By Lisa  Jennings

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IRVINE, Calif. (April  24, 2009) A national promotion of KFC’s new grilled chicken scheduled for Monday has competitors in Southern California crowing, “Let the chicken wars begin!”

KFC rolled out its new Kentucky Grilled Chicken nationally last week, so the chain’s 325 locations in Southern California have already begun serving the product. On April 27 — which the chicken chain has dubbed UNFry Day — stores across the country plan to offer free samples to promote the launch.

Southern California, however, is home to KFC rival El Pollo Loco, which has long worked to establish its citrus-marinated grilled chicken brand as a healthful alternative to fried chicken concepts. El Pollo Loco is joined here by veteran grilled-chicken chains Pollo Campero, Charo Chicken and hundreds of mom-and-pop restaurants featuring the flame-kissed birds.

Officials with the 418-unit El Pollo Loco chain, based in Costa Mesa, Calif., have thrown down the gauntlet, offering free samples of their grilled chicken on Tuesday and asking customers to vote for their favorite plate of poultry.

Beginning Sunday, Steve Carley, El Pollo Loco chief executive, will appear in television ads proclaiming the superiority of his brand’s “authentic grilled flavor” compared to KFC’s product, which he said was “cooked in an oven with no open flame.”

Carley invites customers to “Taste the Fire” by testing two free pieces of El Pollo Loco chicken, along with tortillas and salsa, at participating stores on Tuesday until 8 p.m. Guests are then encouraged to call 1-877-EPL-STEVE or visit www.twitter.com/elpollolocoinc to comment on which bird they like better.

“The competitor’s new cooked-in-an-oven chicken may boast grill marks, but we believe consumers will agree that the flavor is only skin deep compared to El Pollo Loco’s fresh, natural, deeply marinated chicken cooked to juicy perfection over an open grill,” Carley said.

By Lisa  Jennings

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What Carley doesn’t mention, however, is that El Pollo Loco units outside of Southern California are moving to a system in which the chicken is pre-cooked in a convection oven before being finished on the grill. The oven-to-grill cooking system was part of a prototype upgrade rolled out in 2005 to improve consistency and food-safety standards as the chain made a push for national expansion.

New units opening outside of Southern California have the oven-to-grill system, and new units within the core market are given the option of installing it. Most stores in Southern California, however, still use the original all-grilling method, said Karen Eadon, El Pollo Loco senior vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer.

Laurie Schalow, KFC spokeswoman, welcomed El Pollo Loco’s challenge.

Schalow explained that KFC’s chicken is “slow grilled” in new patented ovens on grill racks, which allows the meat to retain moisture and flavor.

She noted that KFC, a subsidiary of Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! Brands Inc. with 5,000 stores throughout the United States, considers the five-county Southern California market as “the nation’s chicken restaurant capital” with an estimated 700 chicken restaurants competing under various brands.

For that reason, the grilled chicken introduction among KFC stores in Southern California will be supported by a “no-holds-barred” advertising campaign, special events and promotions, the company said.

In addition to the free samples available on Monday at participating locations, KFC locations in Southern California will be offering four free drumstick and thigh pieces of grilled chicken with the purchase of every eight-piece or larger KFC meal from April 27 through May 31, excluding units in Palm Springs and San Diego.

Joining in the fray is the Lake Forest, Calif.-based Del Taco chain, which last week launched “Chicken Soft Taco Thursdays,” highlighting its grilled, marinated chicken menu.

On Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Del Taco locations will offer three chicken soft tacos for $2.09. Typically the tacos are priced at a recommended 99 cents each. In addition, Del Taco is also featuring a limited-time offer all week of two Classic Chicken Burritos for $5 at participating locations.

Contact Lisa Jennings at ljenning@nrn.com.