Right after the introduction of Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets, I felt it was inevitable that Taco Bell would eventually follow up with chicken tenders and shared that with no one who could confirm I actually thought that. Why did I come to this conclusion back then? Well, I had a gut feeling because Taco Bell didn’t stuff those chicken nuggets into a flour tortilla that ended up in my gut.
So here we are with the chain’s new Crispy Chicken Strips made in the same way as its nuggets. And they also come stuffed in tortillas! You can purchase them as a two-strip pack with your choice of dipping sauce. Or you can get one of them in a taco with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, purple cabbage, and your choice of Spicy Ranchero Sauce or Avocado Ranch. Or you can get two of them in a burrito with the same stuff that’s in the taco. Since I felt like I needed to spice up my life, I decided to order the taco and burrito with the Spicy Ranchero Sauce. However, I also picked up an order of chicken strips.
Let’s start with the Chicken Strips on their own, which I got with a Spicy Ranch Sauce. Compared with the chain’s nuggets, which have a satisfying crunch, these strips had an exterior that was less so. It also didn’t stick to the chicken very well, as after my first bite, I noticed the coating started to peel off from the poultry. Of course, your results may vary.
The lightly seasoned coating, infused with Mexican spices, tastes fine and is similar to the nuggets, but it is enhanced by a sauce. While they taste fine and the poultry is tender, I don’t think I’d repurchase them because an order is just TWO pieces that made the sleeve they came in look very roomy.
Although it’s the same chicken, I enjoyed the strips much more in the taco and burrito. Oddly, even though they have the same ingredients, I preferred the messier taco over the burrito because I felt like I could better taste all the ingredients in it.
The highlight of both was the Spicy Ranchero Sauce, which complements the spices in the chicken’s coating. The peppery and smoky condiment made every bite a tasty one, and while “spicy” is in its name, I thought it was pretty mild. No Baja Blast Mountain Dew is needed. There were also acidic bursts from the tomatoes in the pico de gallo and an intense cheesiness from the cheddar.
As for texture, I felt that the chicken maintained most of its crispiness in the taco better than in the burrito. That makes sense since I know through personal experience with bubble wrap that it can get quite stuffy in a burrito. However, not all crunch is lost with the burrito because the purple cabbage does maintain some in the flour tortilla sauna.
Overall, if you want to experience Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Strips, I’d recommend getting either the taco or burrito that features them. Again, getting them on their own seems like you’re not getting your money’s worth because it’s only two. Though, I think my gut would feel better if it came with three for the same price.
Purchased Price: $4.99 (Chicken Strips), $3.59 (Taco), $7.19 (Burrito)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Chicken Strips), 8 out of 10 (Taco), 7 out of 10 (Burrito)
Nutrition Facts: Crispy Chicken Strips – Not currently available on the Taco Bell website. Spicy Ranchero Crispy Chicken Taco – 240 calories, 10 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 640 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar (including less than 1 gram of added sugar), and 11 grams of protein. Spicy Ranchero Crispy Chicken Burrito – 500 calories, 20 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 1310 milligrams of sodium, 58 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar (including 1 gram of added sugar), and 23 grams of protein.
*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.
