Finally! El Pollo Loco Reformulates “Chickenless Polo” to Be Vegan 

Earlier this year El Pollo Loco jumped on the veg-friendly train and added new meatless-meat “Chickenless Pollo” tacos and burritos to its menu. While the launch was a tad confusing, with some headlines initially reading the fast-food chain as offering a “vegan” and “plant-based” taco, many were disappointed to learn it wasn’t: The “Chickenless Pollo” was made with an egg enzyme. While the meatless chicken offering was celebrated—as it should be—as a move in the right direction, those abstaining from all animal products felt left out of the taco party.

You asked and we listened, so now the Chickenless Pollo is vegan, says the company

But El Pollo Loco listened to the feedback (unlike many other brands) and has now delivered a truly vegan option. You can rejoice in the fact that El Pollo Loco has reformulated its “Chickenless Pollo” to be officially vegan friendly, without any trace of eggs in the formula. The company says it just became the first national chicken brand in the category to roll out its own vegan chicken alternative at all 485 of its restaurants. Customers can now “Make It Vegan” when ordering a Chickenless Pollo™ Taco or Burrito.

“Coming off the heels of our Chickenless Pollo launch in February, our customers asked for a vegan option on social media and we listened,” a company spokesperson told The Beet. “We quickly reformulated the recipe in a matter of a few months to introduce an American Vegetarian Association chicken alternative that met the needs of vegan palates. It also allowed us to take a step further in the plant-based space and continue our long-term commitment to diversifying our menu with better-for-you options.”

The reformulated recipe blends traditional Mexican flavors in an adobo sauce with a non-GMO soy protein base created by El Pollo Loco—and it no longer contains egg enzymes. When customers order a vegan Chickenless Pollo Taco or Burrito, it is served it without the cheese, as well as without the Creamy Cilantro Dressing on the burrito.

So what’s next for El Pollo Loco and its plant-based offerings? The company had this to say when asked if they will add vegan cheese and other plant-based offerings to the menu: “With our longstanding commitment to championing making healthier eating more accessible, customers can expect that our menu will continue to evolve and diversify with additional plant-based innovations—without leaving behind our signature flavor attributes by taking cues from our signature fire-grilled chicken.”

El Pollo Loco joins a growing list of meat-driven fast food companies adapting to meet the growing demand of the plant-first consumer.