In a statement made on March 10, Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that it will be introducing a new protein product to its restaurants– pollo asado.
The grilled chicken product will be available in the U.S. and Canada for a limited time from March 14 to March 20.
The pollo asado preparation process has more steps in comparison to the original chicken option. According to the statement, the “chicken is tumbled in a spice blend before being seared on the plancha– grill,” and is seasoned with marinade, fresh squeezed lime, cilantro, garlic and guajillo peppers.
The pollo asado is $8.45 as opposed to the regular chicken which is $7.60. However, the company will be “offering $0 delivery fees on all pollo asado orders placed through the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com,” according to the statement.
Chipotle tested the new product using its stage–gate process in which the company “tested pollo asado in select restaurants in Sacramento and Cincinnati starting in November 2021 for a limited time,” according to the statement. “Chipotle utilizes its stage–gate process to test, listen, learn and iterate on guest feedback before deciding on a national launch strategy for new menu innovations.”
The pollo asado will also be using chicken from the company’s Responsibly Raised® chicken brand in which the animals used are “raised in more humane ways and without the use of antibiotics or added hormones,” according to the company website. Chipotle is also the “first national restaurant brand to commit to using only responsibly raised meat with some of the highest animal welfare standards.”
