Review: El Pollo Loco - Vegan Chickenless Pollo Burrito

El Pollo Loco's Vegan Chickenless Pollo Burrito features the chain's plant-based chicken alternative, black beans, avocado slices, and shredded lettuce inside wrapped inside of a flour tortilla. It is one of two available vegan options currently on the El Pollo Loco menu.

I got one of these burritos for $6.99.

Biting into the Vegan Chickenless Pollo Burrito, the first thing I noticed was that it felt strangely empty. There seemed to be an insufficient amount of filling for a burrito of that size.

One of the positives was that there seemed to be a plentiful amount of avocado to go around, and it happened to be perfectly ripe on this occasion (but warm from being wrapped up in the tortilla). The lettuce was unremarkable and wilted within the steamy confines of the burrito, removing most of its appeal in providing textural interest. I couldn't really make out much flavor to the beans and they tasted underseasoned, but thankfully had a pleasant texture that was not overly mushy.

The Chickenless Pollo consists of shreds of soy protein simmered in an adobo sauce made with fire-roasted peppers, onions, and tomatoes. The bits of soy protein turn out a little rubbery in texture but provide some of that meat-like chew. It's served with a generous portion of the thin simmer sauce, which tastes like a more heavily seasoned and slightly spicy chili. The Chickenless Pollo provided the majority of the flavor in the burrito, as the other ingredients were either plain produce or lightly seasoned.

That being said, I actively had to look for the Chickenless Pollo as I was eating my burrito. I couldn't even taste the adobo sauce throughout the majority of my bites unless I got an uneven mouthful of the meat alternative. What I mostly tasted were the beans, avocado, and an overwhelming amount of flour tortilla. The end result was extremely plain and I had to rely heavily on salsa to give it a much-needed helping hand in the flavor department.

El Pollo Loco's Vegan Chickenless Pollo Burrito was a major flop for me. It lived up to the stereotype of vegan food being a tasteless and sad experience. Had the burrito included an extra serving of the Chickenless Pollo, it might have been more palatable and far less plain. As it stands, I would definitely recommend the chain's Vegan Chickenless Pollo Taco over this burrito if you are seeking a plant-based meal at El Pollo Loco.

By Renee.

Nutritional Info - El Pollo Loco Vegan Chickenless Pollo Burrito
Calories - 550 (Calories from Fat - 150)
Fat - 16g (Saturated Fat - 5g)
Sodium - 1690mg
Carbs - 82g (Sugar - 7g)
Protein - 23g