely add:
- Tomato Salsa
- Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa
- Tomatillo Green Chili Salsa
Chipotle Vegetables & Toppings
Good news – as of January 2019, the fajita veggies at Chipotle are compliant!
Previously, the fajita veggies were cooked with rice bran oil, making them not compliant for the program. However, Chipotle now cooks fajita veggies in sunflower oil, making them A-OK!
So, go ahead and add:
- Fajita veggies
- Guacamole
However, you’ll have to leave out:
- Sour cream (dairy)
- Cheese (dairy)
Final Whole30 Chipotle Tips & Tricks
A few other things you might want to know for your Whole30-friendly trip to Chipotle:
- You can get 2x protein for a more filling meal (or to keep some as leftovers for the next day)
- If you get a veggie bowl with no meat protein, you can get guacamole for free!
Whole30 Chipotle FAQs
Is the steak at Chipotle Whole30 compliant?
No, the Chipotle steak is not Whole30 complaint because it is cooked in rice bran oil.
Is Chipotle chorizo Whole30 compliant?
No, the chorizo at Chipotle is not compliant because it is cooked in rice bran oil.
Why is Chipotle chicken not whole30?
As of January 2019, Chipotle chicken is Whole30 compliant because it has been updated to be cooked in sunflower oil (which is compliant) rather than non-compliant rice bran oil.
And that’s our secret for creating a delicious Whole30 Chipotle bowl! Let us know any of your own favorite Chipotle hacks in the comments below!
I haven’t tried making my own version yet. I wanna add meat so I’ll try Carnitas.
Do you mean you can get a side of guac for free ? I never get meat on my veggie salad I always tell them to put guac on it though…is guac an extra charge that I wasnt aware of? Sometimes I forgo the $10 salad & just get a side of guac by itself I truthfully only buy Chipotle salad for the guac & the dressing TBH the salad is something I can make at home for cheaper 🙂
Guac is normally a $4 or so additional charge. If you don’t get a protein, it should be free!
This Whole30 Bowl is made even better if you know the right way to order it. Order a burrito bowl instead of a salad bowl. That way the first thing to go into your bowl is the carnitas and when the bowl is empty they tend to be more generous. Top the carnitas with fajita veggies, salsa and guac. Then ask for extra lettuce on top. Flip your entire bowl upside down and enjoy!
Awesome tip, will have to try this!