Chipotle adds chorizo option to menu

Chipotle is now offering chorizo at locations across the country after finding success testing the product at select markets earlier this year.

The offering became widespread in the U.S. starting Oct. 4, National Taco Day.

"The reaction to chorizo in the cities that have had it has been overwhelmingly positive, so we're making it available in all of our restaurants across the country," said Chipotle founder, chairman and co-CEO Steve Ells.

The fast food chain first tested the meat at Chipotle locations in Kansas City, Missouri; Ohio, New York City, California, Colorado and Washington, D.C.

According to the company, Chipotle's chorizo is made with a blend of pork and white-meat chicken and is seasoned with paprika, toasted cumin and chipotle peppers.

In June 2015, Chipotle's Corporate Chef Nate Appleman told The Kansas City Star that he had been been "beating the drum" for the company to offer chorizo for years.

"It was one of the first things I worked on,"he said.

Customers can request chorizo in any of the company's burrito, taco, burrito bowl and salad offerings.

"Since we opened the first Chipotle 23 years ago, our menu has changed very little, and our focus has been on constantly improving the quality and taste of the food we serve," Ells said earlier this year. "While we have never been opposed to changing our menu, we only do so when we think there's an opportunity to add something that is really unique but that fits within our overall menu, and where we can find ingredients that meet our high standards."

Chipotle's chorizo has received mixed reviews.

Many customers haven't given rave reviews of the new addition.

One Facebook user called Chipotle's chorizo "disappointing," Business Insider employees called it "chewy" and "mediocre," yet "passable," and Insider described it as "dense and dry."

Your new chorizo is so disappointing :( i don't know if its the execution or what but its half dry, half straight up...

Posted by Chelsea Ann on Friday, October 7, 2016

Other customers were fans of the new addition, calling it "amazing" and "darn good."

Some have described Chipotle's chorizo as "spicy."

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