What: A rotisserie chicken
Where: Juan Pollo, 69160 Ramon Road, No. 101, Cathedral City; also at 50225 Harrison St., No. 101, Coachella
How much: $15.99
Contact: 760-620-5059 (Cathedral City); 760-398-2556 (Coachella); juanpollo.com
Why: It’s elevated rotisserie chicken.
I’ve been driving by the Juan Pollo location in Cathedral City for five years or so, but I never stopped in. While the regional chain—with two locations in the Coachella Valley, and two-dozen others around Southern California—offers various items (all including chicken), at its heart, Juan Pollio is a rotisserie chicken joint … and rotisserie chicken is ubiquitous.
All the grocery chains sell tasty rotisserie chickens—for a lot less than the $15.99 price tag at Juan Pollo. But I finally decided to stop in to answer the question: Is a Juan Pollo chicken worth the extra cost?
I got a “mini pak” ($27.99) to go, with three medium sides, salsa, tortillas and one whole chicken. The sides ranged from good (the chicken-infused rice) to meh (the potato salad, which was bland). As for the chicken? Yes, El Pollo’s chicken is definitely worth the extra cost.
Put simply: It tastes better. The meat is juicy and delicious, and the skin is OMG-good. The Juan Pollo website explains: “Our rotisseries use the natural oils dripping from the chickens above to consistently baste the rest of the batch. This constant basting, when finished with a high flame, gives the unique, delicious flavor and texture to the skin of our chicken.” Noted!
We had leftovers, and the next day, I put some chicken in one of the tortillas, heated it up with some cheese, and added some of the (legitimately spicy) salsa. It was so good.
I’m officially a Juan Pollo fan.
Edited on July 20 to fix a typo.
Thank you so much for your reporting and commentary! And 100% about Juan Pollo!
One of my favorite lunch spots on my way to Luci Curci. Discovered them years ago in Santa Ana (OC) and was thrilled they expanded their franchise here. Love the rice. Personally like the potato salad (add pepper) and had to switch to mild salsa to save my tongue. Thanks for recognizing them. Highly recommended and combos are reasonable.
I have been a huge fan of Juan Pollo. I used to live in Upland and had a location very close. We used to eat there at least once a week. When I moved to Palm Springs I was disappointed that there was not one nearby. Yes, on more than one occasion I drove to Coachella for it! When I saw the coming soon in Cathedral City I was so excited! Any friends I introduce to Juan Pollo love it as well!
James Dodson
Palm Springs