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Taco Bell will soon add an item to its menu that might catch some customers by surprise.
The fast-food chain, known for its Mexican-inspired cuisine, will begin offering crispy chicken nuggets at Taco Bell restaurants nationwide on Thursday. They will remain on the menu “for a limited time and while supplies last,” according to the Yum! Brands-owned company.
Taco Bell said it will make the new item with a “zesty jalapeño buttermilk flavor” marinade and bread them with a “blend of breadcrumbs and crunchy tortilla chips.”
Taco Bell’s nuggets launch for a limited time on Dec. 19 (Taco Bell)
Three dipping sauces – Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce, Bell Sauce and Jalapeño Honey Mustard – will debut at the same time as the chicken nuggets.
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The limited-time introduction of the nuggets to U.S. menus comes after Taco Bell conducted market testing in Minneapolis last year and Houston earlier this year. About 87% of Taco Bell’s 8,565 restaurants are located in the U.S.
Sign for the fast food brand Taco Bell on 18th May 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell. (Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Customers will be able to purchase nuggets a la cart as well as part of a combo and a deluxe meal, the chain said.
A standalone five-count of the crispy chicken nuggets will cost $3.99 and come with one dipping sauce. For $6.99, customers can get 10 nuggets and two sauces.
The combo will feature either five or 10 nuggets paired with regular Nacho Fries, nacho cheese sauce and a large fountain drink. It will have a $5.99 or $8.99 price tag, depending on the size.
Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets Combo (Taco Bell)
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Meanwhile, Taco Bell also will offer a $10.49 crispy chicken nugget deluxe meal containing five nuggets, a dipping sauce, a Crunchy Taco, Beef Chalupa, regular Nacho Fries and a medium fountain drink, the chain said.
Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets Deluxe Meal (Taco Bell)
“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,” Taco Bell Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery said in a statement. “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.”
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The nuggets will compete with similar items offered by other fast-food giants like McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s and Burger King.
Chicken has become an increasingly popular category at fast-food restaurants. In late October, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski described it as a “massive category worldwide that’s twice the size of beef and growing much faster.”
