Chipotle's New-Recipe Pollo Asado And Chili Lime Chips Review: 2 Swings, And 2 Misses

Chicken has been a staple and fan favorite protein on Chipotle's menu since the dawn of the franchise. But, just because its standard-issue, adobo-marinated poultry is a proven winner, doesn't mean the chain can't experiment with more flavors and textures, right? In 2021, Chipotle introduced its take on Pollo Asado into test markets, before deeming it ready for primetime and rolling it out nationwide in both the U.S. and Canada a year later.

While many other new proteins have since returned to Chipotle's assembly line, for one reason or another, Pollo Asado had remained on the bench. Well, in 2026, Chipotle is dusting off its pollo asado recipe and bringing it back to stores with a twist. In a first ever move for Chipotle, it's not only debuting its refurbished Pollo Asado, but on the same day introducing a second item — Chili Lime tortilla chips. 

The fine folks of Chipotle invited Tasting Table to take a seat at its table to have a sneak peak of both Pollo Asado and the Chili Lime Chips. So, is this take on Pollo Asado the latest and greatest, or not so much? And, what of these Chili Lime chips — do they hit high new flavorful notes, or just sour ones? The truth can now be revealed in this chew and review.

Recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

In advance of its rollout in stores, the fine folks at Chipotle invited Tasting Table to try the new recipe of Pollo Asado and its brand new Chili Lime Chips. My menu included a bag of regular tortilla chips, as well as one containing the new Chili Lime ones, a cup of the Pollo Asado, as well as a chef-curated bowl including it, and a burrito made to my own usual order. The items were picked up at a Chipotle of my choosing, which happened to be in sunny Delaware. The testing began immediately on-site where I picked up the meal at this Chipotle location, and the leftovers were taken to a domicile for further tastings. The chicken was also refrigerated overnight and tasted the next day. The chicken and chips were also sampled by two others, and I noted their opinions.

This review is a summation of my own personal tastes and opinions. I also took into consideration my previous experiences with Chipotle, its chicken, chips, and my current encounter with these new items. The ultimate criteria considered for this review were flavor, presentation, aroma, texture, temperature, familiarity, originality, uniqueness, and whether these items are something worth your time and dime.

I was given the chance to taste the refurbished version of Chipotle's Pollo Asado in various forms, but for best taste testing practices I zeroed in on the standalone cup of the protein, with nothing else standing in its way. Those cups are actually a great way to get the most chicken when ordering at Chipotle. I popped the lid off and ogled over its appearance. It looked well braised and seasoned, and not a single piece of the meat's exterior had any whiteness to it. It was a light brown, with few char marks here and there, and sprinkles of wet looking cilantro strewn about.  I leaned in for a whiff, and it had a strong essence, where a smokiness gave way to an air of sweetness.

I'm not sure how long the meat had been sitting around before I picked up my bag, but the exterior had a dryness to it. Biting into the small, yet chunky, pieces, revealed a hidden juiciness. I have always been a fan of Chipotle's standard adobo chicken, and this Pollo Asado made itself known as a definite deviation from the usual. In every bite I had of this chicken, all I could taste was how it was prepared — with a striking grilled taste. Like I said, I could visually tell it was seasoned, and well seasoned at that, but that char didn't leave room for any spices or herbs to have a say.

I am overly familiar with Chipotle's good old tortilla chips, and was ready to take on something entirely new. I actually had a bag of the normal chips at hand as I embarked on testing the Chili Lime ones. The chips themselves seemed lighter in complexion, less baked, and more uniformly triangular than their regular counterparts. As with the Pollo Asado, the Chili Lime chips also wore their seasonings on their sleeves, and were dramatically coated in them. They sort of looked like flavored Doritos that had only received a partial coating of seasoning. Leaning in for a whiff, the seasoning was more akin to paprika than chili.

Taking a quick bite, the chips' solid crunch presented itself quite nicely. While lime is in the product's title, it seemed to my taste buds at least that perhaps it was included in name only. Further notes did seem to possess the most minute traces of citrus, but these guys were all about the chile seasoning. That seasoning was nice and all, very peppy and a tad spicy, but sadly, completely all-encompassing. It left my mouth dry, and pleaded for some kind of chaser, be it a side dip or a quick sip of soda, to add some sort of balance to this very stark-flavored affair. I tried many, many, many of these, and I'm not sure I was buying into it at any point in time.

I love Chipotle's beautifully flavorful adobo chicken and fantastic tortilla chips, which have their own built in hint of lime. I can't imagine an order without either. Both are great to nosh on their own, especially those chips. I was open to a new extension of both, but I'm not sure I'm on board enough to order either of these again.

I missed Pollo Asado's first run in stores, so I'm not sure what it tasted like before, but the new one didn't hit the mark on its own. It worked a tad better lining my usual burrito order and the rice bowl Chipotle's chef provided for me to try, but the deeply grilled and charred taste could not be silenced by any additive. If I had loved that textured taste, that would have been fine by me, but I never fully embraced it. 

The Chili Lime chips suffered a similar fate. I was ready to dig into something new and different, but their chili seasoning proved to be too much of a thing I wasn't into. I tried to combat the dense flavor, yet no amount of guacamole or queso dip could offset it. Chips should be enjoyable on their own, and because that isn't the case with these Chili Lime ones, I'll stick with regular tortilla chips. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? 

Pollo Asado's new recipe will be available at participating Chipotle locations in the U.S. and Canada starting August 31. On that same day, the Chili Lime Chips will debut on menus, but at first will only be available to order for Chipotle Rewards members through the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com, and Chipotle.ca. Starting September 4, all guests are welcome to order Chili Lime Chips in store, and through the digital platforms. These both are limited-time-only items that are available to order when Chipotle is open, while supplies last.

The Pollo Asado can be added to any burrito, bowl, salad, taco, quesadilla, kid's meal, and can even be ordered as a standalone protein bowl. If you do the latter, it should cost between $10 and $11. The bowl totals 830 calories, 46 grams of protein, 36 grams of fat, 1,610 milligrams of sodium, 89 grams of carbohydrates, and 46 grams of protein. A bowl will also provide you with a whopping 17 grams of fiber! The Chili Lime Chips are available in regular and large sizes; a regular should cost around $2.50 and contains 550 calories, 27 grams of fat, 780 milligrams of sodium, 68 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of protein. The chips can be ordered solo or with a side of guacamole, queso blanco, and salsas. Prices will vary by entrée, size, and location.