Chili’s holds a lot of fond memories for me, as I spent plenty of Friday nights there with my parents, eating a burger while they dug into their fajitas.
(That sizzling sound as fajitas were carried by got them every time!)
Over time, of course, I branched out and tried all kinds of new foods (as I’m sure loads of people did), and developed all kinds of new favorites.
Unfortunately, many of them are now, sadly, gone.
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I know I’m not alone in missing a lot of the good old food from the good old days, so I thought I’d put together a list of their dishes I know I and others miss.
It’s not a complete list of everything that’s gone off-menu at Chili’s over the years, of course, because (A) that would be a really, really long article, (B) not everything Chili’s tried was good, and (C) some things are seasonal and we know are likely coming back at some point.
This is really about stuff I’m pretty sure isn’t coming back…pretty much ever.
And if I missed a dish you loved and cared about, leave a comment and let me know!
With that, let’s dig right in, starting with…
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The thing I always loved about Chili’s southwest chicken soup was that it had just the right amount of heat (they must have put a dash of some hot sauce in it)…it was warm, filling, and perfect for a winter day.
Their chicken enchilada soup just isn’t the same.
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Chili’s nachos were a longtime favorite of mine – loaded with all the good stuff you’d expect.
You still can get most of the ingredients in other dishes (for example, their skillet beef queso and their white skillet queso will cover…most of your cheese needs), but there’s something special about nachos exactly as they are.
Sadly, all gone.
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Who doesn’t love fried pickles?
I used to love getting this delicious appetizer at Chili’s, but unfortunately they went off-menu in 2023.
(And they even took them off the burger too!)
Despite lots of fan blowback, they haven’t returned since.
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Chili’s buffalo chicken salad was one of those favorites for when you wanted some heat…and some fried chicken…but still wanted a fresh and delicious salad to pair it with instead of something heavier (fries, baked potato, etc).
It was a great balance.
Unfortunately, they really haven’t replaced it with something equivalent – the Santa Fe Crispers salad is probably the closest, but it lacks that great level of heat.
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Chili’s smothered chicken burrito (which went off-menu in 2017) was my personal favorite (just something about the specific combination of chicken and cheese), but true fans can lament the loss of all their burritos.
I’m sorry, the fajitas just are not a sufficiently good consolation prize!
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The pork carnitas tacos may not have been my personal favorite – whenever I have carnitas, I end up wishing I was having steak instead – but they were beloved by a ton of Chili’s patrons.
(I personally usually went for the prime rib tacos, which were also cancelled in 2017.)
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Maybe this is wrong, but I’ve always felt that you can taste the difference when a burger comes from a cow that was fed an all-natural diet. I just think that organic, grass-fed, free-range meat tastes better.
So it was disappointing to see the grass-fed burger go!
Of course, there are still plenty of burger options – the Oldtimer with cheese is my go-to.
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Ok, I know you don’t have to go to Chili’s to get a club sandwich, but this was (weirdly enough) one of my brother’s absolutely favorite meals at Chili’s.
Couldn’t tell you why.
But I knew he’d never forgive me if I didn’t include it!
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I’ve always been a sucker for crusted steaks – the combination of flavors and textures just always gets me.
So I was sad to see this one go, for sure!
But in all fairness, Chili’s has plenty of steak options – get the surf & turf sirloin if you’re hungry, you won’t regret it. (Especially because it’s only 450 calories before you add sides…)
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So there you have it – nine Chili’s dishes I’m pretty sure are never coming back.
And they will truly be missed.
Of course, that begs the big question:
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What beloved, now discontinued, Chili’s dishes have I missed?
Let me know in the comments!
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Spicy Shrimp tacos; Seafood Pasta; a combination platter with lots of different options. You could have two or three choices plus two sides.
CHILI! It’s the name of the place, for crying out loud! But they saw fit to eliminate their signature dish. No real reason for us to go there anymore. They had great genuine Texas style chili. Sad!
Grilled chicken sandwich
Chili’s Trip is long gone: It was a fork & knife burger with chili, cheese & onions on it.