Chili’s Grill & Bar- Swimming in Sodium
by She FIt on August 3, 2009
My biggest weakness- Chilies Chips and Salsa! I could eat the whole basket is two seconds if I don’t watch it! ! ! Eating healthy at restaurants can be extremely doable if you prepare in advance and know exactly what you are getting.
Skipping out on the chips and salsa is one thing I just can’t do, but I can eat a small snack before heading out so that I have self-control to eat only a handful of them and then stop. Also checking online before will give you a good idea of the nutrition facts… pick a plate before you go.
Here are some great healthy picks when eating at Chilis:
Appetizers
AVIOD THIS:
Kickin’ Jack Nachos w/ Fajita Chicken: 1340 calories, 92g fat, 3610g sodium
EAT THIS:
Bottomless Tostada Chips w/ Salsa: 470 calories, 39g fat, 2790g sodium
Wings
AVOID all together
All wings are over 1200 calories, 80g fat, and 1880g sodium
Salad
AVOID THIS:
Quesadilla Explosion Salad: 1270 calories, 76g fat, 2650g sodium
EAT THIS:
Side Salad House no dressing: 210 calories, 12g fat, 310g sodium
Soups
AVIOD THIS
Baked Potato 1 Bowl: 510 calories, 35g fat, 1790g sodium
EAT THIS:
Chicken Noodle 1 Cup: 60 calories, 0.5g fat, 580g sodium
*** Most all soups are low in calorie, but extremely high in sodium!
Sandwiches
AVIOD THIS:
Smoked Turkey Sandwich: 960 calories, 55g fat, 1790g sodium
EAT THIS:
Fajita Pita Chicken: 460 calories, 13g fat,1400g sodium
*** Ask for dressing on the side
Create Your Own Combo Meals w/o Sides
AVOID THIS:
Half Rack of Original Baby Back Ribs: 490 calories, 34g fat, 2050g sodium
EAT THIS:
Spicy Garlic & Lime Grilled Shrimp: 170 calories, 11g fat, 1090g sodium
Chicken
AVOID THIS:
Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers: 1930 calories, 108g fat 4390g sodium
EAT THIS:
Margarita Grilled Chicken: 680 calories, 14g fat, 2430g sodium
Big Mouth Burgers
AVOID ALL
These bad boys can add up to 1750 calories, 123g fat, 3860g sodium! ! !
Fajitas
AVOID THIS:
Buffalo Chicken Fajitas w/o tortillas: 1090 calories, 77g fat, 5240g sodium
EAT THIS:
Classic Chicken w/o tortillas: 370 calories, 11g fat, 2000g sodium
*** WOW… and that’s the lowest sodium level for all fajitas!
Kids Meal
AVOID THIS:
Country Fried Chicken Crispers: 560 calories, 37g fat, 1600g sodium
EAT THIS:
Grilled Chicken Platter: 150 calories, 1g fat, 690g sodium
Ribs
AVOID ALL
The sodium in these bad boys range anywhere from 2050g to 4780g
WOW!!! I just can’t get over how much sodium is in every single plate at Chilies!
Can’t someone just pass a law on limiting nutritional content within plates?!?!?!
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Tagged as:
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{ 27 comments }
I looooooooooooove the chips, I could eat those everyday all day. I usually get the chicken breast sandwich with honeymustard and no cheese. That’s probably bad still…
Thanks for the suggestion
Great post about chilis!
Great info,thanks! I can’t belive how much sodium is in some of these dishes…wow!
Glad you posted this. I was going to go to Chili’s for my bday dinner next week!
LOL swimming in sodium makes me think of the ocean.
i have actually never been to a chilis before, ever! but the sodium is a little outrageoussss if i do say so myself! thanks for the facts girlie
i’ve also never been to Chili’s… but yah.. I am always astounded by the sodium in restaurant and processed foods. RIDICULOUS!!
Thanks for your comment on my blog today. I’m totally encouraged, and ready to KICK this weight to the curb!
Yikes. It’s not just the sodium…all of these nutritional stats are alarming! I love Chilis, too!
Sodium is actually something that I am not hyper-aware of. I should probably start to think about it more, especially since I have a “salt tooth.” Thanks for the reminder!
I hate that the most innocent sounding meals are loaded with sodium too!!
The grilled chicken platter is actually pretty good
Holy Moly! Just another confirmation on our decision to save restaurant meals for special occasions! And even then, to be careful in what we pick! I’m reeling from shock!
I just went to Chilis this weekend and got the Black Bean burger. The choices on the guiltless menu were not that great. The burger filled my belly but left me unsatisfied. And it has a whopping 1790 mg of sodium!
It’s crazy how unhealthy “healthy” sounding meals can be at restaurants. It’s really deceiving, and many people think they’re being healthy by ordering salads. But that’s usually not the case! I LOVE that fajita salad – so if I get it I modify it in a healthy way. I also love that fajita pita & and it’s pretty low in calories! I never do pay attention to sodium, but looks like I should!
You really need to warn readers about these posts, especially with the images. Thanks for the warning though. Just don’t tell me anything about The Cheesecake Factory, Green Mill or especially Biaggi’s. If you have anything bad to say about Biaggi’s, so help me…..
Good stuff, keep the info coming!
Great recommendations! I think Mexican food is the most difficult to make “lighter”. Whenever I have clients who say they are going to a Mexican restaurant I always warn them against it unless they have some seriously good self-control. Even a small taco has about 250 calories, and NO ONE just get’s one taco. Not to mention the sides, the chips, and the drinks, it adds up.
holy crap. Too much information I don’t want to know! A 1250 kcal SALAD?!
I am not sure that eating ahead of time would help me with chips and salsa. I don’t seem to be able to exhibit any self control with that.
Thanks for the comments on my blog! I happen to love Chili’s as well so this will definitely come in handy!
Wow, the calories, fat & sodium in these dishes are truly shocking… I like your recommendation of checking out the restaurant you’ll be going to online and to decide what you’ll get. I find that I make MUCH better choices when I go out to eat with a “game plan!”
YIKES!! This is why I HATE eating out. I try to check calories online whenever I can!!
I would for sure go into cardiac arrest after eating that crap. I could hear it now, “CLEAR!” Isn’t that what they say before they shock you with the crash cart paddles?
The good news is I found most of the better selections more appetizing… The bad news is I am now craving lime & garlic prawns and it’s only breakfast time
I’ve never been a huge fan of Chili’s and I think this post just made me take them off my list of places to go rather permanently. I doubt I’d have found anything to eat there anyway.
Wow I never knew these Chilli dishes were soooo packed with calories!!I try to eat a handful of almonds before I walk in to places like this..Im a big chip and salsa gal as well. Figtreeapps
It’s crazy the amount of sodium that are in restaurant foods!
Hi!! It is pretty crazy how bad for you Chili’s food is….Shane (my hubby, who is a manager at Chili’s) and I talk about it a lot….Good call on the Margarita Chicken, Shane ate that everyday at work for 2 months (instead of other things) and he lost 30 lbs!!!
eye opener! hello sodium! I hate how restaurants feel they need to ladle everything with butter and salt to make things taste good. I always get the fajita pita
-kristen
If you know what to eat, Chilis isn’t that bad. It’s comparable to other known restaurants. I’ve worked for Chili’s for over a decade and will not and can not eat certain menu items. It’s good to know before you go, the calories etc, however there are always new things that you will not be able to find out the cal’s on the web and old things you can no longer order. The best thing to do is ask for a nutrition sheet when your waiter is asking for your drinks. Just to let you know ALL of the salads are horrible!(as they are at just about all sit down restaurants). Get a burger and it will save you tons in calories etc. If you get anything that is grilled chicken as for un-marinated chicken! You can eat healthy when going out for dinner, however most of us pretend to then act shocked that their “blah blah blah” had more than a days worth of calories. Take for instance, just read the list of ingredients on the menu for the Quesadilla Explosion Salad. To many times I have customers come in and order a diet coke, state they are on a diet, and then order this salad. To be honest get a kids chicken sandwich with un-marinated chicken and a side of black beans… but what would be the fun in going out?! right! On to the chips, after a decade of working for several Chilis, this is the one menu item I have not gotten tired of, just brush the salt off and indulge. P.S. the turkey sandwich is a lot healthier now, however skip the mayo and it will save you tons of calories!
P.S. when you get your receipt please go online and review your experience. Everyone that works at that store sees it and it is managements only way to place servers in areas they need to be, i.e. good shift/bad shifts… No reviews = bad shifts, anything less than a complete perfect = bad shifts! Stupid I know.
Menu Items are constantly changing and so are their (cals). Ask for a nutrition sheet and find out what your eating before you eat it
Another P.S.S if you get fajitas, get chicken un-marinated and without sizzle sauce. Then you are in the good!
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