What oil does El Pollo Regio fry in?
El Pollo Regio cooks with chicken fat (chargrilled); lard/vegetable oil blend for fried sides and tortillas.
The 5 cleanest things to order at El Pollo Regio
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 |
|---|---|
| Habanero and Onions | 0.0g |
| Pico De Gallo | 0.0g |
| Plantains | 2.0g |
| 5 Flour Tortillas | 2.0g |
| Grilled Chicken 2 pc (quarter chicken) | 3.0g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Why the frying oil matters
Most fast-food chains fry in seed oils like soybean, canola, corn, or a blend of them, which are high in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). A handful still use beef tallow or other stable fats, which are far lower in PUFA. The oil a kitchen fries in is the single biggest driver of how much seed oil ends up on your plate. See the full breakdown on the El Pollo Regio report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does El Pollo Regio use beef tallow?
No. El Pollo Regio cooks with chicken fat (chargrilled); lard/vegetable oil blend for fried sides and tortillas, not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.