When it comes to fast casual Mexican food, Chipotle is a popular choice for many. With a wide variety of tacos, burritos, bowls, and salads to choose from, Chipotle offers ample options to satisfy different tastes and dietary needs. One of the most popular menu items is the brisket bowl. Packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients, the Chipotle brisket bowl can make for a satisfying meal. But with any meal, an important factor to consider is the calorie count. So how many calories are actually in a Chipotle brisket bowl?
What’s in a Chipotle brisket bowl?
To determine the calories in a Chipotle brisket bowl, we first need to look at what ingredients it contains. While you can customize your brisket bowl, a standard order includes:
- White or brown rice
- Black or pinto beans
- Brisket
- Fajita vegetables (peppers and onions)
- Tomato salsa
- Cheese
- Lettuce
The portion size of each ingredient can vary based on if you order a regular or large bowl. The specific calorie count also depends on which rice, beans, and salsa you select. But in general, a regular brisket bowl contains approximately:
- 3⁄4 cup rice
- 3⁄4 cup beans
- 3 oz brisket
- 1⁄4 cup fajita mix
- 2 oz tomato salsa
- 1 oz cheese
- 1 oz lettuce
Calories in each brisket bowl ingredient
To get the total calories for the entire bowl, we’ll need to look at the calories for each component:
Rice
The rice base of your brisket bowl can be either white or brown rice. Here are the calories for a standard 3⁄4 cup serving of each:
- White rice: approximately 210 calories
- Brown rice: approximately 180 calories
Beans
For the beans, you can choose between black or pinto beans. The calorie counts for a standard 3⁄4 cup serving are:
- Black beans: approximately 120 calories
- Pinto beans: approximately 115 calories
Protein
The protein in the brisket bowl is 3 oz of Chipotle’s smoked brisket. A 3 oz portion of brisket contains around 150 calories.
Fajita Mix
The fajita mix contains grilled onions and peppers. A standard 1⁄4 cup serving of fajita veggies contains about 25 calories.
Salsa
For salsa, you can choose between mild, medium, or hot tomato salsa. The calorie count per 2 oz is:
- Mild salsa: 20 calories
- Medium salsa: 15 calories
- Hot salsa: 15 calories
Cheese
The cheese used at Chipotle is Monterey jack cheese. A standard single 1 oz serving of shredded Monterey jack cheese contains about 110 calories.
Lettuce
Finally, the lettuce used is chopped romaine lettuce. There are only about 5 calories in 1 standard 1 oz serving of chopped romaine lettuce.
Total calories for a regular brisket bowl
Adding up the calories from a standard serving size of each ingredient, we get the following totals:
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| White rice (3/4 cup) | 210 |
| Black beans (3/4 cup) | 120 |
| Brisket (3 oz) | 150 |
| Fajita mix (1/4 cup) | 25 |
| Mild salsa (2 oz) | 20 |
| Cheese (1 oz) | 110 |
| Lettuce (1 oz) | 5 |
| Total Calories | 640 |
As you can see, a regular brisket bowl from Chipotle contains approximately 640 calories. This is with white rice, black beans, and mild salsa.
Calories for customization options
Now that we know the total for a standard brisket bowl is 640 calories, keep in mind you can further customize your order and modify the calories.
Some common customizations include:
- Brown rice: Removes about 30 calories if used instead of white rice
- Pinto beans: Removes about 5 calories if used instead of black beans
- Guacamole: Adds about 230 calories if added
- Extra meat: Adds about 75 calories per extra ounce of brisket
- Queso: Adds about 120 calories if added
- Hot salsa: Adds around 5-10 extra calories compared to mild salsa
You can also adjust the calories by ordering a larger or smaller portion. A large brisket bowl will have about 20% more calories than a regular.
Nutritional value of brisket bowl
In addition to calories, the Chipotle brisket bowl also provides a good amount of nutrition in each serving. Some of the key nutritional highlights include:
- 45g protein (from brisket and beans)
- 10g fiber (from rice, beans, vegetables)
- 15% Daily Value iron (from brisket)
- 30% DV vitamin C (from salsa and vegetables)
- 15-20% DV for B vitamins (from brisket)
The mix of rice, beans, meat, salsa, and vegetables makes the brisket bowl a nourishing meal. It contains a hefty dose of protein, important micronutrients like iron and vitamin C, and lots of fiber to help keep you full.
Macronutrient breakdown
Here is an approximate macronutrient breakdown for a regular brisket bowl:
- Calories: 640
- Carbohydrates: 77g (31%)
- Protein: 45g (28%)
- Fat: 16g (41%)
As you can see, calories come predominantly from the carbohydrate and protein content. There is also a moderate amount of fat, mostly coming from the brisket, beans, cheese, and guacamole if added.
Ways to make your brisket bowl less calories
If you’re looking for ways to lighten up your Chipotle brisket bowl, here are some tips to shave off calories:
- Opt for brown rice instead of white rice
- Skip the cheese and sour cream
- Choose pinto beans over black beans
- Stick with a lower calorie salsa like mild or medium
- Load up on extra fajita veggies instead of rice
- Ask for a lettuce wrap instead of a bowl
- Order a kid’s size or half portion
- Avoid chips, queso, and sugary drinks as sides
Making combinations like these can help reduce the total calories by 100-250 in your Chipotle brisket bowl. You can still enjoy the flavor without overdoing it on calories.
Healthy brisket bowl meal prep ideas
In addition to ordering brisket bowls at the restaurant, you can also meal prep healthy brisket bowls at home. Some recipe ideas include:
Brisket taco bowls
Cook barbacoa-style brisket in the instant pot or slow cooker. Build bowls with brisket, sautéed peppers and onions, black beans, brown rice, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and avocado.
Loaded brisket baked potatoes
Top baked russet potatoes with shredded brisket, salsa, light sour cream, and scallions for a hearty, protein-packed meal.
Brisket and quinoa bowls
Cook quinoa in bone broth with brisket drippings for extra flavor. Top with shredded brisket, chimichurri, cotija cheese, and quick-pickled onions.
Brisket fried cauliflower rice
Sauté riced cauliflower with leftover brisket, kimchi, sesame oil, eggs, and green onions for a low carb option.
Conclusion
A Chipotle brisket bowl contains around 640 calories in a regular portion, or 770 calories for a large. This is with standard white rice, black beans, and mild tomato salsa as the base. The total calories can shift up or down depending on customizations and choice of sides. Overall, the brisket bowl provides a good balance of protein, carbs, fiber, and nutrients. With a few simple tweaks, you can modify the brisket bowl to fit your own dietary needs and health goals.
