News

El Pollo Loco brings back chicken carnitas

October 23, 2011

Because of popular demand, El Pollo Loco has reintroduced its Chicken Carnitas and Chicken Tamales.

The Chicken Carnitas are prepared traditionally with citrus juices and spices for authentic carnitas flavor and are available four different ways:

• Carnitas Taco combines El Pollo Loco's new Chicken Carnitas with diced onion, wedge of lemon and fresh cilantro in warm corn tortillas.
• Carnitas Bowl is a twist on El Pollo Loco's Pollo Bowl with Chicken Carnitas served with diced onion, wedge of lemon, fresh cilantro and Pico de Gallo salsa atop Spanish rice and pinto beans.
• Carnitas Burrito combines Chicken Carnitas with diced onion, fresh cilantro, Spanish rice, pinto beans, melted Jack cheese and a mild salsa prepared with Poblano chilies and wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.
• Carnitas Meal features Chicken Carnitas accompanied by Spanish rice, pinto beans, wedge of lemon, warm tortillas and freshly prepared salsa.

"Our fans are always looking for new ways to enjoy the delectable taste of El Pollo Loco," said Mark Hardison, vice president of marketing, for El Pollo Loco. "We've taken the craveable taste of carnitas and given it a mouthwatering new twist, the way only El Pollo Loco can."

Chicken Tamales are also back on the menu. They are made the traditional way with authentic corn masa, filled with spiced chicken simmered in a Colorado chile sauce infused with Mexican herbs and spices, hand-wrapped in cornhusks, and then cooked. The tamales are sold individually and in bundles of four served with a choice of our fresh made salsas.

El Pollo Loco will communicate its limited time Chicken Carnitas entrees to consumers through a multimedia campaign that begins Oct. 31 and includes general market and Spanish-language television spots that will appear in Los Angeles and select markets. In addition to television and radio advertising, a wide mix of point-of-purchase vehicles will be used, including roof banners, translites, window clings and drive-thru communication.

Read more about food and beverage launches.