Quick Answer
A Taco Bell Power Bowl with grilled chicken contains around 500-550 calories, depending on size and additional ingredients. The chicken itself provides around 180-250 calories, while ingredients like rice, beans, salsa, cheese, and sour cream add more calories. Choosing lower calorie options can reduce the total calories to under 500.
Calculating Calories in a Taco Bell Power Bowl
Taco Bell Power Bowls are customizable bowls with a base of rice, beans, meat and salsa. The specific calorie count depends on the ingredients you choose, but here is an overview of the calorie ranges for each component:
Base
- White rice: Around 220 calories per serving
- Brown rice: Around 200 calories per serving
- Black beans: Around 120 calories per 1/2 cup
- Pinto beans: Around 100 calories per 1/2 cup
- Veggie: Around 20 calories per serving
Protein
- Grilled chicken: Around 180 calories for 3 ounces
- Steak: Around 250 calories for 3 ounces
- Shredded chicken: Around 210 calories for 3 ounces
Toppings
- Cheese: Around 110 calories per 1/4 cup
- Guacamole: Around 230 calories per 4 ounces
- Sour cream: Around 90 calories per 2 tablespoons
- Salsa: Around 10-20 calories per 2 tablespoons
By selecting lower calorie options like brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken and salsa, you can create a Power Bowl with around 500 calories. Adding items like cheese, guacamole or sour cream will increase the calories to 550-600 per bowl.
Nutrition Information for Taco Bell Power Bowls
Here are the nutrition facts for some popular Taco Bell Power Bowl combinations:
500 Calorie Taco Bell Power Bowl
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| Brown rice | 200 |
| Black beans | 120 |
| Grilled chicken | 180 |
| Salsa | 15 |
| Total: | 515 |
550 Calorie Taco Bell Power Bowl
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| White rice | 220 |
| Black beans | 120 |
| Grilled chicken | 180 |
| Cheese | 110 |
| Salsa | 15 |
| Total: | 645 |
600 Calorie Taco Bell Power Bowl
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| White rice | 220 |
| Pinto beans | 100 |
| Shredded chicken | 210 |
| Guacamole | 230 |
| Salsa | 15 |
| Total: | 775 |
As you can see, the calorie count can vary significantly based on your choices. Selecting lower calorie ingredients like brown rice and black beans will create a 500 calorie Power Bowl, while higher calorie ingredients like white rice, guacamole and shredded chicken can bring it up to 600-700 calories.
Tips for Ordering a Low Calorie Taco Bell Power Bowl
Here are some tips to order a lower calorie Taco Bell Power Bowl:
Choose brown rice or veggie base
Brown rice has around 200 calories per serving compared to 220 for white rice. The veggie base is very low calorie.
Get black beans or pinto beans
Black beans have 120 calories per 1/2 cup serving while pinto beans have 100. They are lower calorie than the white rice base.
Pick grilled chicken
Grilled chicken has the lowest calories of the protein options at 180 per 3 ounces. Shredded chicken is 210 calories and steak is 250.
Limit high-calorie toppings
Cheese, guacamole and sour cream all add significant calories. Stick to lower calorie salsa.
Choose a small or regular size
The small size has around 500 calories while the regular has 550. The large can have over 700 calories.
Drink water instead of soda
Opt for water, unsweetened tea or diet soda to avoid adding 150-200 calories from a sugary drink.
Healthiest Ingredients to Order in a Taco Bell Power Bowl
If you are looking to create the healthiest Taco Bell Power Bowl possible, here are the best low calorie and nutritious ingredients to choose:
- Base: Brown rice or veggie
- Protein: Grilled chicken
- Beans: Black beans
- Toppings: Fresh tomato salsa, diced onions, sliced jalapenos, cilantro
- Avoid: Cheese, sour cream, guacamole, shredded chicken, steak
- Drink: Water or unsweetened tea
This combination maximizes nutritional value by incorporating fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals while avoiding high-fat, high-calorie add-ons. The total calorie count comes out to around 500 calories for a regular size bowl.
Low Carb Taco Bell Power Bowl Options
For low carb options, avoid the rice and bean base and choose steak or chicken as your protein. Then load up on toppings like lettuce, salsa and cheese:
- Base: None
- Protein: Steak or grilled chicken
- Toppings: Lettuce, pico de gallo, salsa, cheese, guacamole
- Avoid rice, beans, shredded chicken
This creates a bowl with around 300-400 calories and under 30g net carbs by focusing on the lean protein and low carb toppings. You can also request any bowl as a salad to get it served over a lettuce base instead of rice and beans.
Vegetarian and Vegan Taco Bell Power Bowl Options
Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy meatless Power Bowls by choosing the following:
Vegetarian
- Base: Brown rice or veggie
- Protein: Black beans or pinto beans
- Toppings: Cheese, guacamole, salsa
Vegan
- Base: Brown rice or veggie
- Protein: Black beans
- Toppings: Guacamole, salsa, onion, cilantro
- Avoid cheese and sour cream
Both options provide a balanced meatless meal with protein from the beans and nutrients from the rice, veggies and toppings.
High Protein Taco Bell Power Bowl Options
To maximize the protein in your Power Bowl, focus on these high protein additions:
- Protein: Double chicken or steak
- Beans: Add black or pinto beans
- Toppings: Add cheese for an extra protein boost
- Avoid: Guacamole, sour cream
Choosing double meat, adding beans and loading up on cheese packs around 50-60g of protein into your bowl to help with muscle growth and recovery. A bowl with double chicken, black beans, cheese, lettuce, and salsa makes a great high protein option.
Power Bowl Combinations for Different Diets
| Diet | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Low carb | Chicken, steak, lettuce, salsa, cheese, guacamole |
| High protein | Double chicken or steak, black beans, cheese |
| Low calorie | Brown rice, black beans, chicken, salsa |
| Vegetarian | Brown rice, black beans, pinto beans, cheese, guacamole |
| Vegan | Brown rice, black beans, guacamole, salsa |
This table summarizes optimal bowl combinations depending on your dietary needs. You can create Power Bowls to suit low carb, high protein, low calorie, vegetarian and vegan diets.
Conclusion
In summary, the calories in a Taco Bell Power Bowl can range from 500-700+ depending on the ingredients. Building a bowl with lower calorie options like brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken, and salsa creates a 500 calorie bowl. Adding high calorie ingredients like white rice, guacamole, cheese and sour cream increases the total. Power Bowls can also be customized to be low carb, high protein or vegetarian/vegan friendly. Following the guidelines in this article can help you construct the optimal Taco Bell Power Bowl to suit your personal nutrition and diet goals.
