Chilis Keto Menu Choices That Keep You on Track

What is the Best Meal to Eat Keto at Chili’s?

Eating keto at fast-food places can feel tricky, but don’t worry! Chili’s has plenty of delicious options you can easily customize to fit your low-carb lifestyle. With a few simple swaps, you can enjoy flavorful meals that keep you on track and satisfied!

By focusing on low net carbs and more fat content, you can make meals that match your daily carb intake. This guide will help you learn how to eat keto at Chili’s while still enjoying your food and feeling full.

Chili’s menu has many keto-friendly main entrees and low-carb sides such as steamed broccoli and fresh avocado slices. To keep carbs low, avoid high-carb items like tortilla strips, mashed potatoes, and Mexican rice.

Choose keto favorites like the classic sirloin, grilled wings, or mushroom Swiss burger without the bun. Pair your meal with sides like a house salad topped with shredded cheese or sour cream.

Discover delicious options on the Chilis keto menu! Explore mouthwatering, low-carb dishes perfect for your keto lifestyle!

Chicken, shrimp and beef fajitas with chips, salsa, and drinks from a Mexican restaurant
Chicken, shrimp and beef fajitas with chips, salsa, and drinks from a Mexican restaurant

Table of Contents

Top Chilis Keto Dishes to Order

The exterior of a Chili's Mexican restaurant
The exterior of a Chili’s Mexican restaurant

Several dishes at Chili’s are great if you are on the ketogenic diet. They make it easy to eat low-carb meals.

You can try the classic sirloin with some steamed broccoli. This is a meal that keeps the carb count low and is still filling.

Another Chilis keto option is the mushroom Swiss burger. You can get it with slices of bacon and no bun. It tastes good and helps you stick to your low-carb plan.

If you want something lighter, get the Guiltless Grill chicken fajitas. These come with some fresh pico de gallo, and you can have a side house salad.

Top your salad with Caesar dressing for extra flavor. These meals help you enjoy eating out while you follow a ketogenic diet.

Chilis Keto Main Entrées

A few main entrée Chilis keto choices are great for anyone on a keto diet. The classic sirloin comes with garlic butter on top. It gives you good flavor but helps keep your carb count low.

Chicken fajitas in tortillas with onions and peppers
Chicken fajitas in tortillas with onions and peppers

Chicken Fajitas

If you want something with a little spice, try the chicken fajitas. They are served with avocado slices and pico de gallo for a full, tasty meal.

Swiss Burger

You can also get the mushroom Swiss burger. It has Swiss cheese and comes with a side salad. These options help you reach your daily carb intake goals but still let you enjoy a good taste.

Swiss mushroom burger served with potato fries
Swiss mushroom burger served with potato fries

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Opt for the grilled chicken sandwich without the bun for a lean, keto-friendly protein option. Avoid the buffalo chicken ranch sandwich, as its bun and ranch dressing add unwanted carbs that can disrupt ketosis.

Bone-in Wings

If you’re craving wings, choose bone-in buffalo wings instead of Chili’s boneless wings, as the boneless are breaded and higher in carbs. Bone-in buffalo wings tossed in buffalo sauce are a great keto-friendly appetizer.

Chilis Keto Sides and Appetizers

At Chili’s, you can pick sides and appetizers to make your ketogenic meal better and keep the carb count low.

Some good choices for Chilis keto sides are the house salad with creamy Caesar dressing, served with roasted asparagus or grilled avocado slices. These give you nutrients but do not have too many carbs.

If you want more flavor, try the guacamole (but skip the crunchy tortilla strips). Adding crispy bacon to your dishes can also make them tastier and keep them keto-friendly.

Always check the nutritional information. This helps you stay within your daily carb intake.

Building the Perfect Chilis Keto Plate

Making a keto meal at Chili’s is simple if you watch your carbs. Start with a protein like classic sirloin, grilled shrimp, or jalapeno cheddar smoked sausage.

Avoid high-carb sides like mashed potatoes and Mexican rice. Choose steamed broccoli or sautéed mushrooms instead, and add flavor with garlic butter or red onion for a tasty keto-friendly meal.

Healthy grilled chicken sandwich with veggie chips
Healthy grilled chicken sandwich with veggie chips

Customizing Orders for Fewer Carbs

Making small changes when you order at Chili’s is a good way to keep net carbs low and meals tasty. Here are some tips you can use:

Ditch Flour Tortillas: If you like chicken fajitas or smoked brisket wraps, you can skip the flour tortillas. Just use a fork and a knife for your meal.

Avoid Tortilla Strips: Salad toppings often have tortilla strips, but they can raise your carbs. Ask your server not to put them on your salad.

Replace Mashed Potatoes: Try steamed broccoli or even asparagus as sides instead of mashed potatoes. These sides are healthier and have fewer carbs.

Add Slices of Bacon: Adding slices of bacon is a good way to get more protein and still keep net carbs low. Crispy bacon strips taste good and fit in a low-carb meal.

Making these changes helps people cut down on carbs but still enjoy all of their favorite flavors at Chili’s. You can enjoy your chicken fajitas and your other meals without missing out on taste or what you like most.

Warm salad with grilled chicken, arugula, fresh vegetables and sour cream sauce
Warm salad with grilled chicken, arugula, fresh vegetables and sour cream sauce

Best Sauces, Dressings, and Toppings

Sauces and dressings can change the taste of your keto meals. Some can help keep you on track, while others can add too many carbs.

At Chili’s, some of the best low-carb picks include Caesar dressing, which is creamy and bold with 6g net carbs per serving, and bleu cheese dressing, which is rich and tangy with just 2g net carbs.

Spicy Santa Fe sauce offers a smoky flavor with a hint of spice and has 2g net carbs, while pico de gallo is fresh and vibrant at 4g net carbs.

Buffalo sauce brings classic heat and flavor with 3g net carbs per serving.

You can use these choices to add more taste to your sides, entrées, and salads. This way, you get more flavor in your food, stay under your daily net carbs, and enjoy what you eat.

The carb count for each is helpful to meet your keto goals. Favorite sauces like Caesar dressing, spicy Santa Fe sauce, pico de gallo, buffalo sauce, and bleu cheese let you eat smart and tasty.

Chilis Keto Beverages

There are some good, fresh drink choices for people who are on the keto diet at Chili’s.

Drinks like sparkling water or unsweetened iced tea have zero carbs. These can help you stay hydrated and not add to your carb count.

If you want something with more of a punch, you can get a classic margarita. Make sure it has fresh ingredients.

Stay away from sugary mixers because they bring in extra grams of carbohydrates. Watch out for the alcohol, too, because some drinks add some carbs without you knowing.

Low-Carb Drink Options

Enjoy drinks at Chili’s that go well with your keto plan. Here are some things you can have:

Low-Carb Beer: Pick brands with less carbs for a smart choice.

Sugar-Free Soda: You get the bubbles without raising your carb count.

Red or White Wine: Have this in small amounts and you only add a few net carbs to your daily calories.

Bloody Mary: This is tasty and, if you ask for it without sugar, the carb count stays low.

Mix your drinks in ways that fit your low-carb needs and keep an eye on all nutritional information. This will help you keep your net carbs in check without going over your daily calories.

What to Avoid at the Bar

Chili’s drinks help make the menu more interesting. But when you eat keto, you need to know what drinks and foods you should not have to stay on track.

Sweetened Cocktails: Drinks like margaritas and daiquiris come with lots of sugar-based mixes. These drinks have many grams of carbohydrates, which are not good for keto.

Mexican Rice: Do not order Mexican rice that comes with meals. This rice is high in both fat content and carbs, which you want to keep low.

House BBQ Sauce: House BBQ sauce may taste good, but it is full of sugar. That much sugar makes it bad for people on keto.

Creamy Desserts: Drinks topped with whipped cream might seem tasty. But they often have even more calories and can be heavy for your diet.

Choosing the right drink can help people stick to ketogenic rules. You can still enjoy your meal without breaking your diet.

Navigating Common Keto Pitfalls at Chili’s

Eating keto at fast-food places like Chili’s means you need to watch out for hidden carbs. Some menu items may look keto-friendly but contain breading or sweet sauces that increase your carb intake.

The best way is to ask how they cook the food and ask to take off any toppings that add a lot of carbs. When you do this, you can stick to your keto goals and avoid surprise carbs in your meal.

Mexican food inculuding tacos, burrito, nachos, enchiladas, tortilla soup, and salad
Mexican food inculuding tacos, burrito, nachos, enchiladas, tortilla soup, and salad

Menu Items to Avoid on Keto

Some meals may look good, but they are not okay for people on keto. Foods you should not pick include:

  • Original Chili: This has beans and a lot of seasonings. It ends up with a high carb count.
  • Pepper Jack Cheese Sandwiches: They usually come with tortillas or buns.
  • Swiss Cheese Fajitas: These have Mexican rice and beans, which are not right for keto.
  • Santa Fe Optionals: Things like tortilla strips add too many carbs.

Stick with foods that are fresher and have less fat to keep from going over your carb count.

Hidden Carbs and How to Spot Them

Avoiding hidden carbs means you have to always pay attention. Here are some good tips to help you see where those hidden carbs can be:

Check Sauces: Many dressing options, such as ancho chile ranch, can have grams of carbohydrates that go over your daily target.

Ask About Tortilla Strips: These crispy extras can show up on your salads or burgers without you knowing.

Scrutinize Side Dishes: Some of the main things to watch for are mashed potatoes or cheddar cheese that get mixed into ready-to-go side dishes.

Watch Toppings: Ingredients such as garlic butter can have other sugar-filled things added in.

Look closely at every part of your meal before you order. This way, you can stick to your keto goals with no problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Chili’s Fajitas Keto-Friendly?

Chili’s chicken fajitas can be good for a keto diet if you do not eat the flour tortillas, rice, or beans. There are a lot of vegetables in this dish. The peppers and onions give the chicken fajitas a nice taste. With these changes, the grams of carbs stay low and fit within the keto limit.

Can I Have Any Chili’s Salads on Keto?

Absolutely! Go with a house salad or a Southwest Caesar salad. Take out the croutons. Pick dressings like Caesar or avocado ranch because they are low in net carbs. Add avocado slices to the salad. This will give you more nutrients and also help keep net carbs low.

Does Chili’s Offer Any Keto-Friendly Desserts?

Desserts at Chili’s do not usually have low-carb choices. Instead, you can go for whipped cream or sugar-free toppings. This way, you still get a sweet taste that is not too much. It also helps you keep your net carbs low and works well with a keto diet.

Final Thoughts

When you eat keto at Chili’s, you should know what to order and think before you pick your food. It helps to choose the right main dish and to stay away from sauces that might have hidden carbs.

If you pay attention to what’s in your meal, you can stick to your low-carb plan. You can change how your food is made and choose keto-friendly options from this guide. This way, you enjoy your meal and stay on track with your goals.

Find more keto menu guides on our blog. When you know what is on the menu as part of the keto diet, it gets easier to make good choices for your health. Enjoy your meal!