Muscle Gain
Best High-Protein Qdoba Orders in 2026
The best high-protein Qdoba orders in 2026, from a double chicken bowl to the Keto Bowl, with official calories and protein for every protein option.
The short answer
The best high-protein order at Qdoba in 2026 is a bowl with double Grilled Adobo Chicken, black beans, fajita veggies, pico de gallo and salsa verde: about 575 calories and 48 grams of protein, based on Qdoba's nutrition guide. The ready-made Double Protein Bowl with chicken has 51 grams for 700 calories. Skip the chips and the steak, which add calories faster than protein.
Qdoba builds every bowl and burrito to order, so you can make it a strong protein meal. The trick is picking the right protein. A scoop of Grilled Adobo Chicken has 19 grams of protein for 190 calories; a scoop of Grilled Steak has 20 grams for 360.
The rest of the line matters too. A 12.5-inch flour tortilla adds 300 calories and a 4 oz bag of chips adds 560, with little protein in either. Here's how to order, using Qdoba's nutrition guide (dated September 1, 2026).
Which Qdoba protein has the most protein per calorie?#
Pork Carnitas has the best protein per calorie at Qdoba: 14 grams of protein for 110 calories per 3.5 oz scoop. Grilled Adobo Chicken has more protein per scoop (19 grams) for 190 calories. Here's how every protein compares, from Qdoba's official nutrition guide:
| Protein (per scoop) | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 cal | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pork Carnitas | 110 | 14 g | 12.7 g | 560 mg |
| Brisket Birria | 140 | 15 g | 10.7 g | 450 mg |
| Grilled Adobo Chicken | 190 | 19 g | 10.0 g | 440 mg |
| Ground Beef | 180 | 16 g | 8.9 g | 610 mg |
| Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken | 190 | 16 g | 8.4 g | 540 mg |
| Plant-Based Impossible (select locations) | 170 | 13 g | 7.6 g | 350 mg |
| Grilled Steak | 360 | 20 g | 5.6 g | 600 mg |
| Spicy Tequila Lime Steak* | 310 | 17 g | 5.5 g | 820 mg |
| Chorizo (3 oz) | 260 | 14 g | 5.4 g | 820 mg |
| Black Beans (4 oz) | 140 | 9 g | 6.4 g | 330 mg |
| Pinto Beans (4 oz) | 130 | 8 g | 6.2 g | 350 mg |
*Listed under limited-time offerings. Nutrition from Qdoba's Nutrition Facts 2026 guide; proteins are 3.5 oz portions unless noted. Portions are made by hand and can vary.
What is the best high-protein bowl at Qdoba?#
The best high-protein bowl at Qdoba is double Grilled Adobo Chicken with black beans, fajita veggies, pico de gallo and salsa verde, without rice: about 575 calories and 48 grams of protein. These orders are added up from Qdoba's published ingredient values:
| Order | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Double chicken bowl, black beans, fajita veggies, pico, salsa verde | 575 | 48 g |
| Double carnitas bowl, black beans, fajita veggies, pico, salsa verde | 415 | 38 g |
| Double brisket birria bowl, black beans, fajita veggies, pico | 465 | 40 g |
| Salad: double chicken, black beans, pico, salsa verde, no shell | 550 | 48 g |
| Double chicken bowl with brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, pico | 735 | 52 g |
| Double chicken burrito with brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, pico (bulking) | 1,035 | 60 g |
The double carnitas bowl is the leanest way to get close to 40 grams. If you want rice, brown rice adds 170 calories and 4 grams of protein; cilantro lime rice adds 190 calories and 3 grams. Our guide to Chipotle orders to bulk up shows how the same bowl strategy works at Chipotle.
Which Qdoba signature items are highest in protein?#
The Quesabirria Quesadilla has the most protein of Qdoba's signature items, with 55 grams, but it costs 1,080 calories and 2,430 mg of sodium. For protein per calorie, the Keto Bowl with chicken and the Double Protein Bowl with chicken lead:
| Signature item | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Keto Bowl - Chicken | 400 | 33 g |
| Double Protein Bowl - Chicken | 700 | 51 g |
| Keto Bowl - Brisket Birria | 370 | 25 g |
| Street Style Pork Carnitas Tacos (3) | 370 | 23 g |
| Impossible Taco Salad (select locations) | 520 | 31 g |
| Citrus Lime Chicken Salad | 540 | 31 g |
| Chicken Queso Bowl | 750 | 43 g |
| Street Style Chicken Tacos (3) | 550 | 29 g |
| Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken Bowl | 610 | 31 g |
| Keto Bowl - Steak | 490 | 25 g |
| Quesabirria Quesadilla | 1,080 | 55 g |
| Double Protein Bowl - Steak | 1,040 | 52 g |
The Keto Bowl with chicken is the best low-calorie pick at 33 grams for 400 calories. The Double Protein Bowl with chicken is the easiest high-protein order if you don't want to build your own.
Is chicken or steak better for protein at Qdoba?#
Chicken is better. A scoop of Grilled Adobo Chicken has 19 grams of protein for 190 calories, while Grilled Steak has 20 grams for 360 calories and 28 grams of fat. You get one more gram of protein for 170 more calories.
The gap shows up in the signature bowls. The Double Protein Bowl with chicken has 51 grams for 700 calories; the steak version has 52 grams for 1,040. The Keto Bowl follows the same pattern: 400 calories with chicken, 490 with steak, and the chicken version has 8 more grams of protein.
How do rice, beans and queso change a Qdoba bowl?#
Beans add protein; rice, queso and guacamole mostly add calories. A 4 oz scoop of black beans has 9 grams of protein for 140 calories, close to half a scoop of chicken. The other add-ons, per Qdoba's guide:
- Cilantro Lime Rice (4 oz): 190 calories, 3 grams of protein.
- Seasoned Brown Rice (4 oz): 170 calories, 4 grams.
- Three Cheese Queso: 80 calories for 2 oz, 170 for 4 oz (6 grams of protein).
- Hand Crafted Guacamole: 80 calories for 2 oz, 170 for 4 oz (2 grams).
- Shredded Cheese (1 oz): 110 calories, 7 grams.
- Fajita Veggies (2 oz): 40 calories. Pico de gallo is 5 and salsa verde is 10.
Qdoba's online menu promotes free guac and queso, which is a good deal but not a protein boost: 4 oz of each adds 340 calories and 8 grams of protein. If you want one, take 2 oz of queso (80 calories) and skip the guac.
What should you skip at Qdoba when you want protein?#
Skip the chips, the steak burritos and the cheese-heavy specials. They add a lot of calories for the protein you get:
- Tortilla Chips (4 oz): 560 calories, 7 grams of protein. With 4 oz of queso, that's 730 calories for 13 grams.
- Southwest Steak Burrito: 1,220 calories and 2,480 mg of sodium for 43 grams of protein.
- Quesabirria Quesadilla: 1,080 calories for 55 grams; a double chicken burrito gets 60 grams for about 1,035.
- Queso Fundido with Chips (limited time): 940 calories, 24 grams.
- Churro Chips with Chocolate Sauce (limited time): 420 calories, 4 grams of protein and 39 grams of sugar.
The 12.5-inch flour tortilla is the hidden one: 300 calories and 760 mg of sodium before anything goes in it. Ordering a bowl instead of a burrito saves both. For drinks, a 20 oz Coca-Cola is 240 calories; Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero are 0.
Is Qdoba good for building muscle?#
Qdoba works well for building muscle if you build around chicken, carnitas or birria and add beans. A double chicken bowl gets you 48 grams of protein for about 575 calories, and the burrito version gives 60 grams if you're bulking.
Protein matters if you lift. A 2018 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine of 49 studies found that protein supplementation increased gains in muscle mass and strength from resistance training, with no further gains in muscle mass beyond a total intake of about 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. Watch the sodium: the double chicken bowl has about 1,635 mg, against the FDA's 2,300 mg daily limit. Our guides to high-protein Mexican restaurant orders and high protein fast food compare more options.
At a local taqueria that doesn't post nutrition, Menu Scan AI can help. Snap the menu with your iPhone and it estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat for each dish from the menu descriptions, then labels the best matches for your goal. Treat the results as estimates, not lab values. The app is free to download; its listing says an annual subscription is required for full access, including menu scanning and AI nutrition analysis.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the highest protein item at Qdoba?#
The Quesabirria Quesadilla has the most protein of Qdoba's signature items at 55 grams, for 1,080 calories. The Double Protein Bowl with chicken has 51 grams for 700 calories, a much better ratio.
How much protein is in Qdoba chicken?#
A 3.5 oz scoop of Grilled Adobo Chicken has 19 grams of protein, 190 calories and 440 mg of sodium, according to Qdoba's nutrition guide. A double scoop has 38 grams.
How many calories are in the Qdoba Double Protein Bowl?#
The Double Protein Bowl with chicken has 700 calories and 51 grams of protein. The steak version has 1,040 calories and 52 grams.
Is the Qdoba Keto Bowl high in protein?#
Yes. The Keto Bowl with chicken has 33 grams of protein for 400 calories and 11 grams of carbs. The brisket birria and steak versions each have 25 grams.
What is the leanest protein at Qdoba?#
Pork Carnitas is the leanest by calories, with 14 grams of protein for 110 calories and 4.5 grams of fat per scoop. Grilled Adobo Chicken has more protein per scoop but 190 calories and 12 grams of fat.
Sources#
- Qdoba: Nutrition Facts and Dietary Information, the official nutrition page that links the current guides
- Qdoba: Nutrition Facts 2026, September 1, 2026 (PDF), calories, protein and sodium for proteins, rice, beans, toppings, signature items, limited-time items and drinks
- Qdoba: Online menu, current menu categories and the free guac and queso offer
- Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018), protein intake and muscle gains from resistance training
- FDA: Sodium in Your Diet, the 2,300 mg daily sodium limit