The short answer
- A typical Panda Express meal is lighter: 360 calories against 628.
- Chipotle gives more protein in a typical meal: 41g against 17g.
- Panda Express is lower in sodium: 790mg against 1,465mg.
- Per calorie, Chipotle is the leaner menu: 6.7g of protein per 100 calories against 5.2g.
These are medians across the complete meals in our data, not a judgement on any single order. Chipotle is build-your-own, so its 12 meals here are popular orders we assembled in the calculator. Panda Express is build-your-own, so its 15 meals here are popular orders we assembled in the calculator. What you pick matters more than where you go, so the tables below show the best and worst of each.
The menus side by side
| Across all meals | Chipotle | Panda Express |
|---|---|---|
| Meals compared | 12 | 15 |
| Typical calories | 628 | 360 |
| Typical protein | 41g | 17g |
| Protein per 100 cal | 6.7g | 5.2g |
| Typical sodium | 1,465mg | 790mg |
| Meals at 500 cal or less | 2 of 12 | 11 of 15 |
| Meals with 30g+ protein | 10 of 12 | 4 of 15 |
Green marks the better figure in each row: fewer calories, less sodium, more protein.
Highest-protein orders
Chipotle
| Order | Protein | Cal | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double chicken bowl | 82g | 840 | 1,870mg |
| Chicken burrito | 60g | 1085 | 2,240mg |
| Carnitas burrito, everything on it | 56g | 1425 | 3,080mg |
| Chicken salad, no dressing | 48g | 480 | 1,425mg |
| Lean chicken bowl | 43g | 460 | 1,315mg |
Panda Express
| Order | Protein | Cal | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Chicken plate | 71g | 1360 | 2,650mg |
| High-protein plate | 65g | 845 | 1,540mg |
| Bigger plate, fried rice | 61g | 1990 | 3,200mg |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 38g | 280 | 610mg |
| Lean bowl | 23g | 390 | 1,260mg |
Lightest meals
Chipotle
| Order | Cal | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lean chicken bowl | 460 | 43g | 1,315mg |
| Chicken salad, no dressing | 480 | 48g | 1,425mg |
| Steak salad | 505 | 35g | 1,460mg |
| Chicken tacos (3 crispy corn) | 520 | 41g | 760mg |
| Barbacoa tacos (3 soft) | 550 | 36g | 1,750mg |
Panda Express
| Order | Cal | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Pepper Chicken | 200 | 15g | 1,070mg |
| Black Pepper Sirloin Steak | 200 | 17g | 560mg |
| String Bean Chicken Breast | 210 | 15g | 600mg |
| Kung Pao Chicken | 270 | 20g | 1,300mg |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 280 | 38g | 610mg |
Check your own order
Build the exact meal you would order in the Chipotle calculator and the Panda Express calculator, or let the macro finder search both for orders that fit your calories and protein.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chipotle or Panda Express lower in calories?
A typical Panda Express meal is lighter: 360 calories against 628. "Typical" means the median of the complete meals in our data: 12 at Chipotle and 15 at Panda Express.
Which has more protein, Chipotle or Panda Express?
Chipotle gives more protein in a typical meal: 41g against 17g. The single highest-protein order is Double chicken bowl at Chipotle (82g) and Orange Chicken plate at Panda Express (71g).
What is the lightest meal at Chipotle and at Panda Express?
At Chipotle it is Lean chicken bowl with 460 calories. At Panda Express it is Black Pepper Chicken with 200 calories.
About this comparison
Figures come from Chipotle Nutrition Facts (US, March 2025 menu PDF) and Panda Express official Nutrition & Allergen Information page (US). MacroTray is independent and not affiliated with either restaurant. Read our methodology.