Chipotle's Fan-Favorite Protein Is Back After Persistent Customer Demands
Chipotle regularly releases limited-time menu options for its protein choices, and one hot seller's coming back to reclaim the center of attention in your burritos and bowls. The chicken al pastor is slated to return for a limited time on February 10; the grilled chicken is marinated with morita peppers, ground achiote seeds (also known as annatto), lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro.
In a press release, Chipotle mentioned that three years after its debut, chicken al pastor remains the most requested limited-time option in the fast food restaurant chain's history, with requests more than doubling those of all previous releases. Customers in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany will be able to order this menu selection on February 10, but Chipotle Rewards members will be able to place orders one day early, in case they can't wait. And since Chipotle recently added a high protein cup to its menu, you can also order the chicken al pastor in a four ounce container for a snack or as a meal supplement.
Al pastor is typically made from a much different cut of meat
It's worth noting that historically, Mexican al pastor isn't made with chicken, but rather from pork cooked on a vertical spit — a cooking method borrowed from Lebanese immigrants who settled in Mexico in the 1930s. The method of cooking al pastor is similar to that of shawarma, with the meat cooked slowly and then carved off in thin slices (though it's notable that Chipotle does not cook its al pastor chicken on a spit).
Fans of Chipotle are particularly big on its chicken selections, so this sweet, savory, and charred crossover to poultry makes sense from a wider standpoint. And if you've never had chicken al pastor before the February 10 return, Nevielle Panthaky, Chipotle's vice president of culinary, suggests you order its version with white rice, black beans, roasted chili-corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, and cheese, with guacamole on the side. Also, al pastor isn't inherently spicy on its own, so if you like a kick, I may also suggest a side of Chipotle's surprisingly spicy red salsa, but maybe get that on the side just to be safe. (I've been burned before.)