Chipotle Is Taking A Page Out Of Taco Bell's Book By Testing This Mega-Popular Protein

From the very beginning, Chipotle has been breaking new ground in the world of food. While it may not have been the first chain to serve up what we now call a "fast-casual" dining environment, its success is largely responsible for the ballooning of this portion of the restaurant industry. But even trend-setters sometimes look to competitors for inspiration, and in this case, it appears that Chipotle may be taking a page from Taco Bell with its newest menu item. One of the big changes coming to Chipotle in 2026 may be the introduction of a long-awaited industry-topping protein: crispy chicken.

Taco Bell has been testing various fried chicken items on its menu since 2015. In that decade-plus window, the viral menu items at Taco Bell featuring fried chicken have ranged from the relatively mundane — like chicken nuggets — to more off-the-wall concepts such as a chalupa with a shell made of fried chicken, or one of its newest chicken items, the Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Slider. Clearly, introducing fried chicken has been a success at Taco Bell, but the different service style of Chipotle may prove to be a challenge.

Chipotle's crispy chicken is still in the early stages of menu testing, with reports currently linking it to just one store in Tustin, a city in Southern California. An Instagram post from @snackolator shows the apparently gluten-free fried chicken pieces chopped into Chipotle's traditional chunks, while taste tests by food creators like @bookofelie and shared on Instagram by @foodbeast show it used in the chain's famous burrito bowl just like any other protein. 

Despite the wave of excitement around this test, there are also many voices out there sharing concerns about how exactly this protein will play out on the Chipotle menu. During the testing phase at least, customers reported that the crispy chicken cost $1.25 more than the standard chicken option — a fairly significant upcharge. Beyond that, however, customers are also concerned that this offering doesn't fit the brand. Fresh, real ingredients and healthier options have been a throughline for Chipotle from the start, so the addition of a fried chicken option — even if it's labeled as "crispy" instead — seems outside of the norm. 

The biggest issue, however, comes down to how the chicken actually performs on the line. For this fried chicken option to live up to its moniker, it needs to make it not just to your burrito, but all the way to your mouth while maintaining the desired crisp texture — but the crispy chicken is cooked ahead, just like everything else, and then chopped and tossed into a container on the line. If the turnover is high enough, that breading might maintain its crisp, but if it sits long at all, it will become a soggy, greasy mess — and that's just before the burrito is constructed. Once it's wrapped up with rice, beans, and salsas, all that moisture is liable to result in quite a soggy burrito indeed.

Among the first menu tests, customer opinions appear divided. There is certainly plenty of excitement, as well as some who have reported enjoying it. Others, though, think that Chipotle should leave the fried food to Taco Bell. For the skeptics, the return of Chipotle's chicken al pastor may be more exciting news.