Is Chili's At Home Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Chili's
This page reviews Chili's At Home Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas by Chili's as a food. Its current score is 60/100, suggesting that it looks generally acceptable but still includes some ingredients worth reviewing.
If you want the short version, start with these flagged ingredients: Cheddar Cheese Flavor, Modified Food Starch.
60 / 100
Why score is 60
The composition includes several processed ingredients like modified food starch and sodium phosphates, which raise quality concerns. The presence of natural flavors and sugars also indicates a less clean profile.
Main concern
Contains modified food starch, a processed thickener that raises quality concerns.
Why it matters: This ingredient is flagged in our analysis based on regulatory and scientific sources. Check the Ingredients section for details and see Data sources for methodology.
Regulation status: Ingredient safety is assessed from EU/EPA/CIR and similar databases; formulations may vary. Always read the product label.
Pros
- Contains chicken breast, providing a source of lean protein.
- Includes vegetables like poblano and red bell peppers, adding some nutritional value.
- Uses spices such as smoked paprika and chili powder for flavor enhancement.
- Incorporates natural ingredients like lemon juice concentrate and apple cider vinegar.
Concerns
- Contains modified food starch, a processed thickener that raises quality concerns.
- Includes sodium phosphates, which are synthetic additives with potential health implications.
- Presence of sugars and maltodextrin indicates added sweeteners, affecting overall quality.
- Dehydrated cheese flavor suggests artificial processing rather than natural cheese.
Who should avoid this product?
You may want to be cautious with this product if you are:
- people with sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivity
- people avoiding animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients breakdown
The ingredient notes below are written to explain what each ingredient does in this food and why it matters.
-
Is Corn Tortilla safe in this food?
Medium
Corn Tortilla is used here as base. Corn tortillas serve as the base for enchiladas, providing texture and flavor. However, the inclusion of cellulose gum raises concerns about processing.
Role in formula: base
Original: corn tortilla [corn, water, cellulose gum, trace of lime]
-
Is Chicken Breast With Rib Meat safe in this food?
Good
Chicken Breast With Rib Meat is used here as base. Natural chicken breast is a good source of protein, contributing to the overall nutritional profile of the dish.
Role in formula: base
Original: cooked seasoned natural* chicken [chicken breast with rib meat, water, sugar, rice starch, salt, lemon juice concentrate, vinegar, spices, natural flavors]
Read the full ingredient profile for Chicken Breast With Rib Meat
-
Is Monterey Jack Cheese safe in this food?
Medium
Monterey Jack Cheese is used here as base. Monterey jack cheese adds creaminess and flavor, but the presence of sodium phosphates indicates processing that may affect quality.
Role in formula: base
Original: monetary jack cheese [cultured milk, water, milkfat, skim milk, sodium, sodium phosphates, salt, enzymes]
-
Is Poblano Peppers safe in this food?
Good
Poblano Peppers is used here as base. Poblano peppers add flavor and nutritional benefits, enhancing the overall quality of the dish.
Role in formula: base
Original: poblano peppers
-
Is Red Bell Peppers safe in this food?
Good
Red Bell Peppers is used here as base. Red bell peppers contribute vitamins and antioxidants, improving the nutritional value of the enchiladas.
Role in formula: base
Original: red bell peppers
-
Is Cheddar Cheese Flavor safe in this food?
Bad
Cheddar Cheese Flavor is used here as flavor. Dehydrated cheddar cheese flavor is a processed ingredient that may not provide the same quality as natural cheese, raising concerns about artificial additives.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: cheddar cheese flavor [dehydrated blend of whey, cheese {granular and blue [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes]}, sunflower oil, maltodextrin, salt, sodium phosphate, citric acid, lactic acid]
-
Is Canola Oil safe in this food?
Medium
Canola Oil is used here as base. Canola oil is a common cooking oil, but its refined nature raises concerns about processing and potential health effects.
Role in formula: base
Original: canola oil
-
Is Modified Food Starch safe in this food?
Bad
Modified Food Starch is used here as thickener. Modified food starch is a processed thickening agent that may raise concerns about its impact on health and quality.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: modified food starch
-
Is Smoked Paprika safe in this food?
Good
Smoked Paprika is used here as flavor. Smoked paprika adds a rich flavor profile and is a natural ingredient, enhancing the overall quality of the dish.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: smoked paprika [paprika, natural smoke flavor]
-
Is Chili Powder safe in this food?
Good
Chili Powder is used here as flavor. Chili powder provides heat and flavor, contributing positively to the dish's overall profile.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: chili powder [chili peppers, spices, salt, garlic powder]
-
Is Xanthan Gum safe in this food?
Medium
Xanthan Gum is used here as thickener. Xanthan gum is a thickening agent that can improve texture but is a processed ingredient that raises quality concerns.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: xanthan gum
-
Is Granulated Garlic safe in this food?
Good
Granulated Garlic is used here as flavor. Granulated garlic enhances flavor naturally, contributing positively to the overall quality of the dish.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: granulated garlic
-
Is Granulated Onion safe in this food?
Good
Granulated Onion is used here as flavor. Granulated onion adds depth of flavor and is a natural ingredient, supporting the dish's quality.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: granulated onion
-
Is Tomatoes safe in this food?
Good
Tomatoes is used here as base. Tomatoes provide moisture and flavor, along with vitamins, enhancing the nutritional profile of the enchiladas.
Role in formula: base
Original: tomatoes (tomatoes, tomato juice, citric acid, calcium chloride)
-
Is Black Beans safe in this food?
Good
Black Beans is used here as base. Black beans are a good source of fiber and protein, contributing positively to the dish's nutritional value.
Role in formula: base
Original: black beans (black beans, water)
-
Is Dark Brown Sugar safe in this food?
Medium
Dark Brown Sugar is used here as sweetener. Dark brown sugar adds sweetness but is a processed ingredient that raises concerns about added sugars in the dish.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: dark brown sugar
-
Is Chipotle Adobo Puree safe in this food?
Good
Chipotle Adobo Puree is used here as flavor. Chipotle adobo puree adds a smoky flavor and is made from natural ingredients, enhancing the overall quality.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: chipotle adobo puree (water, onion, dried chipotle pepper, tomato paste, canola oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, garlic puree, natural smoke flavoring, white pepper, oregano, bay leaves)
-
Is Parsley safe in this food?
Good
Parsley is used here as base. Parsley adds freshness and is a natural ingredient, contributing positively to the dish's flavor profile.
Role in formula: base
Original: parsley
-
Is Wheat Gluten safe in this food?
Medium
Wheat Gluten is used here as base. Wheat gluten is a protein source but may raise concerns for those with gluten sensitivities or allergies.
Role in formula: base
Original: wheat gluten
How we score
Our safety scores and ingredient breakdowns are based on regulatory and scientific sources. See Data sources & methodology and How Zerotox works for full details.
Product info
Product ID: 3408619
More from this brand: Chili's products in Zerotox
Similar products: food in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: wheat
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.