Throughout its more than 60-year history, Taco Bell has gained a devoted following for its fast-food spins on tacos, burritos, and other Mexican-inspired dishes and flavors. But starting this week, the chain is venturing into new menu territory with the launch of a classic fast-food chicken item.
Taco Bell’s long-awaited Crispy Chicken Nuggets will finally hit menus nationwide on Dec. 19. The chain previously tested the new offering in both Houston and Minneapolis, but this will be the first time that they’re available throughout the entire United States.
Chicken nuggets are a menu staple at many of Taco Bell’s rival fast-food chains, including McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Chick-fil-A. But Taco Bell, in true form, has put its own unique spin on the item with the Crispy Chicken Nuggets. They start with all-white meat chicken bites that are marinated in zesty jalapeño buttermilk flavor and coated in a blend of crunchy tortilla chips and breadcrumbs. This creates “the ideal balance of flavor and crisp that take the everyday chicken nugget to the next level,” per a Taco Bell press release.
“As the inventors of Nacho Fries, Taco Bell is fully aware that reinventing an American classic with a Taco Bell twist is a responsibility we don’t take lightly. But in a world dominated by chicken cravings, it was time to show the world how Taco Bell does chicken nuggets—unexpected and undeniably bold,” Taco Bell’s Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery said in a statement.
To accompany its new nuggets, Taco Bell will also launch three brand-new dipping sauces on Dec 19. The chain said it tested more than 100 different sauce options before settling on the final trio.
One is a Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce that blends Taco Bell’s Fire Sauce with classic Hidden Valley Ranch. There’s also a Jalapeño Honey Mustard with a chili pepper “kick,” plus a Bell Sauce described as a “familiar, rich, creamy and tangy signature blend with subtle chili notes crafted with tomatoes, red chiles, and garlic.”
The nuggets and sauces will only be available for a limited time and while supplies last, so interested customers should act fast once they hit menus later this week. Diners who want to try the nuggets a la carte can snag a five-piece order with one dipping sauce for a suggested price of $3.99, or a 10-piece order with two dipping sauces for $6.99.
The nuggets can also be purchased in 5-piece or 10-piece combos for suggested prices of $5.99 and $8.99, respectively. The combos come with an order of regular Nacho Fries (330 calories), nacho cheese sauce, and a large fountain drink. Additionally, Taco Bell is offering a new Crispy Chicken Nugget Deluxe Meal that comes with five nuggets, one dipping sauce, a Crunchy Taco (170 calories), a Beef Chalupa (360 calories), regular Nacho Fries, and a medium fountain drink for a suggested price of $10.49.
As a final bonus, Taco Bell has a few Crispy Chicken Nugget promotions lined up for fans over the next month. On Jan. 21, the first 20,000 rewards members to redeem Taco Bell’s weekly Tuesday Drop can score a five-piece order for just $1. From Jan. 1 through Jan. 22, the chain will also offer $1 orders of Nacho Fries with the purchase of any a la carte nugget order. Customers can check out the release for additional details on Taco Bell’s upcoming Crispy Chicken Nugget deals.
Zoe Strozewski
Zoe Strozewski is a News Writer for Eat This, Not That! A Chicago native who now lives in New Jersey, she graduated from Kean University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Read more about Zoe
