Food & Beverage

Chipotle tests cilantro-lime cauliflower rice

Image: Provided

July 13, 2020

Chipotle Mexican Grill will start testing cilantro-lime cauliflower rice at 55 Denver stores and throughout Wisconsin this Wednesday, July 15, a news release said.

The concoction is made in-store daily with grilled, seasoned cauliflower,

"To date, one out of three new menu item requests from Chipotle customers is for cauliflower rice," CMO Chris Brandt, said in the release. "We've answered the call from fans and created a better-for-you option that puts a delicious twist on our classic white rice recipe by using the same fresh cilantro and lime ingredients and culinary techniques."

The offering is grain-free, compliant with Keto, Whole30, Paleo, Vegan and Vegetarian diets, and has four net carbs per serving. Chipotle said it will consider its customer feedback and iterate before deciding on a national launch. The brand calls this learning period, its stage-gate process and it has been used over the past year on tests involving carne asada, supergreens salad mix and queso blanco, which were all rolled out nationally.

Cilantro-lime cauliflower rice is priced at an additional $2 for guests who order it instead of traditional rice. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has more than 2,600 restaurants systemwide.