El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans (Copycat)

El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are a classic side option that are sweet and a bit of heat from scratch. The cult favorite no longer on the menu!

El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are a classic side option that are sweet and a bit of heat from scratch. The cult favorite no longer on the menu!

El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are the perfect summer side dish to your favorite grilled foods!  As a lifelong Californian I grew up eating El Pollo Loco all the time. It was the healthier fast food option  with grilled chicken, salads, spanish rice and baked beans you had no reason to feel any guilt after the fact.

Even when I moved away for college I would come home and immediately crave theEl Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans and chicken. My local location got to know my order. Then they did the unthinkable and took it off the menu. I searched for months until I came up with the right copycat recipe for them before I forgot the distinct flavor they have. El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are sweet with a bit of a kick. You'll love these bbq beans!

If you are a fan of El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans you are going to love this recipe and the ones coming up next week for the classic chicken and spicy green avocado sauce! I’m recreating my favorite meal and I’m guessing if you’re looking at this post you’ll be thrilled to see those too!

Looking for more summer side dish options?

We loved these El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans and make them all the time!

Tools used in the making of these El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans:
Dutch Oven: A good dutch oven that heats evenly will keep these beans from burning on the stove top. This one is my go to (I have THREE of them because of work, any kind of soup or frying is done in this pot.
Better Than Bouillon: I almost never buy boxes of broth because I keep the beef, chicken and vegetable version of this Better Than Bouillon.
Louisiana Hot Sauce: I LOVE this stuff and it won’t add too much heat like Tabasco can.
Canned Green Chiles: I use this brand for all my Mexican cooking, the flavors are the most balanced.

El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are a classic side option that are sweet and a bit of heat from scratch. The cult favorite no longer on the menu!
4 from 6 votes
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El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans

El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are a classic side option that are sweet and a bit of heat from scratch. The cult favorite no longer on the menu!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans (Copycat)
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 262 kcal
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces black beans , not drained
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons bacon fat
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons minced canned green chiles
  • 1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a dutch oven and cook on a simmer for 60 minutes or until thick and the beans are tender.

Nutrition Facts
El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans
Amount Per Serving
Calories 262 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 326mg14%
Potassium 491mg14%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 10g42%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 45IU1%
Vitamin C 6.1mg7%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 2.7mg15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are the perfect summer side dish!

We went crazy for these El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans!
Loved these El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans, so easy and a perfect copycat!
El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are so easy to make and the perfect copycat!

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Love this recipe but I find that I need to cook it for 2-3 hrs. To make the sauce a little thicker and richer. I also add thicker cut bacon since I need the grease anyway.

  2. Couple questions…how to make healthier without bacon fat? How does this thicken with all the liquid? I want to make it, but I’m curious before I attempt. Thank you.

  3. TheSe are now our favorite way to fix black beans. Delicious!
    Wondering if the lid should be on the beans while simmering? They take a lot longer with the lid on.

  4. These were delicious! I added 2 more cans of black brands because there was so much liquid. And simmered for hours to reduce and thicken. But the flavor is so good!

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