Chicken Strips Are Coming to Taco Bell

The new test item is bathed in a brand-new sweet, spicy, and citrusy sauce.

Taco Bell isn’t calling you chicken, but it certainly has been testing a lot of new chicken menu items lately. After recently announcing the new Chicken Flatbread Melts, Taco Bell made another announcement a few days ago that it is testing chicken strips and a new chicken taco.

Taco Bell's New Chile Crisp Chicken

The two new menu items both feature new Chile Crisp Chicken, taking the form of Chile Crisp Chicken Tacos and Chile Crisp Chicken Strips. The taco features a crispy chicken strip nestled in a flour tortilla “smothered in the all-new Chile Crisp Sauce” and topped with spicy ranch, lettuce, and shredded Cheddar cheese (priced at $4.99 for two tacos).

For the new Chile Crisp Chicken Strips, the strips are layered with that same new Chile Crisp Sauce with a side of spicy ranch for all your dunking needs (priced at $4.99 for three chicken strips). The Chile Crisp Sauce itself is described as “sweet, spicy, and citrusy” with bits of guajillo, ancho, and Anaheim peppers, garlic, and lime.

According to Taco Bell, there’s a reason for all the new chicken-based menu item tests. A press release from the brand states, “An emerging trend the brand has its eyes on is how fans are craving chicken now more than ever. Today, Taco Bell sets to satisfy cravings by continuing to expand its chicken offerings through the unveiling of the limited time Chile Crisp Chicken Tacos and Chile Crisp Chicken Strips.”

The only downside to this announcement is the limited availability, which is to be expected with a new test run. The new products are only available for one week or while supplies last, and only at one restaurant in Newport Beach, CA. If you’re in Newport Beach, check out the location at 4101 Jamboree Rd, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Provided the new menu items perform well, we’re hoping for a larger release down the road.