El Pollo Loco has been serving Mexican-style food for decades and is famous for its fire-grilled chicken. The chain originated in Mexico but swiftly spread to the United States. El Pollo Loco now has approximately 500 sites throughout six states. Despite the fact that El Pollo Loco is a fast-casual restaurant with a drive-thru, it attempts to provide healthful options on its menu.

El Pollo Loco is quite a good option for people with diabetes because they specialize in fire-grilled chicken. You only need to know how to order your meals to keep them low-carb, which is much easier than it is at other fast food establishments.

What to Eat at El Pollo Loco if You Have Diabetes

If you're seeking the healthiest lunch at El Pollo Loco, the Chicken Black Bean Bowl is the best option because of its fresh ingredients and nutritional profile. You can order one or more tacos a la carte with El Pollo Loco's Mix & Match Street Tacos. You can have corn or flour tortillas, as well as chicken, salsa, shrimp, lettuce, avocado, and other toppings.

The good news for people on a low carb diet is that El Pollo Loco has launched a line of keto-approved foods, which is also suitable for those with diabetes since it's as low carb as possible. El Pollo Loco introduced a variety of keto-friendly meals, including cauliflower rice and the "world's first keto taco." The keto taco has 250 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates and 18 grams of protein.

They also have two keto-approved keto bowls that you may order without changing anything. The double protein avocado pollo fit bowl clocks in at 390 calories and 14 grams of carbohydrates, which is pretty great for fast-food. The Mexican Pollo Caesar bowl contains 290 calories, 7 grams of carbohydrates, and 47 grams of protein.

Order Your Taco Without the Shell

El Pollo Loco serves a traditional crunchy taco with shredded chicken, cheese, and lettuce. There's also a chicken taco al carbon with chicken thigh meat, onion, and cilantro. You'll be able to keep to your low-carb diet if you don't consume the taco shell.

Make sure your taco does not have any sauce on it. Even if you order it without the shell, some restaurants like to sprinkle extra sauce on the meat. Request more cheese, sour cream, and guacamole if your meat feels like it needs something extra, and skip the sugary sauces. Avoid burritos and quesadillas because you can’t order them without the shell. It's also difficult to consume just the insides because they're usually warm and the toppings will stick to the bread.

Opt for Extra Low-Carb Toppings

According to their website, El Pollo Loco produces their own guacamole every day. Take advantage of this by heaping some fresh guacamole on top of your chicken. They also serve bacon, which is an effective way to increase your protein and fat intake if it fits your diet. Plus, the flavor combination of bacon, chicken, and guacamole is unbeatable.

You can't go wrong with a side of broccoli. Adding this to your burrito bowl is a terrific way to get extra vegetables into your diet. A small side of broccoli has 30 calories, 6g carbs, 2g protein and 0g fat.

What High-Carb Foods Should You Avoid at El Pollo Loco? 

While some things are simple to customize and transform into low-carb plates, others are simply not worth the effort.

Here's what you should avoid at El Pollo Loco if you have diabetes.

• All chickenless burritos
• BBQ bacon avocado overstuffed quesadilla
• BRC burrito
• Chicken fajita burrito
• Chicken tamale and tortilla soup
• Chicken tamales with a side
• Chipotle chicken avocado burrito
• Classic chicken burrito
• Double queso overstuffed quesadilla
• Rancherito burrito

Ordering water is an excellent way to stay hydrated while avoiding extra calories and sweets. El Pollo Loco, fortunately, sells bottled water.

Bottom Line

It's not impossible to eat heathy at El Pollo Loco if you have diabetes so you can keep your blood sugar levels in check. However, make sure you have a close look at the nutritional information provided on the menu so you can make the best choices.