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Chipotle rolls out new Chicken al Pastor LTO worldwide

The mildly spicy new protein option can also be added to the Tik Tok-inspired quesadillas with fajita veggies. The grilled chicken is marinated in adobo, morita peppers, ground achiote, pineapple and lime juice.
Chipotle chicken al pastor
Prices vary, but the national average of entrees with Chicken al Pastor is $9.45./Photo courtesy of Chipotle.

There’s a new chicken in town at Chipotle.

Starting March 14, the Newport Beach, Calif.-based chain is rolling out Chicken al Pastor worldwide as a limited-time offer. Available as a protein option, the dish includes grilled chicken that has been marinated in adobo, morita peppers and ground achiote with a splash of pineapple and lime juice.

It’s the first time Chipotle has launched a new menu item across all restaurants in one sweep, including the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

The option also pairs well as a meat in the new Tik Tok-inspired quesadilla with fajita veggies, which caught on initially as a menu hack, but became official last month.

Chicken al Pastor went through Chipotle’s stage-gate testing process last year and was available at 94 restaurants in Denver and Indianapolis.

“Guests are looking to restaurants for unique menu items that they cannot make at home, and al pastor has been gaining mass appeal in recent years,” said Chris Brandt, Chipotle’s chief marketing officer. “We’ve put our own spicy spin on al pastor with our freshly grilled chicken and have created a truly delicious menu item that fans will crave. It’s where fire meets flavor.”

In an earnings call last month, CEO Brian Niccol described the dish as “operationally simple to execute while still providing an exciting new flavor that drives transactions and sales.” It follows the Garlic Guajillo Steak LTO launched in September, which Niccol said did not meet expectations in terms of driving transactions in the fourth quarter.

Pricing of the Chicken al Pastor varies by location, but the national average price of an entrée with the protein in the U.S. is about $9.45, the company said.

Starting March 16, fans can order the new dish for $0 delivery, but only orders placed through the app or website, through March 26 in the U.S.

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