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The “Limited Time” Chicken Wars at Chipotle Mexican Grill are heating up with a new contender entering the ring: Crispy Chicken.
Chipotle is testing a new Crispy Chicken Protein in some California stores, but some diners are still clamoring for Chipotle Honey Chicken, the limited-time chicken the Tex-Mex chain currently offers.
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, Chipotle said it will “use guest and operational feedback to determine whether to move forward with broader market testing as part of the stage gate process.”
Chipotle has remained relatively tight-lipped about the product, but social media users have been sharing photos of the test restaurant’s sign stating that the crispy chicken is free of gluten, antibiotics, and artificial ingredients.
Here’s what you need to know about the internet’s reaction to Chipotle’s new Crispy Chicken.
Skeptics, fans stop beating
Although advertised as “tender, light and crispy,” some commenters on social media were skeptical about whether the chicken would be able to maintain its outer crispiness when mixed with things like wakuwa and salsa.
One person wrote on Instagram: “Wow, it’s going to be so soggy.”
On Reddit, someone wrote, “Crispy chicken doesn’t stay crispy after you cut it. Breaded chicken automatically steams within 5 minutes. That’s a pain.”
Some are excited and hope it will be rolled out nationwide soon.
“Bring it to (Florida),” one user urged.
“I hope Ohio State is next,” wrote another hopeful.
Limited time chicken war intensifies
Still, with Chipotle Honey Chicken now on the menu, some customers argue the chain doesn’t need a new chicken option.
“The only thing you guys need to add forever is honey chicken,” one user claimed, adding: “Nobody wants fried chicken with rice and beans.”
“They might take the honey chicken out of my cold, dead hands,” another threatened.
Is it vegan friendly?
The fine print on one sign says the restaurant’s chips and crunchy taco shells are fried in the same oil as the chicken, leaving vegan and vegetarian customers confused.
“They’re really making that move to cater to their vegetarian customers,” one source pointed out. “Do you fry chicken and chips in the same oil? The chips start to taste weird.”
It is unclear how long the test launch will last. Other than issuing a statement, Chipotle did not respond to several other questions from USA TODAY.
Drew Pittock covers trending news from around the country for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
