Everything Gluten-Free at Chipotle (Including Keto Options!)


Everything Gluten-Free at Chipotle

Mexican food isn’t always thought of as healthy. When you think of Mexican food you might picture refried beans smothered in cheese, sour cream, and other greasy ingredients. If you’re health-conscious but also enjoy the taste of Mexican-inspired food, then Chipotle is right up your alley. Chipotle is one of the younger restaurant chains and was founded in 1993. Chipotle has quickly gained popularity for its fresher, whole food ingredients and simple menu.

If you’re gluten-free, you’d be hard-pressed to find another restaurant chain with as many gluten-free options as Chipotle. Out of Chipotle’s entire menu, the only ingredient that isn’t gluten-free is the flour tortilla used in soft tacos and burritos. The rest of the ingredients used to create customized entrees are naturally gluten-free, including rice, proteins, and all of the sauces.

You might be surprised to learn that Chipotle only uses 53 total ingredients to make all of its menu items. Compared to other fast-food chains with a long list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients, Chipotle puts a fresher spin on fast food dining. Let’s look at all of the gluten-free options Chipotle has to offer!

Tips & Tricks for Ordering Gluten-Free at Chipotle

  • Most ingredients at Chipotle are gluten-free. However, there is always a risk of cross-contamination since Chipotle offers gluten-containing tortillas. From Chipotle’s website: “If you avoid gluten, don’t eat our flour tortillas. If you are highly sensitive to gluten and would like us to change our gloves, just let us know at the start of your order.”
  • Choose any type of entrée except quesadillas and burritos which contain gluten. Salads, burrito bowls, lifestyle bowls, and tacos made with hard corn tortilla shells are naturally gluten-free.
  • There’s no need to worry about hidden gluten in sauces since all of the ones at Chipotle are gluten-free.

Non-Gluten-Free Items to Avoid at Chipotle

  • Flour tortillas used to make soft tacos and burritos

Ordering at Chipotle

If you’ve never ordered at Chipotle before, you might be a little intimidated when you see all of the choices you have to build your own meal. Chipotle uses a total of 53 ingredients in all of its menu items – how you combine them is up to you.

Once you pick an entrée type, you get to choose:

  • Protein source (veggie options come with guacamole for no extra charge)
    • Steak
    • Chicken
    • Barbacoa
    • Carnitas
    • Sofritas (plant-based protein)
  • Grain
    • Cilantro Lime White Rice
    • Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
    • Flour Tortilla
    • Crispy Corn Tortilla
  • Beans
    • Black Beans
    • Pinto Beans
    • A 50/50 mix of black beans and pinto beans
  • Toppings
    • Guacamole
    • Tomatillo Red-Chili Salsa
    • Monterey Jack Cheese
    • Fajita Vegetables
    • Monterey Jack Cheese
    • Queso Blanco
    • Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa
    • Sour Cream
    • Tomatillo Green-Chili Salsa
    • Tomatillo Red-Chili Salsa
    • Romaine Lettuce

Types of Entrees at Chipotle

  • Tacos
    • Crispy corn tortillas (GF) or flour tortillas (not GF)
  • Burritos
    • Flour tortilla only
  • Burrito Bowl
    • Protein/grain/beans/toppings, no tortilla
  • Salad
    • Similar to Burrito Bowl but based on a bed of “supergreens” lettuce blend
  • Lifestyle Bowl
    • Salad/Burrito Bowl with preset ingredients to meet criteria for special diets like Whole30, Keto, and high-protein
  • Quesadilla
    • Cheese/flour tortilla with the option to add other ingredients
  • Side dishes
    • Chips and salsa/guacamole/other dips
    • Juices, Izze drinks

What kind of ingredients does Chipotle use?

Chipotle boasts the fact that they use only 53 ingredients among all of their ingredients and menu options. Chipotle is great for those wanting more whole food options, which means that there aren’t long lists of additives and preservatives like some other fast-food chains.

Because Chipotle uses more whole, naturally gluten-free foods, you won’t find gluten popping up in added ingredients like thickeners and other additives.

Which bowls are gluten-free at Chipotle?

Any type of Burrito Bowl or Lifestyle Bowl is gluten-free because they’re on a base of rice and/or lettuce, not a flour tortilla. All of the topping choices for Burrito Bowls are gluten-free, so the sky’s the limit as far as possible combinations of ingredients.

Gluten-Free Options at Chipotle

Ingredients are listed in alphabetical order per Chipotle’s website, not in the order of prevalence by weight.

Proteins

1. Steak

Ingredients:

  • Steak and Barbacoa
  • Black Peppercorn
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Oregano
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Water

2. Chicken

Ingredients:

  • Black Peppercorn
  • Chicken Adobo
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cumin
  • Distilled Vinegar
  • Garlic
  • Oregano
  • Salt
  • Sunflower Oil
  • Water

3. Barbacoa

Ingredients:

  • Bay Lead
  • Steak & Barbacoa
  • Black Peppercorn
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cloves
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Oregano
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Water

4. Carnitas

Ingredients:

  • Bay Leaf
  • Black Peppercorn
  • Juniper Berries
  • Carnitas
  • Salt
  • Sunflower Oil
  • Thyme

5. Sofritas

Ingredients:

  • Bell Peppers
  • Black Pepper
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Gypsum
  • Onion
  • Oregano
  • Poblano Pepper
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Soybeans
  • Tomato
  • Tomato Paste
  • Water

Rice & Beans

1. Cilantro-Lime White Rice

Ingredients:

  • Bay Leaf
  • Cilantro
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Water
  • White Rice

2. Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice

Ingredients:

  • Bay Leaf
  • Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice
  • Cilantro
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Water

3. Pinto Beans

Ingredients:

  • Bay Leaf
  • Black Peppercorn
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Onion
  • Oregano
  • Pinto Beans
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Water

4. Black Beans

Ingredients:

  • Bay Leaf
  • Black Beans
  • Black Peppercorn
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Onion
  • Oregano
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Water

Toppings

1. Guacamole

Ingredients:

  • Hass Avocados
  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeno
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Onion
  • Salt

2. Tomatillo Red-Chili Salsa

Ingredients:

  • Black Peppercorn
  • Cumin
  • Distilled Vinegar
  • Garlic
  • Red Chili Peppers
  • Salt
  • Tomatillo
  • Water

3. Monterey Jack Cheese

Ingredients:

  • Cheese Cultures
  • Milk
  • Salt
  • Vegetable Rennet

4. Fajita Vegetables

Ingredients:

  • Bell Peppers
  • Oregano
  • Onion
  • Salt
  • Sunflower Oil

5. Fresh Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeno
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Onion
  • Salt
  • Tomato

6. Supergreens Lettuce Blend

Ingredients:

  • Baby Kale
  • Baby Spinach
  • Romaine Lettuce

7. Queso Blanco

Ingredients:

  • Cheese
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cornstarch
  • Cultured Cream
  • Garlic
  • Milk
  • Onion
  • Poblano Pepper
  • Salt
  • Serrano Pepper
  • Tomato
  • Water
  • White Cheddar

8. Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeno
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Onion
  • Poblano Pepper
  • Salt
  • White Corn

9. Sour Cream

Ingredients:

  • Cultured Cream

10. Tomatillo Green-Chili Salsa

Ingredients:

  • Black Peppercorn
  • Cilantro
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Jalapeno
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Onion
  • Oregano
  • Salt
  • Tomatillo
  • Tomato

11. Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • Black Peppercorn
  • Chipotle Chili Peppers
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Honey
  • Oregano
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Rice Bran Oil
  • Salt
  • Water

Lifestyle Bowls

1. Keto Bowl

Ingredients:

  • Chicken
  • Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa
  • Monterey Jack Cheese
  • Guacamole

2. Whole30 Salad Bowl

Ingredients:

  • Supergreens
  • Chicken
  • Fajita Vegetables
  • Fresh Tomato Salsa
  • Guacamole

3. Whole30 Bowl

Ingredients:

  • Chicken
  • Fresh Tomato Salsa
  • Fajita Vegetables
  • Guacamole

4. High Protein Bowl

Ingredients:

  • Cilantro-Lime White Rice
  • Chicken
  • Steak
  • Black Beans
  • Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa
  • Monterey Jack Cheese
  • Shredded Romaine Lettuce

Find a Chipotle Near You

Click here to find a Chipotle in your area. Keep in mind that the selections might vary between what’s included in this guide and what is offered at your local Chipotle. You can always order online to view the most current menu at your local restaurant.

Similar Restaurants to Taco Bell

  1. Qdoba
  2. Costa Vida
  3. Del Taco

Related Questions

Does Chipotle have a gluten-free quesadilla?

Chipotle’s flour tortillas aren’t gluten-free, and Chipotle’s website only offers a quesadilla on a flour tortilla. You can try requesting that your quesadilla be made on corn tortillas, but certain restaurants might not be able to honor that request. If they can’t use a corn tortilla for the quesadilla, there are plenty of other gluten-free menu items from which to choose!

Are Chipotle’s Burrito Bowls gluten-free?

Burrito Bowls can contain everything in a regular burrito but without the tortilla, making it gluten-free. You can order a side of tortilla chips to crumble into your burrito bowl if you’d like to add a gluten-free grain in addition to rice. Chipotle’s Burrito Bowls are good options if you’re on a gluten-free diet or are trying to cut down on carbohydrates.

Is the rice at Chipotle gluten-free?

Chipotle’s white and brown rice are both naturally gluten-free. If rice is ever not listed as gluten-free, it’s likely because it contains a wheat-based ingredient and/or is mixed with other gluten-containing grains. Brown rice is usually much higher in protein than white rice. According to Chipotle’s nutrition calculator, there is only a difference of one gram of fiber between a serving of brown and white rice, though. You can also skip the rice and just stick with protein, beans, toppings, and sauces.

What are Sofritas made of?

The Sofritas at Chipotle are made from shredded tofu braised in chipotle chili peppers and a blend of other spices. Sofritas are gluten-free and are also vegan-friendly. One serving of Sofritas provides eight grams of protein and nine grams of carbohydrates, three of which come from fiber.

Is there hidden gluten in any of Chipotle’s sauces?

Sauces and dressings can be a tricky source of hidden gluten, but that’s not the case at Chipotle. All of the sauces and toppings (salsa, vinaigrettes, etc.) are gluten-free to top salads, add flavor to Burrito Bowls, or drizzle over tacos.

Choosing Nutrition Team

Here at Choosing Nutrition, our goal is to help people with making smarter food choices. Whether you're wondering about vegan, keto, paleo, or other diets, we'll help you determine which options fit your nutritional lifestyle. Our staff is composed of registered dieticians, nutritionists, and health-conscious individuals.

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