COSTA MESA, Calif. – Both El Pollo Loco Chicken Carnitas and Chicken Tamales have returned to the menu and will be available through the New Year. 

El Pollo Loco re-introduced the items on Oct. 22. El Pollo Loco's Chicken Carnitas are prepared with citrus juices and spices are available four different ways:

  • Carnitas Taco combines El Pollo Loco’s new Chicken Carnitas with onion, lemon and cilantro in corn tortillas.
  • Carnitas Bowl includes Chicken Carnitas served with onion, lemon, cilantro and Pico de Gallo salsa atop Spanish rice and pinto beans.
  • Carnitas Burrito combines Chicken Carnitas with onion, cilantro, Spanish rice, pinto beans, Jack cheese and salsa prepared with Poblano chilies in a flour tortilla.
  • Carnitas Meal features Chicken Carnitas accompanied by Spanish rice, pinto beans, lemon, tortillas and salsa.

Chicken Tamales also have returned and are made with corn masa, filled with chicken in a Colorado chile sauce 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 salsas.

El Pollo Loco Inc. operates almost 400 restaurants located primarily in California, with additional restaurants in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Utah.