Best High-Protein Meals at Moe's Southwest Grill

If you're eating Moe's to hit protein goals, you're actually in a good position. The combination of quality protein options and high-protein legumes (beans) makes it easier to build a 50g+ protein meal at Moe's than at most fast casual chains. Here's what the numbers actually say.

How Much Protein Is in Each Moe's Protein Option?

Before building your meal, know your protein baseline:

Chicken gives you the best protein-per-calorie ratio. Steak is close on protein but higher in fat and calories. Ground beef is the most calorie-dense option with the lowest protein-to-calorie ratio — still solid nutrition, just not optimal for high-protein, lower-calorie goals.

Tofu's 12g protein looks low compared to meat, but it becomes competitive when you stack it with beans, cheese, and other protein-containing ingredients.

The Role of Beans in Your Protein Count

Beans are the secret weapon in a high-protein Moe's build. Most people think of them as just a filler carb, but:

• Black Beans: 8g protein, 6g fiber, 130 calories
• Pinto Beans: 9g protein, 7g fiber, 140 calories

That's nearly as much protein as a serving of Greek yogurt, for 130-140 calories. Add them to any build and you're adding substantial protein with excellent fiber and minimal fat.

The beans also make the protein "more complete." Chicken and beans together provide all nine essential amino acids in good proportions — a full protein profile that rivals most sit-down restaurant meals.

Cheese and Other Protein Toppings

Don't overlook the toppings for hidden protein:

• Cheese: 7g protein, 110 calories
• Pico de Gallo: 0g protein, 10 calories (skip if you're calorie-limited)
• Guacamole: 2g protein, 160 calories
• Queso: 4g protein, 80 calories

Cheese is the most efficient non-base protein source among the toppings. Seven grams of protein for 110 calories is a reasonable trade if you're trying to maximize your protein total.

The Three Highest-Protein Builds at Moe's

Build 1: Chicken Burrito with Rice, Pinto Beans, and Cheese — 57g protein, 960 cal

This is the highest single-serving protein combination you can order at Moe's without modifications. The breakdown: Chicken (30g) + Pinto Beans (9g) + Cheese (7g) + Rice (4g) + Burrito tortilla (8g) + Pico (0g) = 58g protein. The 960-calorie cost is significant, but for post-workout recovery or a high-protein day, this delivers.

Build 2: Steak Bowl with Rice, Pinto Beans, and Cheese — 53g protein, 690 cal

Swap to a bowl base and you cut 300 calories while keeping 53g protein. Steak (28g) + Pinto Beans (9g) + Rice (4g) + Cheese (7g) + Pico (0g) = 48g from these components, plus any protein in other toppings. This is the best protein-to-calorie efficiency among the high-protein builds.

Build 3: Chicken Bowl with Rice, Black Beans, Cheese, and Pico — 50g protein, 650 cal

The most balanced option. Chicken (30g) + Black Beans (8g) + Rice (4g) + Cheese (7g) = 49g+ protein, 650 calories, 15g fiber, and 1,140mg sodium. For most people, this hits the sweet spot between protein density and overall nutrition.

Use our Moe's nutrition calculator to test these builds and see the full macro breakdown before you order.

Maximizing Protein Without Going Calorie-Heavy

If you want high protein without 900+ calories, here's how to think about it:

Bowl base instead of burrito — saves 300 calories, no protein loss. The tortilla adds 8g protein, but also 50g carbs and 480mg sodium. For pure protein efficiency, the bowl wins.

Keep the beans — this is non-negotiable for high-protein builds. 8–9g protein for 130–140 calories with excellent fiber. If you skip beans trying to cut carbs, you're leaving your cheapest protein on the table.

Add cheese selectively — 7g protein for 110 calories is a decent trade on a high-protein build. If you're calorie-limited, prioritize beans over cheese (better protein-per-calorie ratio).

Skip queso for protein purposes — queso adds 4g protein but 80 calories and 160mg sodium. Cheese is a better use of calories for protein goals.

High-Protein vs Lower-Calorie: Making the Trade-Off

Here's a quick comparison of protein efficiency (protein per 100 calories):

• Chicken only: 15g protein / 100 cal → 15g/100 cal
• Chicken + black beans: 38g protein / 330 cal → 11.5g/100 cal
• Chicken bowl (rice + beans + cheese): 50g protein / 650 cal → 7.7g/100 cal
• Full chicken burrito (all toppings): 57g+ protein / 960 cal → 5.9g/100 cal

The more toppings you add, the less efficient the protein becomes on a per-calorie basis. For maximum protein density with minimum calories, a plain chicken bowl with black beans is the most efficient build at ~460 calories and 46g protein.

Before You Order

A chicken bowl with rice and pinto beans at Moe's is genuinely a high-quality protein meal. The fiber from beans, the complete amino acid profile from chicken, and the reasonable calorie count make it competitive with most food-prep meal-plan options.

For more Moe's nutrition strategies, check our guides on building the healthiest Moe's bowl and how to track Moe's macros accurately. And if you want to compare protein quality between menu items, our Moe's nutrition calculator shows the complete breakdown for any combination you want to test.