El Pollo Loco calorie calculator: build an order under your cap
Set a calorie cap from 200 to 1,500 and build an El Pollo Loco order from 47 single orders — 26 entrées and 21 sides — using El Pollo Loco's own published figures, rounded to whole calories and grams. The lightest meal-sized main is the Taco al Carbón at 170 calories; the heaviest entrée, the Shredded Chicken Nachos, is 1,090. The most protein in a complete meal under 500 is 57 g.
Source: El Pollo Loco nutrition guide (official) · Data refreshed
- 47 single orders
- 170 cal lightest main
- 57g protein in a meal under 500
- 200–1,500 cal cap range
As of September 2026, 47 El Pollo Loco single orders can go into a built order, and the most protein in a complete El Pollo Loco meal under 500 calories is 57 g (A Chicken Breast, a Chicken Tortilla Soup, and a large Coca-Cola Zero Sugar).
Build your El Pollo Loco order
Pick a cap, choose what matters, then add, swap or remove items; the total, the macros and the words to say at the counter update as you go, and the link in the address bar carries your order.
Three complete El Pollo Loco meals under 500 calories
Starting points for the builder — One meal-sized entrée, up to two different sides and a drink — the MinMax app's meal and the best under the cap, drink included (water only where no published drink fits; the lightest meal takes a zero-calorie drink, or water).
Most protein
- Chicken Breast200 cal · 34g
- Chicken Tortilla Soup240 cal · 23g
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Large)0 cal · 0g
440 of 500 cal · 57 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A Chicken Breast, a Chicken Tortilla Soup, and a large Coca-Cola Zero Sugar — 440 cal, 57 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest El Pollo Loco →Most filling
- Chicken Thigh200 cal · 21g
- BBQ Black Beans (Small)120 cal · 8g
- Chopped Breast Side120 cal · 23g
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Large)0 cal · 0g
440 of 500 cal · 52 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A Chicken Thigh, a small side of BBQ Black Beans, a Chopped Breast Side, and a large Coca-Cola Zero Sugar — 440 cal, 52 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest El Pollo Loco →Lightest
- Taco al Carbón170 cal · 15g
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Large)0 cal · 0g
170 of 500 cal · 15 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A Taco al Carbón and a large Coca-Cola Zero Sugar — 170 cal, 15 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest El Pollo Loco →The 20 lightest meal-sized mains at El Pollo Loco
Meal-sized entrées and breakfast mains (at least 150 calories or 10 g protein), lightest first — the mains the builder builds on at a tight cap; sides and drinks are added in the builder. Every El Pollo Loco item is in the full table on the El Pollo Loco calories page and in /data/el-pollo-loco.json (each row carries its role and id).
| Item | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Taco al Carbón | 170 | 15g |
| Chicken Breast | 200 | 34g |
| Chicken Thigh | 200 | 21g |
| Shredded Chicken Crunchy Taco | 210 | 14g |
| Chicken Avocado Taco | 330 | 24g |
| Street Corn Salad without Dressing | 390 | 52g |
| Original BRC Burrito | 410 | 13g |
| Mexican Caesar Salad without Dressing | 420 | 52g |
| Classic Chicken Burrito | 480 | 25g |
| Tacos al Carbón (3) | 510 | 46g |
| Cheese Quesadilla | 530 | 25g |
| Original Pollo Bowl | 580 | 41g |
| Queso Guacamole Chicken Burrito | 780 | 40g |
| Grande Avocado Chicken Bowl | 790 | 49g |
| Salsa Verde Chicken Quesadilla | 810 | 51g |
| Classic Chicken Tostada without Dressing | 820 | 42g |
| Guacamole Chicken Burrito | 920 | 59g |
| Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla | 930 | 51g |
| Double Chicken Bowl | 930 | 74g |
| Street Corn Loaded Chicken Quesadilla | 930 | 53g |
Eat at El Pollo Loco without blowing your cap
MinMax finds the best El Pollo Loco meal under your calorie goal — at the location nearest you — and lets you swap items to hit your protein. Free on iPhone.
Download MinMax — free What the app doesMore at El Pollo Loco
- El Pollo Loco calories & nutrition (63 items listed)
- El Pollo Loco under 300 calories (17 orders)
- El Pollo Loco under 400 calories (22 orders)
- El Pollo Loco under 500 calories (26 orders)
- El Pollo Loco under 600 calories (30 orders)
Calculators at other chains
The same builder at 3 Mexican chains, or compare every chain on fast food under 500 calories.