Taco Bell Is Testing Tortilla Chip-Covered Chicken Tenders And Fried Chicken Tacos
Lest you think all the fried chicken talk had died down for the year, Taco Bell is coming out of the woodwork with one more option for fast food connoisseurs to try: Crispy Tortilla Chicken.
In a move that screams, "duh, yes, I want this in my mouth right now," Taco Bell is marinating pieces of chicken breast in a jalapeño buttermilk ranch sauce then coating it in crunchy tortilla chips and panko bread crumbs. The Crispy Tortilla Chicken, as it's been dubbed, will be served two ways: as chicken tenders, offered in 2-piece ($2.99) or 3-piece ($3.99) orders, or in a chicken taco ($1.99).
Taco Bell's Chief Food Innovation Officer Liz Matthews said consumers spoken to during the development stages were adamant there be a dipping sauce along with the tenders—it is, in fact, a crucial part of the chicken tender experience. So, there are three options to choose from: avocado ranch, creamy chipotle, and a new chili ranch that Matthews described to Delish as creamy, savory, and not too spicy.
The taco will be similar to a classic soft taco with lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, and an avocado ranch sauce. For both, Taco Bell promises a crispy, crunchy texture you'll love. They went through about 60 iterations, Matthews said, before landing on the one coming to restaurants soon. The coating is different from the Taco Bell chips you can buy in stores, but it is a corn tortilla chip with a "familiar Taco Bell taste."
Before you run out to your nearest T.Bell, though, I have some slightly bad news: For now (starting Thursday, November 21), the fried chicken will only be sold in Dayton, OH, and Houston, TX. It will be on menus in the two test markets for at least five or six weeks, Taco Bell says, with the plan being to add Crispy Tortilla Chicken to menus nationwide sometime in 2020. And unlike our favorite, if unreliable, friend the Nacho Fry, this one may stay around permanently, Taco Bell says.
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