Mexican food calories depend almost entirely on the dish and its size: a chicken taco on a corn tortilla is about 220 calories, an enchilada 250 to 290, a regular burrito about 540 and an order of nachos about 660. A sit-down combo plate of two enchiladas with rice and refried beans comes to roughly 1,250 calories.
All numbers below come from USDA FoodData Central, which lists standard recipes and portion sizes for Mexican dishes. Restaurant versions vary, so use them as a baseline and adjust for size.
Key takeaways
- Tacos run 185 to 275 calories each at USDA's regular size (100 to 105 g).
- The tortilla matters: a medium corn tortilla is 61 calories; an extra-large burrito tortilla is 318.
- Burritos swing widely: about 540 calories for a regular chicken burrito, about 1,060 built chain-style with every topping.
- Sides add as much as the main: a cup of restaurant Spanish rice is 450 calories, and 3 oz of chips is about 400.
- Sodium runs high: a combo plate has about 3,180 mg, above the 2,300 mg Daily Value.
Mexican food calories by dish
| Dish | Serving | Calories | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceviche | 1/2 cup (125 g) | 79 | 13.1 | 4.5 | 0.9 | 186 |
| Pozole | 1 cup (245 g) | 105 | 8.3 | 11.2 | 3.0 | 608 |
| Chicken taquito | 1 taquito (70 g) | 188 | 8.8 | 22.1 | 7.3 | 344 |
| Chicken fajita | 1 fajita (95 g) | 196 | 10.7 | 17.1 | 9.3 | 428 |
| Taco, corn tortilla, chicken and cheese | 1 taco (105 g) | 222 | 17.0 | 16.1 | 10.1 | 397 |
| Tamale, chicken | 1 tamale (140 g) | 244 | 10.3 | 22.1 | 12.7 | 662 |
| Cheese enchilada | 1 enchilada (150 g) | 248 | 9.6 | 25.9 | 12.3 | 711 |
| Taco, corn tortilla, beef and cheese | 1 taco (105 g) | 261 | 16.3 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 394 |
| Chicken enchilada | 1 enchilada (150 g) | 267 | 15.0 | 21.9 | 13.5 | 688 |
| Fish taco | 1 taco (100 g) | 275 | 11.6 | 23.0 | 15.3 | 447 |
| Beef enchilada | 1 enchilada (150 g) | 286 | 14.6 | 21.9 | 15.8 | 687 |
| Chile relleno, cheese | 1 chile (143 g) | 326 | 11.2 | 14.9 | 24.6 | 636 |
| Cheese quesadilla | 1 full circle (120 g) | 379 | 16.1 | 34.3 | 19.4 | 811 |
| Chicken quesadilla | 1 full circle (140 g) | 402 | 20.2 | 38.2 | 18.2 | 841 |
| Beef and cheese burrito | 1 regular (190 g) | 507 | 25.3 | 53.8 | 20.3 | 863 |
| Chicken and cheese burrito | 1 regular (220 g) | 537 | 30.1 | 62.3 | 17.7 | 1,003 |
| Taco salad with chicken | 1 medium (320 g) | 534 | 25.1 | 52.2 | 25.7 | 1,008 |
| Taco salad with meat | 1 medium (315 g) | 564 | 23.5 | 52.0 | 29.4 | 1,005 |
| Chimichanga, meat | 1 chimichanga (190 g) | 616 | 23.0 | 49.0 | 35.7 | 785 |
| Nachos (USDA, toppings not specified) | 1 order (250 g) | 662 | 19.0 | 59.5 | 39.5 | 1,220 |
| Chicken and cheese burrito, large | 1 large (330 g) | 805 | 45.2 | 93.4 | 26.6 | 1,505 |
The deep-fried chimichanga and nachos sit at the top because frying and melted cheese add fat fast. Ceviche and pozole are the lightest because they're mostly lean protein, broth or citrus.
Taco calories
A taco is the most flexible thing on the menu, and the tortilla sets the floor.
| Tortilla or shell | Weight | Calories | Carbs (g) | Fiber (g) | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corn tortilla, medium | 28 g | 61 | 12.5 | 1.8 | 13 |
| Hard taco shell | 12.9 g | 61 | 8.2 | 0.9 | 42 |
| Corn tortilla, large | 44 g | 96 | 19.6 | 2.8 | 20 |
| Flour tortilla, medium | 45 g | 138 | 22.2 | 1.6 | 315 |
| Flour tortilla, extra large (burrito size) | 104 g | 318 | 51.4 | 3.6 | 728 |
Swapping one medium flour tortilla for a corn one saves 77 calories and about 300 mg of sodium per taco. Our corn tortilla vs flour tortilla comparison goes into fiber and ingredients.
| Order (USDA regular tacos, 105 g each) | Calories | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 chicken tacos, corn tortilla, with cheese | 665 | 51 |
| 3 beef tacos, corn tortilla, with cheese | 784 | 49 |
| 3 beef tacos, flour tortilla, with cheese | 810 | 53 |
USDA's regular taco includes cheese. Street-style tacos on small doubled corn tortillas with meat, onion, cilantro and salsa and no cheese usually come in lower, so weigh or estimate the meat if you log them. If you order from Taco Bell, our Taco Bell nutrition guide has the chain's own numbers.
Burrito calories
USDA puts a regular chicken and cheese burrito (220 g) at 537 calories and a large one (330 g) at 805. Fast-casual burritos are often bigger than both. Here's one built from USDA ingredients the way a chain line would make it:
| Ingredient | Amount | Calories | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flour tortilla, extra large | 104 g | 318 | 8.5 |
| Spanish rice, restaurant style | 1/2 cup | 225 | 4.0 |
| Black beans | 1/2 cup | 114 | 7.6 |
| Grilled chicken breast | 4 oz (113 g) | 186 | 35.1 |
| Cheddar, shredded | 1/4 cup (28 g) | 113 | 6.4 |
| Sour cream | 2 tbsp | 48 | 0.6 |
| Guacamole | 2 tbsp | 46 | 0.6 |
| Salsa | 2 tbsp | 10 | 0.5 |
| Total | 1,060 | 63 |
That burrito also carries about 2,000 mg of sodium. Two easy edits:
- Make it a bowl: drop the tortilla and it's 742 calories.
- Keep the tortilla, skip rice, cheese, sour cream and guac: tortilla, beans, chicken and salsa is 629 calories.
For Chipotle's own ingredient numbers, see our Chipotle nutrition guide.
Chips, salsa, guacamole and other extras
| Item | Serving | Calories | Fat (g) | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salsa | 2 tbsp (36 g) | 10 | 0.1 | 256 |
| Tortilla chips | 1 cup (30 g) | 142 | 6.2 | 98 |
| Tortilla chips | 3 oz (85 g) | 401 | 17.6 | 279 |
| Guacamole | 2 tbsp (30 g) | 46 | 4.3 | 103 |
| Sour cream | 2 tbsp (24 g) | 48 | 4.6 | 7 |
| Queso (cheese sauce) | 2 tbsp (31.5 g) | 55 | 4.2 | 261 |
| Black beans | 1/2 cup (86 g) | 114 | 0.5 | 1 |
| Refried beans | 1/2 cup (130 g) | 117 | 2.6 | 481 |
| Refried beans, restaurant | 1/2 cup (130 g) | 230 | 12.3 | 523 |
| Spanish rice, restaurant | 1 cup (243 g) | 450 | 12.9 | 1,283 |
Salsa is almost free. Guacamole is reasonable by the spoonful, and avocado brings fiber and unsaturated fat (see avocado nutrition facts). The chips are what add up, because nobody eats one cup.
Restaurant refried beans have about twice the calories of a basic version, mostly from added fat. Whole black beans are the lighter side.
What a Mexican restaurant meal adds up to
| Meal | Calories | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 beef enchiladas + 1 cup Spanish rice + 1/2 cup refried beans (restaurant) | 1,253 | 3,180 |
| Same combo + 3 oz chips with salsa | 1,664 | 3,715 |
| Same combo + chips + 1 margarita | 1,938 | 4,174 |
| 3 chicken corn tacos + 1/2 cup black beans + salsa | 789 | 1,448 |
| 2 chicken fajitas + 1/2 cup black beans + 2 tbsp guacamole | 551 | 961 |
The combo plate's rice and beans add almost 700 calories to the enchiladas. Ordering black beans and a salad or extra vegetables instead takes most of that out. For more ways to handle restaurant meals, see how to count calories when eating out.
Healthiest Mexican food to order
- Ceviche: 79 calories and 13 g of protein per 1/2 cup.
- Pozole: 105 calories a cup for a brothy hominy soup.
- Chicken fajitas: 196 calories per filled fajita; ask for corn tortillas and skip the cheese and sour cream.
- Chicken or fish tacos on corn tortillas: 222 to 275 each, with 12 to 17 g of protein.
- Black beans instead of rice and refried beans: 114 calories and 7.5 g of fiber per 1/2 cup.
- A burrito bowl with beans, chicken and salsa: keeps the protein, drops the 318-calorie tortilla.
Set your daily target with the calorie deficit calculator, then pick one indulgence per meal: chips, cheese, a margarita or the big tortilla.
Drinks and desserts
| Item | Serving | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Margarita | 1 drink (225 g, about 7.5 fl oz) | 274 |
| Horchata, made with milk | 1 cup (8 fl oz) | 226 |
| Churro | 1 regular (45 g) | 189 |
Restaurant margaritas, frozen ones especially, can be bigger than USDA's 225 g drink, so scale the number to the glass you get.
Log Mexican food faster
Mexican plates are mixed dishes, which makes them hard to log by hand. A photo is quicker: Nutrify estimates a meal from a picture or a short description, and you can adjust the portion afterward. It has a 7-day free trial, then a paid subscription.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central (FNDDS and SR Legacy): ceviche 2706463, pozole 2707129, chicken taquito 2708601, chicken fajita 2708604, corn taco, chicken, cheese 2708519, tamale 2708573, cheese enchilada 2708569, corn taco, beef, cheese 2708515, chicken enchilada 2708568, fish taco 2708529, beef enchilada 2708566, chile relleno 2710043, cheese quesadilla 2708591, chicken quesadilla 2708593, beef burrito 2708535, chicken burrito 2708543, taco salad, chicken 2708509, taco salad, beef 2708508, chimichanga 2708587, nachos 2708576, flour taco, beef, cheese 2708522, corn tortilla 2707823, flour tortilla 2707824, taco shells 172800, fast-food hard-shell taco 170689, Spanish rice, restaurant 2709084, black beans 173735, chicken breast 171477, cheddar 173414, sour cream 171257, guacamole 2709307, salsa 174524, tortilla chips 2708202, cheese sauce 171191, refried beans 2707396, refried beans, restaurant 2707397, margarita 2710638, horchata 2710603, churros 2708070.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Sodium in Your Diet (2,300 mg Daily Value).
