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Report Cards · El Pollo Regio

El Pollo Regio Seed Oil Report Card

GradeF
Avg PUFA/item12.2g
Items analyzed107
Cooking oilchicken fat
From the chain74%

Based on our menu research, El Pollo Regio cooks with: lard and vegetable oil blend. Across the 107 menu items we analyzed, it averages 12.2g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).

What oil does El Pollo Regio fry in? The full answer

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Safest Orders 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.

Cleanest full order: Grilled Chicken 2 pc (quarter chicken) + Water Bottle, 3.0g total

ItemPUFA
Grilled Chicken 2 pc (quarter chicken)3.0g
Taco (chicken)4.0g
Taco (beef)4.0g
Quesadilla - Grilled Chicken6.0g
Quesadilla - Carne Asada6.0g

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What to Avoid at El Pollo Regio

ItemPUFA
Torta - Carne Asada47.7g
Torta - Pastor45.5g
Torta - Grilled Chicken40.1g
5 Tacos - Bistec (Corn)31.3g
Loaded Nachos (Barbacoa)31.0g

Every El Pollo Regio item, ranked

All 107 items we have for El Pollo Regio, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.

ItemPUFA
Fountain Drink0.0g
Water Bottle0.0g
Pico De Gallo0.0g
Buffalo Sauce0.0g
Habanero and Onions0.0g
BBQ Sauce0.0g
Salsa Roja0.0g
Chocolate Sundae0.0g
Strawberry Sundae0.0g
Vanilla Ice Cream0.0g
Ice Cream Cone0.0g
Jamaica Agua Fresca (Small)0.0g
Jamaica Agua Fresca (Large)0.0g
Pineapple Agua Fresca (Large)0.0g
Pineapple Agua Fresca (Small)0.0g
Guacamole0.6g
Corn Tortillas (3)1.0g
Rolls (2 pack)1.2g
Salsa Chile De Arbol1.5g
Beans2.0g
Flour Tortilla2.0g
Plantains2.0g
Guacamole & Chips2.0g
5 Corn Tortillas2.4g
Grilled Chicken 2 pc (quarter chicken)3.0g
Kids Chico Regio3.0g
5 Flour Tortillas3.0g
Chicken Tortilla Soup3.0g
Cream Churro3.0g
Cajeta Empanada3.0g
Pineapple Empanada3.0g
Cheese Sauce3.0g
Taco (chicken)4.0g
Taco (beef)4.0g
Kids Quesadilla4.0g
Kids Tortita4.0g
Salsa Habanero4.5g
Rice (Medium)4.6g
Kids Junior Cheeseburger5.0g
Ranch Dressing5.0g
Charro Beans (Medium)5.2g
Refried Beans (Medium)5.2g
French Fries (Medium)5.9g
Quesadilla - Grilled Chicken6.0g
Quesadilla - Carne Asada6.0g
Cremosa Sauce6.0g
Regio Platter (chicken + beef)8.0g
Chicken Tenders (5 pc)8.0g
Burrito - Grilled Chicken8.0g
Burrito - Carne Asada8.0g
Rice (Large)8.7g
Grilled Chicken 4 PC9.1g
Cajeta Churro9.4g
5 Tacos - Grilled Chicken10.0g
Chicken Tenders 2 PC10.7g
Charro Beans (Large)10.8g
Refried Beans (Large)10.8g
French Fries (Large)10.9g
Regio Platter (Pastor)11.3g
Coleslaw (Medium)11.4g
Grilled Chicken 12 PC12.0g
Salsa Verde12.0g
5 Tacos - Pastor (Flour)12.5g
Chicken Tenders (3 pc)13.6g
Grilled Chicken 16 PC16.0g
Regio Salad (No meat(s))16.3g
Regio Platter (Carne Asada)16.4g
Regio Bowl (chicken)16.7g
Regio Bowl (Grilled Chicken)16.7g
Regio Bowl (No Meat)16.7g
Regio Salad (Grilled Chicken)16.7g
Loaded Potato (No Meat)16.8g
Loaded Potato (Grilled Chicken)16.9g
Grilled Chicken 8 PC17.9g
5 Tacos - Carne Asada (Flour)18.0g
Regio Salad (Grilled Chicken Breast)18.2g
Chicken Tenders 4 PC18.7g
Regio Platter (Barbacoa)19.1g
Tostada Siberia19.5g
Mexican Burger (Single)19.6g
5 Tacos - Barbacoa (Flour)20.3g
Regio Platter (Bistec)20.6g
Loaded Nachos (Grilled Chicken)20.8g
5 Tacos - Bistec (Flour)21.1g
Regio Bowl (Pastor)21.4g
Loaded Nachos (No Meat)21.4g
Mexican Burger (Double)21.9g
Regio Salad (Pastor)22.1g
Coleslaw (Large)22.2g
5 Tacos - Pastor (Corn)22.7g
Regio Salad (Carne Asada)24.3g
Regio Salad (Crispy Chicken)24.9g
Regio Bowl (Carne Asada)25.5g
Regio Bowl (Barbacoa)26.2g
Loaded Nachos (Pastor)26.2g
Chicken Flautas26.9g
Regio Salad (Barbacoa)26.9g
Regio Salad (Bistec)27.0g
5 Tacos - Carne Asada (Corn)27.1g
Regio Bowl (Bistec)27.4g
Loaded Nachos (Carne Asada)29.5g
5 Tacos - Barbacoa (Corn)29.7g
Loaded Nachos (Barbacoa)31.0g
5 Tacos - Bistec (Corn)31.3g
Torta - Grilled Chicken40.1g
Torta - Pastor45.5g
Torta - Carne Asada47.7g

Frequently asked

Does El Pollo Regio use seed oils?

Based on our menu research, El Pollo Regio cooks with: lard and vegetable oil blend. Across the 107 menu items we analyzed, it averages 12.2g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).

What oil does El Pollo Regio cook with?

Our research indicates: chicken fat (chargrilled); lard/vegetable oil blend for fried sides and tortillas. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.

Does El Pollo Regio use beef tallow?

No. Our research indicates El Pollo Regio cooks with lard and vegetable oil blend, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.

Is El Pollo Regio seed oil free?

No. Our research indicates El Pollo Regio cooks with lard and vegetable oil blend, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.

What is the safest thing to order at El Pollo Regio?

Taco (chicken) is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at El Pollo Regio, at an estimated 4.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.

What should I avoid at El Pollo Regio?

Torta - Carne Asada is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at El Pollo Regio, at an estimated 47.7g 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 Regio 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.

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