Chipotle Mexican Grill announced it is testing Chipotle Honey Chicken at 80 restaurants in Nashville, Tenn. and Sacramento, Calif. The latest chicken menu innovation will spice up guests’ go-to-orders with a unique heat from chipotle peppers and a touch of sweetness from pure honey that is unlike any of its proteins yet.
To develop Chipotle’s new chicken menu innovation, its culinary team created a bold new take on hot honey made only with real ingredients. Chipotle Honey Chicken is marinated with seared, smoked adobo (chipotle) peppers, seasoned with savory Mexican spices, and finished with a touch of pure honey. Before introducing the limited-time chicken in test markets, the company conducted consumer taste tests as part of its stage-gate process. The spicy and sweet flavors of Chipotle Honey Chicken surpassed consumer expectations and achieved the highest marks of any chicken innovation that Chipotle has sensory tested.
“Consumers have clearly shown their enthusiasm for sweet heat flavor combinations,” Chris Brandt, Chief Brand Officer. “We have had tremendous success with ‘swicy’ innovations and believe Chipotle Honey Chicken will capture fans with a whole new level of excitement.”Over the past two years, Chipotle introduced two premium chicken menu innovations, Chicken al Pastor and Pollo Asado. With chicken serving as the company’s most popular protein, these limited time menu items continue to ignite a passionate following among guests. Chicken al Pastor, for example, debuted in March 2023 and was the number one requested menu item after its first campaign, prompting a return just one year later.Innovation remains a key priority at Chipotle, and the company creates craveable, chef-driven menu items that appeal to guests’ appetite for variety and new flavor experiences. Chipotle aims to deliver two to three menu innovations per year, leveraging its stage-gate process to listen, test, and learn from guest and employee feedback and iterate before deciding on a national launch strategy.
