El Pollo Loco is a restaurant chain that specializes in Mexican-style grilled chicken. The chain is based in the United States, and it has locations primarily in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. The chain is known for its flame-grilled chicken, which is marinated for 24 hours in a special blend of herbs, spices, and citrus juices before being grilled. El Pollo Loco also serves a variety of other Mexican-style dishes, such as burritos, tacos, and salads.
The restaurant chain now has over 480 locations around the United States, with the majority in California. Let’s learn more about the El Pollo Loco menu, so we can find out what is gluten free.
What is gluten free at El Pollo Loco?
In this article and guide, we’ll highlight all the gluten free menu items, sides, and other gf options available at El Pollo Loco. Want to learn more nutrition facts about El Pollo Loco’s foods? Check out their nutrition page here.
El Pollo Loco has a ‘Wheat Gluten Information‘ PDF guide they share for customers who have an allergy.
El Pollo Loco serves citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken and freshly prepared entrees, sides and salsas. We’re committed to providing our customers with high-quality ingredients, prepared with care. In recent months, we have received numerous requests for information about the wheat gluten content of our foods. Like most restaurants, many of the foods we serve may include wheat gluten. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines “gluten” as certain proteins found in the grains wheat, barley, rye, and hybrids of those grains (e.g., triticale). Wheat gluten can cause serious health problems in individuals with celiac disease. FDA defines “gluten free” to mean that a food contains <20 parts per million (ppm) gluten. In addition, a “gluten free” food may not contain a gluten-containing grain or an ingredient derived from a gluten-containing grain (e.g., wheat flour) that has not been processed to remove gluten. For our customers with celiac disease or sensitivity to wheat gluten, we have compiled this list to assist you with your menu choices.
IMPORTANT: Please note, this information provides a list of menu items that are not made with wheat gluten-containing ingredients. However, El Pollo Loco does NOT claim that any of its foods are wheat gluten free. El Pollo Loco does not use dedicated chopping boards; fryers/frying oils; utensils; and/or food contact surfaces for wheat gluten-containing foods. We therefore do not guarantee that cross contact with wheat gluten-containing foods will not occur. Depending on the guest’s level of sensitivity, this may or may not be a consideration. The following information is based on current information provided by our approved food suppliers as of the date indicated below. Please be aware that variations in formulation may occur due to changes in suppliers, ingredient substitutions, recipe revisions and/or product production at each of our restaurants. And, as ingredients can change, we recommend that you check back on a regular basis for up-to-date information.
El Pollo Loco Gluten Free Menu
These are all the gluten free options we could find at El Pollo Loco. Note all items listed below do not contain wheat or gluten, based on information we found from El Pollo Loco’s Wheat Gluten PDF Guide.
Notice anything missing or incorrect? Leave a comment below. This article was last updated: January 23, 2023
Fire-Grilled Bone-In Chicken
These are all of the fire-grilled bone-in chicken options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- Chicken Breast
- Chicken Wing
- Chicken Leg
- Chicken Thigh
Entrees
These are all of the entree options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- Original Pollo Bowl
- Double Chicken Bowl
- Grande Avocado Chicken Bowl
- Chicken Taco al Carbon
Pollo Fit Menu
These are all of the pollo fit menu options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- Double Chicken Avocado Salad
Starters
These are all of the starter options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- Tortilla Chips
- Guacamole
- Chips and Guacamole
Salsa & More
These are all of the salsa and more options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- House Salsa
- Pico de Gallo Salsa
- Avocado Salsa
- Salsa Roja
- Sour Cream
- Jalapeno Hot Sauce (packet)
Sides
These are all of the side options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- Rice
- Pinto Beans
- Charro Beans**
- Broccoli
- Corn
- Coleslaw
- Mashed Potatoes (without Gravy)
- Loco Side Salad w/Creamy Cilantro Dressing
Dressing & Extras
These are all of the dressing and extra options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- 6″ Corn Tortilla
- Creamy Cilantro Dressing
Drinks
These are all of the drink options at El Pollo Loco that are free from wheat/gluten ingredients.
- Cherry Coke
- Coca-Cola
- Diet Coke
- Dr Pepper
- Diet Dr Pepper
- Barq’s Root Beer
- Fanta Orange
- FUZE Sweetened Raspberry Iced Tea
- Gold Peak Fresh-Brewed Sweetened Iced Tea
- Gold Peak Fresh-Brewed Mango Passion Fruit Tea
- Gold Peak Fresh-Brewed Unsweetened Iced Tea
- Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch
- Minute Maid Lemonade
- Minute Maid Strawberry Lemonade
- Sprite
- Vitaminwater XXX
- Nestle Pure Life Water
Photo: El Pollo Loco Facebook page
Items to Avoid at El Pollo Loco
- Any flour tortillas, burritos, tostadas, etc.
- Watch out for the sides such as macaroni and cheese and gravy.
- Tacos may be served on flour tortillas, check with the staff.
Summary of Gluten Free Menu Options at El Pollo Loco
Pro tips and a quick summary of everything gluten free at El Pollo Loco
- When you order at the restaurant or on the app for delivery/pickup, tell them you have an allergy or Celiac Disease so they take precautions with your food.
- El Pollo Loco has a pretty considerable amount of options without wheat or gluten. The issue is cross contamination may be common depending on the location and how tight the kitchen is. Always tell the attendant about your allergy so they can try to help you.
- El Pollo Loco has a pretty good rating of 4 stars on Find Me Gluten Free with 12 ratings. This isn’t a ton of reviews to go off of, however most people mentioned the delicious chicken, rice, and sides offered, along with affordable deals for tacos and chicken.
- Personal experiences here are great. I had the chance to visit El Pollo Loco in Los Angeles, California on a recent trip it was very tasty. The chicken was seasoned so well and it was a very large portion for the price. The sides were a bit small, so next time I want to try their bowls to see how those taste.
Photo: El Pollo Loco Facebook page
More Information about El Pollo Loco
Looking for additional information about El Pollo Loco, their foods, and nutritional/ingredients facts? Here are some resources we’ve found:
- Official El Pollo Loco Menu: https://www.elpolloloco.com/our-food/
- Official El Pollo Loco Nutrition PDF: https://www.elpolloloco.com/content/pdfs/epl_web_nutrition_guide_mod_1_2023_hr.pdf
- Official El Pollo Wheat Gluten PDF: https://www.elpolloloco.com/content/pdfs/epl_gluten_info_mod_1_2023_hr.pdf