Chipotle tests crispy chicken

Chipotle may become the latest chain looking to tap into the rising demand for crispy chicken options. The company is testing the new protein in select locations in California.

The test was initially spotted last weekend by Instagram user @bookofelie and shared by Food Beast and Snackolator. Chipotle confirmed the test in an email to Nation’s Restaurant News, writing, “We tested a new menu item, Crispy Chicken, in select restaurants for a limited time. We will use guest and operational feedback to determine whether to move forward with a broader market test as part of our stage-gate process.”

According to a Chipotle ad in one of the test markets, the crispy chicken is “free of preservatives, gluten and anything artificial.” It was available for burritos, tacos, salads or bowls.

Many Reddit users seem unconvinced about the test, with one opining that the chicken will not remain crispy after it’s cut, and another asking, “Where is the brand discipline?” Several others said there are already too many crispy chicken options in the restaurant space and Chipotle should stick with its core LTOs, such as Honey Chicken or Chicken al Pastor. Another thread was a bit more positive, with one employee noting that it has been “super popular” in test.

The crispy chicken test comes as Chipotle looks to ramp up its menu launches compared to previous years. CEO Scott Boatwright recently told analysts that the chain’s customers are looking for more such innovations from the company, including entrées, dips, sauces, beverages and sides.

Whichever way the crispy chicken trial plays out in Chipotle’s stage-gate process, one thing is clear — crispy chicken is in high demand across demographics and segments. Much of the chicken category’s outsized growth throughout the past several years has come from crispy chicken players like Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s.

Throughout 2025, Taco Bell stated that its goal was to make its crispy chicken offerings part of a permanent menu platform in 2026. This objective followed high demand for items such as its Crispy Chicken Nuggets, which sold out in less than a week after their introduction in late 2024. They were brought back in April of 2025, then again in January.

Indeed, Taco Bell has become a bit of a case study in showcasing the popularity of the offering. According to the company, crispy chicken items — which also include tacos and burritos — drove nearly one-fourth of all new customers to the brand in 2025.

“Over the past year, our crispy chicken has built a loyal fanbase faster than we could’ve imagined,” Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer Liz Matthews said in January.