Quick Answer
A Qdoba chicken bowl can range from 300 to 800 calories depending on the specific ingredients and serving size. A typical Qdoba chicken bowl with rice, beans, salsa, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole contains approximately 650-750 calories. The chicken and rice provide the bulk of the calories. Customizing your bowl with lower calorie ingredients can reduce the calorie count.
Calories in Qdoba Chicken Bowls
The calorie count of a Qdoba chicken bowl can vary significantly based on your customization choices. Here are some of the factors that affect the calories:
Protein
– Chicken: A standard serving of Qdoba grilled adobo chicken contains about 190 calories. Going for a double chicken portion can add roughly another 190 calories.
– Steak: Substituting steak for the chicken adds around 140 calories.
– Barbacoa: Swapping in barbacoa beef for the chicken adds approximately 230 calories.
– Carnitas: Choosing carnitas pork instead of chicken contributes about 280 calories.
So your protein choice alone can increase or decrease calories by 100 calories or more compared to the standard chicken portion.
Rice
– White rice: A regular side portion of cilantro lime white rice at Qdoba packs 160 calories.
– Brown rice: Opting for brown rice instead cuts the calorie count to 100 for the side portion.
– No rice: Skipping the rice altogether saves you about 100-160 calories.
Beans
– Black beans: A standard side of black beans contributes 110 calories.
– Pinto beans: Choosing pinto beans provides the same 110 calories.
– No beans: Leaving out the beans subtracts 110 calories from your bowl.
Salsa
– Pico de gallo: The mild pico de gallo salsa adds around 20 calories.
– Tomatillo green chili: The tangy tomatillo salsa also has about 20 calories.
– Corn salsa: The sweet corn salsa contains around 50 calories.
– Guacamole salsa: The higher fat avocado guacamole salsa contributes about 75 calories.
So salsa choice can vary the calories by 50 or more.
Cheese and Sour Cream
– Cheese: A standard serving of shredded cheese tops on at around 110 calories.
– Extra cheese: Doubling the cheese can tack on another 100+ calories.
– No cheese: Skipping the cheese subtracts those 110 calories.
– Sour cream: A regular side portion of sour cream has about 90 calories.
– No sour cream: Leaving off the sour cream drops 90 calories.
Guacamole
– Guacamole: A typical 2 oz side order of guacamole adds about 115 calories.
– No guacamole: Leaving off guac saves you those 115 calories.
Tortilla
– Flour tortilla: Using a standard 10″ flour tortilla shell adds around 300 calories to your bowl.
– Corn tortilla: Choosing a corn tortilla instead cuts the calories to around 120 for a 6″ shell.
– No tortilla: Going bowl-style with no tortilla saves 120-300 calories.
Extras
– Chips and queso: Adding a side of chips and queso can add 300-600 calories depending on the portion.
– Chips and guacamole: Chips with guacamole tacks on 200-400 extra calories.
So as you can see, the specific combination of ingredients you choose can create a wide range of calories in your chicken bowl.
Nutrition Facts for a Typical Chicken Bowl
Here are the nutrition facts for a typical Qdoba chicken bowl with the following ingredients:
– Chicken
– White rice
– Black beans
– Pico de gallo salsa
– Cheese
– Sour cream
– Guacamole
– Flour tortilla
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 740 |
| Total Fat | 25g |
| Saturated Fat | 8g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 75mg |
| Sodium | 1280mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 93g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8g |
| Sugars | 4g |
| Protein | 41g |
As you can see, this typical build comes out to around 740 calories total. The bulk of those calories come from the chicken, rice, beans, tortilla, cheese, and sour cream.
Lower Calorie Qdoba Chicken Bowl Options
Here are some easy ways to create a lower calorie Qdoba chicken bowl:
Skip the Tortilla
Going bowl-style instead of using a large 300 calorie flour tortilla is one of the simplest ways to cut calories. This alone can save you 120-300 calories.
Opt for Brown Rice
Choosing nutty brown rice over white rice reduces the calorie count by about 60 calories for the side portion.
Limit Cheese and Sour Cream
Ask for light cheese and sour cream or eliminate them altogether to subtract 100-200 calories.
Guacamole Sparingly
Get guacamole on the side and use just a spoonful to limit the calories.
Load Up On Veggies
Pile on the salsa, lettuce, peppers and other fresh veggies to add volume and nutrients without a ton of calories.
Choose Pico de Gallo
The mild pico has the lowest calorie count of all the Qdoba salsas.
Easy on the Rice
Opt for a smaller portion of rice or skip it altogether to remove 100-160 calories.
Healthiest Qdoba Chicken Bowl Combinations
To maximize nutrition and minimize calories, here are some healthy Qdoba chicken bowl combinations:
Fajita Veggie Chicken Bowl
– Chicken
– Fajita veggies (peppers, onions)
– Pico de gallo
– Corn salsa
– Lettuce
– No rice or beans
– No tortilla
This veggie packed bowl comes in around 400 calories.
Chicken Taco Salad Bowl
– Chicken
– Romaine lettuce
– Pico de gallo
– Corn salsa
– Guacamole
– No rice, beans, cheese, or sour cream
This lighter option has around 300 calories.
Chicken Burrito Bowl
– Chicken
– Brown rice
– Black beans
– Pico de gallo
– Corn salsa
– No cheese, sour cream or tortilla
This balanced bowl has around 500-600 calories.
Skinny Chicken Bowl
– Chicken
– No rice
– Black beans
– Pico de gallo
– Lettuce
– No cheese, sour cream, tortilla or guacamole
At around 300 calories, this is a lighter take on the chicken bowl.
Conclusion
In summary, a Qdoba chicken bowl can range from 300-800 calories depending on your customization choices. Pick lower calorie ingredients like brown rice, pico de gallo, and easy on the cheese and sour cream to create a healthier bowl. Aim for around 500-600 calories total for a satisfying bowl that doesn’t break the calorie bank. Monitor portion sizes of high calorie add-ons like guacamole and chips. With some smart substitutions, you can enjoy Qdoba’s flavorful bowls while still maintaining balanced nutrition.