El Pollo Loco Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, El Pollo Loco cooks with: Fire-grilled chicken uses no frying oil (citrus marinade, open flame); tortillas use palm/soybean blend; rice/beans cooked in soybean or canola oil; Loco Fries fried in soybean oil. Across the 78 menu items we analyzed, it averages 7.9g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
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Safest Orders at El Pollo Loco
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Aguas Frescas Mango Lime | 0.0g |
| Aguas Frescas Strawberry Hibiscus | 0.0g |
| Chicken Wing (Fire-Grilled) | 0.8g |
| Caramel Flan | 1.2g |
| Chicken Taco Al Carbon | 1.3g |
What to Avoid at El Pollo Loco
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Chips & Guacamole (Regular) | 37.8g |
| Chips & Queso Blanco (Regular) | 28.6g |
| Shredded Chicken Nachos | 27.3g |
| Tortilla Chips (Regular) | 26.4g |
| Creamy Cilantro Dressing | 20.9g |
Every El Pollo Loco item, ranked
All 78 items we have for El Pollo Loco, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Broccoli (Small) | 0.0g |
| Aguas Frescas Mango Lime | 0.0g |
| Aguas Frescas Strawberry Hibiscus | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Salsa Roja | 0.0g |
| House Salsa (Salsa Fresca) | 0.0g |
| Jalapeno Hot Sauce | 0.0g |
| Broccoli (Large) | 0.2g |
| Pinto Beans | 0.3g |
| Pinto Beans (Small) | 0.3g |
| Avocado Salsa | 0.5g |
| Mashed Potatoes with Gravy (Small) | 0.6g |
| Chicken Wing (Fire-Grilled) | 0.8g |
| Spanish Rice (Small) | 0.9g |
| Pinto Beans (Large) | 0.9g |
| Corn Cobbette | 1.0g |
| Mashed Potatoes with Gravy (Large) | 1.2g |
| Caramel Flan | 1.2g |
| Chicken Taco Al Carbon | 1.3g |
| Flame-Grilled Chicken Breast | 2.0g |
| Flame-Grilled Chicken Leg | 2.0g |
| Spanish Rice (Large) | 2.1g |
| Shredded Chicken Crunchy Taco | 2.2g |
| Cheese Quesadilla | 2.6g |
| Corn (Small) | 2.7g |
| Flame-Grilled Chicken Thigh | 3.3g |
| Mac & Cheese (Small) | 3.3g |
| BRC Burrito | 3.4g |
| BRC Kids Meal | 3.4g |
| Chicken Tortilla Soup | 3.9g |
| Two Legs Kids Meal | 3.9g |
| Original Pollo Bowl | 4.0g |
| 3 Pc. Chicken Meal | 4.0g |
| Fresca Salad | 4.0g |
| 2 Pc. Breast & Wing Meal (Corn Tortillas, Pinto Beans & Rice) | 4.1g |
| Classic Chicken Burrito | 4.3g |
| Chicken Quesadilla | 5.0g |
| Grande Avocado Chicken Bowl | 5.0g |
| 4 Pc. Half Chicken Meal | 5.0g |
| Churro | 5.6g |
| 2 Pc. Breast & Wing Meal (Flour Tortillas, Pinto Beans & Rice) | 5.6g |
| Coleslaw | 6.0g |
| Coleslaw (Small) | 6.0g |
| Double Chicken Bowl | 6.6g |
| Tortilla Chips (Side) | 6.6g |
| Chicken Avocado Burrito | 7.0g |
| 2 Pc. Leg & Thigh Meal (Flour Tortillas, Pinto Beans & Rice) | 7.4g |
| Chicken Avocado Taco | 7.8g |
| Loco Fries | 8.0g |
| Loco Tenders 2 Pc. | 8.2g |
| 2 Pc. Leg & Thigh Meal (Corn Tortillas, Pinto Beans & Rice) | 8.2g |
| Corn (Large) | 8.4g |
| Mac & Cheese (Large) | 8.6g |
| Loco Side Salad | 8.6g |
| Chicken Avocado Stuffed Quesadilla | 9.0g |
| 8 Pc. Family Meal | 9.0g |
| Queso Guacamole Chicken Burrito | 10.6g |
| Cinnamon Churros | 11.3g |
| Horchata (Regular) | 12.0g |
| Loco Tenders 3 Pc. | 12.4g |
| 12 Pc. Family Meal | 13.0g |
| Tortilla Chips (Small) | 13.2g |
| Queso Crunch Double Chicken Burrito Bowl | 13.8g |
| Chips & Queso Blanco (Small) | 14.1g |
| Loco Tenders 4 Pc. | 16.5g |
| Classic Tostada Salad | 16.8g |
| Coleslaw (Large) | 17.4g |
| Horchata (Large) | 19.0g |
| Chips & Guacamole (Small) | 19.2g |
| Street Corn Double Chicken Burrito Bowl | 19.5g |
| Double Chicken Tostada Salad | 19.9g |
| Guacamole Chicken Burrito | 19.9g |
| Chipotle Guacamole Chicken Burrito | 20.3g |
| Creamy Cilantro Dressing | 20.9g |
| Tortilla Chips (Regular) | 26.4g |
| Shredded Chicken Nachos | 27.3g |
| Chips & Queso Blanco (Regular) | 28.6g |
| Chips & Guacamole (Regular) | 37.8g |
Frequently asked
Does El Pollo Loco use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, El Pollo Loco cooks with: Fire-grilled chicken uses no frying oil (citrus marinade, open flame); tortillas use palm/soybean blend; rice/beans cooked in soybean or canola oil; Loco Fries fried in soybean oil. Across the 78 menu items we analyzed, it averages 7.9g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does El Pollo Loco cook with?
Our research indicates: Fire-grilled chicken uses no frying oil (citrus marinade, open flame); tortillas use palm/soybean blend; rice/beans cooked in soybean or canola oil; Loco Fries fried in soybean oil. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does El Pollo Loco use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates El Pollo Loco cooks with Fire-grilled chicken uses no frying oil (citrus marinade, open flame); tortillas use palm/soybean blend; rice/beans cooked in soybean or canola oil; Loco Fries fried in soybean oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is El Pollo Loco seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates El Pollo Loco cooks with Fire-grilled chicken uses no frying oil (citrus marinade, open flame); tortillas use palm/soybean blend; rice/beans cooked in soybean or canola oil; Loco Fries fried in soybean oil, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at El Pollo Loco?
Aguas Frescas Mango Lime is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at El Pollo Loco, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at El Pollo Loco?
Chips & Guacamole (Regular) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at El Pollo Loco, at an estimated 37.8g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. New to the topic? Start with what seed oils are and the complete list, or read the evidence on why people avoid them.
Compare other chains
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See where El Pollo Loco lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.