Claire Thompson
Taco Bell is jumping on the chicken wrap bandwagon with its new Crispy Chicken Taco. The wrap features a Crispy Chicken Strip topped with purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and shredded Cheddar cheese on a tortilla, served with Spicy Ranchero or Avocado Ranch sauce. The Crispy Chicken Strip is marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with tortilla chip breadcrumbs before being fried. The new menu item is part of Taco Bell's limited-time offer, which includes the Crispy Chicken Taco and the Crispy Chicken Burrito, which is double the size of the taco with two Crispy Chicken Strips.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Crispy Chicken Taco |
| Main Ingredient | Crispy Chicken Strip |
| Other Ingredients | Purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded Cheddar cheese |
| Sauces | Spicy Ranchero, Avocado Ranch |
| Availability | Limited time |
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What You'll Learn
Crispy Chicken Strips
Taco Bell's Crispy Chicken Strips are made with all-white-meat chicken and marinated in jalapeño buttermilk before being coated with tortilla chip breadcrumbs and fried. The strips can be ordered on their own or with one of two sauces: Spicy Ranchero Sauce, made with Anaheim and jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and onion; or Avocado Ranch Sauce, a mild, creamy ranch sauce with a hint of avocado.
The Crispy Chicken Strips are the star of Taco Bell's new chicken menu, which also includes the Crispy Chicken Taco and Crispy Chicken Burrito. The strips are the main ingredient in both of these dishes, which are essentially the same as the taco and burrito versions of the chain's previous Crispy Chicken Nuggets. The taco and burrito are larger than the nuggets and contain two strips each, along with other ingredients.
The Crispy Chicken Strips are part of Taco Bell's entry into the "chicken wrap wars." The chain has been testing chicken strips for a few years, with the Crispy Chicken Bacon Club Burrito in March 2025, and the Crispy Chicken Tacos and Burritos in May 2025. The new menu items were launched nationwide on June 17, 2025, and will be available for a limited time only.
The Crispy Chicken Strips have been compared to the nuggets, with some people preferring the round shape of the nuggets, which seemed to result in juicier chicken. However, the strips are a popular new option, and with the success of the chain's previous chicken offerings, they are expected to be a hit.
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Spicy Ranchero Sauce
Taco Bell's new Crispy Chicken Taco and Crispy Chicken Burrito are served with Spicy Ranchero Sauce or Avocado Ranch Sauce. The Spicy Ranchero Sauce is a creamy condiment made with Anaheim and jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and onion. It is also available in an 8 fl oz squeeze bottle at Kroger and in a 12 fl oz bottle at Walmart.
The Crispy Chicken Taco features a Crispy Chicken Strip topped with purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and shredded Cheddar cheese on a tortilla. The Crispy Chicken Burrito has the same ingredients, except it features two strips in its larger tortilla. The strips are made with all-white-meat chicken and are marinated with jalapeño-buttermilk flavor before being coated with breadcrumbs and bits of crispy tortilla chips.
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Avocado Ranch Sauce
Taco Bell is introducing three new menu items, including the Crispy Chicken Taco, which is served with a Crispy Chicken Strip topped with purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and shredded Cheddar cheese on a tortilla. The tortilla wrap is served with a choice of two sauces: Spicy Ranchero or Avocado Ranch.
Ingredients:
- 1 avocado, mashed
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream or Greek yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons of buttermilk or milk
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder or minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder or finely chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried dill
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- In a medium-sized bowl, mash the avocado until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Chicken Wrap Wars
The fast-food chicken wrap wars are heating up this summer, with Taco Bell joining the battle against McDonald's and Popeyes. Taco Bell is introducing three new menu items: Crispy Chicken Strips, Crispy Chicken Taco, and Crispy Chicken Burrito. The star of the launch is the Crispy Chicken Strips, which are marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with tortilla chip breadcrumbs before being fried. The strips can be ordered on their own or with the new Spicy Ranchero Sauce, made with Anaheim and jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and onion, or Avocado Ranch sauce, a mild, creamy ranch sauce.
The Crispy Chicken Taco features a single strip topped with purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and shredded cheddar cheese on a tortilla, served with a choice of the two sauces. The Crispy Chicken Burrito has essentially the same ingredients, except that it features two strips in its larger tortilla. Both items can be slathered with one of Taco Bell's suggested sauces.
Taco Bell's foray into the chicken wrap wars comes as no surprise, as the chain has been testing chicken strips for years, with the Crispy Chicken Bacon Club Burrito in March 2025, and the final market test in Charlotte, North Carolina, in May 2025. The chicken wrap wars are an emerging trend in the fast-food industry, with McDonald's and Popeyes already offering chicken wraps. McDonald's is bringing back its fan-favorite Snack Wrap on July 10, while Popeyes introduced its chicken wraps on June 2, with a Cajun-fried twist.
While Taco Bell's new chicken wraps are a limited-time offering, the chain promises more crispy chicken options in the future. The wrap wars are intensifying, and it remains to be seen which fast-food chain will come out on top. Taco Bell's entry into the chicken wrap wars adds a new dimension to the competition, and customers will ultimately decide the winner based on their taste preferences and loyalty. The battle for chicken wrap supremacy is on, and it's up to consumers to choose their favorite.
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Chicken Sandwich Wars
The chicken sandwich has been a staple of fast-food menus for decades. However, in recent years, the competition between fast-food chains to dominate the market with the best chicken sandwich has intensified, giving rise to what has been dubbed the "Chicken Sandwich Wars".
The Chicken Sandwich Wars began in August 2019, when Popeyes launched its now-famous fried chicken sandwich. The debut went largely unnoticed until rival Chick-fil-A took to Twitter to claim it as their original creation. Popeyes responded with a tweet dripping with Southern charm, and a social media frenzy ensued. Within a week, Popeyes locations saw huge lines of customers, with many stores selling out of their fried chicken sandwiches for the day. This success led to a 38% jump in Popeyes' same-store sales in Q4 2019.
In response to the popularity of the Popeyes chicken sandwich, other fast-food chains jumped on the bandwagon, adding or expanding their fried chicken sandwich offerings. By January 2021, more than 20 American fast-food brands had joined the fray, including Golden Chick, KFC, Fatburger, Church's Chicken, Wendy's, BurgerFi, Zaxby's, Fuku, Jack in the Box, Sonic, Carl's Jr., Shake Shack, Boston Market, McDonald's, Pollo Campero, Taco Bell, Bojangles, Panera Bread, Burger King, and Panda Express. The intense competition, coupled with supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, led to chicken shortages in the United States in the spring of 2021. Despite the high demand and low supply, Popeyes continued to expand its menu, purchasing and stockpiling chicken for a planned summer menu expansion.
While the Chicken Sandwich Wars have cooled down since 2021, with consumer preferences remaining relatively unchanged, analysts predict that high beef prices may reignite the conflict. As of June 2025, the battle has evolved into the Chicken Wrap Wars, with Taco Bell, McDonald's, and Popeyes all introducing chicken wraps to their menus. Taco Bell's Crispy Chicken Taco and Crispy Chicken Burrito feature their popular Crispy Chicken Strips, marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with tortilla chip breadcrumbs, topped with purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and shredded cheddar cheese. McDonald's and Popeyes have also released their versions of the chicken wrap, with Popeyes offering a Cajun-fried take.
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Frequently asked questions
The new Crispy Chicken Taco from Taco Bell features a Crispy Chicken Strip topped with purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and shredded Cheddar cheese on a tortilla, served with Spicy Ranchero or Avocado Ranch sauce.
The Crispy Chicken Strips are made from all-white-meat chicken, marinated with jalapeño-buttermilk flavor, and coated with breadcrumbs and tortilla chip crumbs before being fried.
No, the Crispy Chicken Tacos are only available for a limited time.
