Chipotle has once again shaken things up on its menu by introducing the new chipotle honey chicken this March 2025, and it's generating buzz across its locations. This limited-time offering reflects the company’s continuous effort to keep its menu fresh and exciting for customers, following similar introductions of flavors like al pastor and smoked brisket.
The chipotle honey chicken flavor combines chicken marinated with smoked chipotle peppers, adobo spices, and grilled to perfection. When nearly cooked, the chicken is enhanced by drizzling it with honey, allowing it to caramelize over the flames. It’s hard to argue against the execution. But does it shine across Chipotle’s various offerings, like burritos and bowls, or does it falter? To find out, I opted to taste the chicken in all its forms: quesadilla, bowl, and burrito.
Focusing first on the Chipotle Honey Chicken Quesadilla, it's important to note this is a digital-only menu item, available exclusively through the Chipotle app. Each quesadilla traditionally features cheese and lets the customer choose their protein, which now includes the chipotle honey option. With options for additional sides like sour cream, salsa, and beans, I was eager to see how the new chicken would fare.
To my delight, the quesadilla proved to be the standout option. "Inside of a quesadilla, the chipotle honey chicken flavor shines brightest," I found myself writing, as the sweet, smoky, and fruity notes filled my mouth with every bite. The chicken was characterized by its delicious char and the marinade's complexity, which really shone through without overwhelming distractions from too many other ingredients. Unlike other forms, the simplicity of the quesadilla – just marinated chicken, cheese, and tortilla – allowed it to take center stage. Men's Journal reviewer Danny Palumbo suggests pairing it with spicy salsa, as he noted, "Sour cream only dilutes the flavor." Truly, less is more when it came to this dish.
Moving on to the Chipotle Honey Chicken Bowl, the appeal starts to fade. Chipotle bowls are fundamentally straightforward, consisting of rice, beans, salsa, veggies, condiments, and the chosen protein. My experience was consistent with what Palumbo noted: "Bowls are fine options but don’t do the protein any favors."
The issue lies with how the depth of flavor from the chicken is simply lost once buried beneath the heap of other ingredients. The more I packed the bowl with guacamole, sour cream, and beans, the more the chicken’s delicate smoky-sweet flavor vanished. What was supposed to be the feature of the dish became somewhat hidden among the myriad of competing tastes.
Next, I tried the Chipotle Honey Chicken Burrito, which brought about the same concerns as the bowl. Just as I had feared, the burrito – stuffed with rice, beans, salsa, cheese, and chicken - muddled the otherwise enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, the simple yet pronounced taste I relished so much from the quesadilla was lost amid the charge of competing flavors attempting to claim attention. Palumbo echoed my sentiments, pointing out how the burrito only complicates the overall flavor profile. "It’s not bad strategy to stuff a burrito until it swells like a missile, but it also makes subtle flavors harder to taste."
So what does the overall review say about the new chipotle honey chicken? The flavor itself is solid and multifaceted, but it's becoming glaringly obvious: To enjoy this new protein offering, one must treat it with the care it deserves. Just like traditional al pastor from taco trucks, it’s best served simply – with just the tortilla, chicken, perhaps just lime and salsa. The consensus is clear: The chipotle honey chicken finds its sweet spot within the quesadilla. If you venture out to try anything else, be prepared to be left underwhelmed as your taste experience risks becoming diluted.
Overall, Chipotle has offered customers another new option to explore. The established flavors may dominate once integrated with the combo of rice and other toppings, but tasting it on its own merits can lead to delicious discoveries – just keep it simple!
