Taco Bell is the latest fast-food giant to enter the crispy chicken wars of 2025, joining a crowded field that includes McDonald's and Popeyes.
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Beginning June 17, Taco Bell will roll out three new crispy chicken items and debut a new sauce designed to turn up the heat this summer.
What's New on Taco Bell Menu
The chain's newest offering centers around crispy chicken strips. The items include:
- Crispy Chicken Strips: Breaded chicken strips served with a side of sauce.
- Crispy Chicken Taco: A single strip inside a tortilla, with purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and cheddar cheese.
- Crispy Chicken Burrito: Two strips wrapped in a flour tortilla with cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and cheese.
The launch builds on its earlier reintroduction of chicken nuggets and reflects the brand's broader push into the chicken category. Sounds just like McDonald's, huh?
Of course, McDonald's new chicken offering hasn't exactly drawn praise. Kind of the opposite.
Anyway, Taco Bell says crispy chicken will become a permanent menu fixture nationwide starting in 2026.
New Sauce Brings the Heat
Alongside the new items, Taco Bell will debut its Spicy Rancero Sauce, described as a creamy blend of Anaheim and jalapeno chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and onion. The sauce will be available with each of the new crispy chicken dishes.
The chain will also bring back its fan-favorite Avocado Ranch Sauce, pairing it with the new chicken offerings.
Fast-Food Giants Play Game of Chicken
McDonald's helped ignite the latest chicken craze with its McCrispy chicken strips and the return of its popular Snack Wraps. Popeyes followed with a chicken wrap of its own.
Now, Taco Bell is stepping in with its signature spin, blending Mexican-inspired flavor with a crispy crunch.
The chain has teased additional menu innovations in the months ahead as part of its long-term strategy to diversify its offerings. Executives say the summer rollout marks just the beginning.
Taco Bell operates over 8,200 locations worldwide, with more than 94% run by franchisees. Founded in 1962 in Downey, California, it now serves over two billion customers annually, and it hopes this crispy chicken push will draw even more.
