KANSAS CITY, MO
Less than a year after the introduction of its non-GMO soy-based meat substitute, sofritas, Chipotle is dishing up a new meat menu item in select locations. And it’s got a kick to it.
The food chain is now serving chorizo, the Mexican-style ground chicken and pork sausage flavored with paprika, cumin, garlic and red wine, in 33 different Kansas City locations to test out its reception, according to the Kansas City Star.
Yes, apparently there are more than 33 Chipotles in Kansas City area, and as of Tuesday, June 2nd, they are getting served some spicy new flavors to go with their burrito bowls, traditional burritos, salad dishes and tacos.
“Kansas City is probably a really good barometer of how people will respond to the chorizo anywhere,” Chris Arnold, Denver-based Communications Director for Chipotle, said, according to the Kansas City Star.
This is a long-awaited move according to the company’s Corporate Chef and nose-to-tail cooking proponent Nate Appleman.
“I’ve been beating the drum for five years,” Appleman said in the article. “It was one of the first things I worked on.”
Appleman is the 2009 recipient of a James Beard Rising Star Chef title and worked on the development of sofritas, and is now delivering a chorizo recipe that a lighter and less greasy sausage option.
“This is a full-flavored chorizo,” he said, clarifying that whether or not it is spicy depends on your definition. According to the report, the patties are seared on the in-store grill and crumbled before serving and is being sold for $6.95.
This is one of just a few new items added to the Chipotle’s menu since it premiered 22 years ago, and it will be interesting to see how it is received.
