Taco Bell Goes All-American with New Chicken Nuggets
Taco Bell is branching out from its traditional Mexican-inspired menu with the introduction of chicken nuggets, a limited-time offering starting Thursday. The nuggets are marinated in a zesty jalapeño buttermilk flavor and coated in tortilla chips and breadcrumbs, giving them a unique twist on the classic fast food staple.
The chain is entering a crowded market dominated by McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Chick-Fil-A, but is doing so with a plan to expand its poultry portfolio as younger eaters increasingly prefer chicken over red meat. Taco Bell’s former CEO Mark King noted that a “large percentage of our business is beef, and the Gen Z consumer wants chicken,” leading to the introduction of the “Cantina Chicken Menu” in March.
The Cantina Chicken Menu, which uses oven-roasted, shredded chicken, helped boost sales by 5% during the quarter it was rolled out, with nearly one in four orders including an item from the menu. To complement the new nuggets, Taco Bell is also introducing three new dips: Bell Sauce, jalapeño-infused honey mustard sauce, and spicy ranch sauce made in partnership with Hidden Valley.
Prices for the nuggets vary by city, with a suggested retail price of $3.99 for five nuggets with one sauce and $6.99 for 10 nuggets with two sauces. A value meal featuring the nuggets, along with other items, is also available for $10.49. This is not the first time Taco Bell has offered something similar to chicken nuggets, with the “Naked Chicken Chips” being a limited-time offering in 2017.
