The popular Tex-Mex restaurant Chili’s can be found all across the United States. If you’re following the keto diet, you may not be sure what to order there.
Several meals at Chili’s can be modified to be keto-friendly.
On the keto diet, most people aim to eat about 25 grams of net carbs — total carbs minus fiber — per day. All the items in this list contain 0–24 grams of net carbs per order. We recommend splitting the higher carb items into two meals (1).
Here are 15 keto-friendly dishes at Chili’s, along with helpful ordering tips.
Share on PinterestSean Locke/Stocksy United1. Appetizers
1. Bone-in Buffalo Wings
The Bone-in Wings from Chili’s make an excellent keto option that’s loaded with fat and protein. It’s easy to split this order in two or share it with a friend.
To keep these wings keto, choose only Buffalo sauce or skip the sauce entirely since all of the other sauces are high in carbs.
Here’s the nutrient info for one order of Bone-in Wings with Buffalo Sauce (2):
- Calories: 890
- Fat: 65 grams
- Protein: 73 grams
- Total carbs: 4 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Net carbs: 3 grams
How to order
Ask for the Bone-in Wings with Buffalo Sauce, or ask for them without sauce.
2–8. Entrées
2. Classic Sirloin
In my opinion, there’s no keto-friendly option more delicious than steak.
Chili’s offers two sizes of its Classic Sirloin for large and small appetites. Keep it keto by choosing low carb sides like steamed broccoli or a side salad without croutons.
The nutrient info for the 6-ounce Classic Sirloin is as follows (2):
- Calories: 260
- Fat: 13 grams
- Protein: 34 grams
- Total carbs: 1 gram
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Net carbs: 1 gram
How to order
Ask for the 6-ounce or 10-ounce Classic Sirloin with low carb sides like steamed vegetables or a crouton-free salad.
3. Classic Ribeye
If you’re extra hungry, choose the larger Classic Ribeye steak, which packs a whopping 67 grams of protein.
This steak is completely free of carbs, too, so you can add a few low carb vegetable sides without worrying about your carb count.
Here’s the nutrient info for the Classic Ribeye (2):
- Calories: 630
- Fat: 40 grams
- Protein: 67 grams
- Total carbs: 0 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Net carbs: 0 grams
How to order
Ask for the Classic Ribeye with a side of steamed vegetables or a salad without croutons.
4. Big Mouth Mushroom Swiss Burger, no bun
Chili’s offers several burgers, many of which are keto-friendly if you leave off the bun.
The Mushroom Swiss Burger is a great keto choice. It’s topped with sautéed onions, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli.
To choose a different bunless burger, look for varieties with no BBQ sauce or tortilla strips — or ask for these items to be kept off of your bunless burger.
Here’s the nutrition info for a bunless Big Mouth Mushroom Swiss Burger (2):
- Calories: 760
- Fat: 62 grams
- Protein: 45 grams
- Total carbs: 7 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Net carbs: 5 grams
How to order
Ask for the Big Mouth Mushroom Swiss Burger with no bun.
5. Fajitas
Chili’s Fajitas are made with peppers, onions, and your choice of shrimp, chicken, or steak. They’re served with sour cream, pico de gallo, salsa, and shredded cheese.
If you ask for no tortillas and skip the sides, the Fajitas are a great low carb entrée. Additionally, it’s more keto-friendly if you split it into two meals.
The nutrient info for Shrimp Fajitas with no tortillas, rice, or beans is below (2):
- Calories: 510
- Fat: 34 grams
- Protein: 29 grams
- Total carbs: 28 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Net carbs: 24 grams
How to order
Ask for shrimp, chicken, or steak Fajitas without tortillas, rice, or beans.
6. Santa Fe Chicken Salad, no tortilla strips
This salad features grilled chicken, pico de gallo, avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips, and ranch dressing over a bed of lettuce. Without the tortilla strips, it contains only low carb, keto-friendly ingredients.
Here’s the nutrient info for the Santa Fe Chicken Salad, though keep in mind that this includes the tortilla strips (2):
- Calories: 630
- Fat: 44 grams
- Protein: 36 grams
- Total carbs: 27 grams
- Fiber: 7 grams
- Net carbs: 20 grams
Nutrition information for the tortilla strips isn’t available, so we can’t calculate the exact carb count. However, removing the tortilla strips should significantly reduce the carb count.
How to order
Ask for the Santa Fe Chicken Salad with no tortilla strips.
7. Southwest Caesar Salad, no tortilla strips
The Southwest Caesar Salad comes with grilled chicken or shrimp, plus queso fresco, tortilla strips, tomatoes, and Caesar dressing over lettuce.
Without the tortilla strips, it’s very keto-friendly — and if you have the carbs to spare you can even have the salad with the tortilla strips.
Find the nutrient info for the Southwest Chicken Caesar Salad below, though bear in mind that this includes the tortilla strips (since the nutrition info for the tortilla strips isn’t available) (2):
- Calories: 630
- Fat: 44 grams
- Protein: 39 grams
- Total carbs: 21 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Net carbs: 16 grams
How to order
Ask for the Southwest Caesar Salad with either chicken or shrimp but without the tortilla strips.
8. Ancho Salmon
The Ancho Salmon entrée is one of Chili’s “Guiltless Grill” options, all of which have fewer than 650 calories.
It usually comes with broccoli and Mexican rice. To make it keto-friendly, just ask for no Mexican rice.
See the nutrient info for Ancho Salmon without Mexican rice below (2):
- Calories: 460
- Fat: 25 grams
- Protein: 45 grams
- Total carbs: 15 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Net carbs: 11 grams
How to order
Ask for the Ancho Salmon without Mexican rice.
9–12. Side dishes
9. Asparagus
Asparagus is one of the best keto-friendly sides at Chili’s, as it has just 2 grams of net carbs per serving.
Here’s the nutrition info for Chili’s Asparagus (2):
- Calories: 35
- Fat: 1 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
- Total carbs: 5 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Net carbs: 2 grams
How to order
Ask for a side of Asparagus.
10. Steamed Broccoli
Chili’s Steamed Broccoli is a great keto-friendly side because it only contains 4 grams of net carbs per serving.
Find the nutrient info for Steamed Broccoli below (2):
- Calories: 40
- Fat: 0 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
- Total carbs: 8 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Net carbs: 4 grams
How to order
Ask for a side of Steamed Broccoli.
11. Side Caesar Salad with no croutons
The Side Caesar Salad is made with romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing, and croutons. Without the croutons, it’s an ideal keto-friendly side.
Here’s the nutrition info for the Side Caesar Salad, though this includes the croutons. Removing them will reduce the carb count further (2):
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 14 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
- Total carbs: 7 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Net carbs: 6 grams
How to order
Ask for the Side Caesar Salad with Caesar dressing and no croutons.
12. Side House Salad
The Side House Salad comes with tomatoes, onion, cucumber, cheese, croutons, and your choice of dressing.
To keep it keto-friendly, skip the croutons — and if you want to lower the carb count even further, ask for no tomato or onion.
The Avocado Ranch salad dressing makes for a great keto-friendly dressing.
Here’s the nutrient info for a Side House Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing, though bear in mind that this includes the croutons. Removing them, as well as the tomatoes and onions, will further lower the carb count (2):
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 18 grams
- Protein: 7 grams
- Total carbs: 18 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Net carbs: 15 grams
How to order
Ask for the Side House Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing and no croutons.
Tips for eating keto at Chili’s
If you want to choose something else from the Chili’s menu, here are a few pointers to help you make your meal as keto-friendly as possible:
- Choose simple meat entrées. To make eating keto at Chili’s more doable, choose a basic entrée with nothing added, such as steak, grilled salmon, or a bunless burger.
- Add keto-friendly sides. Choose low carb sides like asparagus or steamed broccoli to keep the carb count low.
- Avoid hidden carbs. Some Chili’s items are full of hidden carbs, such as the chicken wings in any flavor (except Buffalo). Likewise, the ribs are slathered in sugary BBQ sauce, and the coleslaw is also high in carbs (2).
- Select low carb dressings. Ordering salad? Stick to keto-friendly salad dressings like Ancho Chile Ranch, Avocado Ranch, Bleu Cheese, Caesar, Ranch, and Santa Fe.
- Plan ahead. Glance at the menu and nutrition information ahead of time to better plan out a keto-friendly meal that you’ll enjoy.
The bottom line
With a few modifications, it’s fairly straightforward to eat keto at Chili’s.
If you’re in the mood for wings, stick to ones without sauce or Buffalo Bone-in Wings.
For entrées, bunless burgers, steak, salmon, salads with no tortilla strips, or a split order of fajitas with no tortillas are your best bet. Round out your meal with low carb sides like asparagus, broccoli, or a side salad with no croutons.
If you’re able, check out the menu and nutrition information ahead of time.
Just one thing
Try this today: Don’t be afraid to order a bunless burger and add your own bun. I’ve done it before, and I’m sure I’ll do it again.
My favorite keto-friendly burger buns are Base Culture’s Original Keto Buns, which contain 4 grams of net carbs each. They need to be kept frozen, but if you’re heading out you can defrost and toast one, then carry it with you in a resealable bag.