Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Tacos & Burrito: Full Review & Taste Test
Dive deep into Taco Bell's latest crispy chicken tacos and burrito lineup—taste, texture, sauces, and verdict.
Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Tacos & Burrito: A Comprehensive Review
Taco Bell, recognized for its creative spins on classic Mexican-American fast food, recently unveiled its limited-time lineup of Crispy Chicken Tacos and Crispy Chicken Burritos. These items aim to stake Taco Bell’s claim in the competitive world of fast food chicken wraps, offering a new twist that goes beyond its typical ground beef and seasoned chicken fare. But do they deliver, and are they worth your next order?
What Are Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Tacos and Burritos?
This summer, Taco Bell introduced elongated versions of their Crispy Chicken Nuggets—now transformed into Crispy Chicken Strips. Made from all-white meat marinated in jalapeño-buttermilk and coated in breadcrumbs and crunchy tortilla chips, these strips can be ordered solo, as a taco, or packed into a burrito.
- Crispy Chicken Taco: One strip, flour tortilla, purple cabbage, crisp lettuce, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese, and your choice of sauce.
- Crispy Chicken Burrito: Two strips, larger flour tortilla, same veggies and cheese as the taco, plus your preferred sauce.
- Sauces: Choose between Spicy Ranchero (creamy, tomato-jalapeño) or Avocado Ranch (milder, creamy and cool).
The goal: bring bold flavors and textures together within a hefty handheld meal.
First Impressions: Appearance & Build
Upon unwrapping a Crispy Chicken Taco, the immediate impression is freshness, with pico de gallo, cabbage, and lettuce all visually dominant. The flour tortilla is soft and pliable, typical of Taco Bell’s style. The chicken strip, however, is almost hidden beneath the generous veggie layer and strands of cheddar cheese. Sauces are well distributed but not overwhelming.
For the Crispy Chicken Burrito, the presentation is tidier but more compact, even though it should theoretically feel bigger. Inside, two strips are packed with similar “sloppy” slaw and cheese, all enveloped in a tortilla that sometimes feels excessive—especially when pressed and grilled for extra cohesion.
The Taste Test: Taco vs. Burrito vs. Strips
- Crispy Chicken Strips (à la carte):
The strips are standout hits, delivering crunch and flavor. The breading, featuring crunchy tortilla chips, offers an earthy, umami-driven taste, with a slight warmth but not overwhelming spice. Marinated with Taco Bell’s signature seasonings, the all-white meat is juicy and not overly salty. Texturally, they avoid the common fast-food pitfall of being either mushy or too firm. Each strip holds up well solo or dipped in sauce.
Nutritional snapshot: Two strips = 470 calories; add Spicy Ranch = 680 calories total. - Crispy Chicken Taco:
On first bite, the taco is veggie-forward, sometimes to the detriment of the chicken’s crunch and flavor. The strip itself struggles to assert itself against the damp mix of cabbage, lettuce, and pico, making for a texturally muddled experience. Sauces make a difference—Spicy Ranchero “spices things up” while Avocado Ranch is subtle but doesn’t markedly improve flavor. Overly spicy sauce can dominate the palate, further muting chicken and cheese.
Nutritional snapshot: One taco = 240 calories; 10g fat; 11g protein; high sodium (~28% DV). - Crispy Chicken Burrito:
The burrito is more substantial, with a better chicken-to-veggie ratio. Grilling or pressing boosts texture, helping the cheese melt and ingredients meld for a more satisfying bite. Again, sauces matter—a burrito with Spicy Ranchero is much bolder, but can feel oversauced and sometimes overwhelming. The Avocado Ranch provides better balance for some palates. There’s still a sense of “too much tortilla,” and chicken strips don’t always stand out against the soft wrap. The burrito feels heftier and less messy, ideal for on-the-go eating.
Nutritional snapshot: Spicy Ranchero Burrito = ~500 calories; 20g fat; 23g protein; high sodium.
Texture Profile: Crunch Factor and Veggie Medley
The base of Taco Bell’s new crispy chicken offering—the strips themselves—delivers the promised crunch thanks to the tortilla chip coating. Flavors are warmly spiced but not fiery, echoing classic Taco Bell seasonings. In taco form, the crunch frequently gets lost amid damp veggies and tortilla, while the burrito’s excess wrap can sometimes mute both the breading’s crispness and the savory chicken. Veggies in both are fresh but sometimes a little “wet,” creating uneven bites.
Sauce Showdown: Spicy Ranchero vs. Avocado Ranch
| Sauce | Flavor Profile | Best With | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spicy Ranchero | Bold, creamy, tomato-jalapeño heat, garlic, onion | Burritos, chicken strips | Can overpower milder ingredients, uneven distribution |
| Avocado Ranch | Milder, creamy, cooling;avocado tang | Tacos, burritos where balance is needed | Less punch, may get lost among veggies |
Pro Tip: Most reviewers preferred Spicy Ranchero with the burrito for extra zest, but recommended Avocado Ranch for a milder, more harmonious bite.
Nutrition & Dietary Considerations
- High Sodium: Most crispy chicken menu items provide a significant chunk of the daily recommended sodium—be mindful if you’re watching salt intake.
- Hefty Portions: Both burrito and taco options are filling, thanks to substantial chicken and tortilla.
- Veggie Boost: Added lettuce, cabbage, and pico bring some balance and freshness, but don’t offset the richness of sauces and breaded chicken.
- Calories: Expect 240–500 calories per item, with strips adding 210 calories for dipping sauce selections.
Overall Value & Price Point
For fast food pricing, these items offer decent bang for your buck, with ingredients and portion size feeling satisfactory for the cost. The burrito, in particular, stands out for delivering a more cohesive eating experience—less messy, more filling, and better suited for those looking for more chicken per bite. Tacos can feel underwhelming if you’re after a pronounced chicken flavor or crunch.
Reviewer Verdicts: What’s Worth Ordering?
- Chicken Strips Alone: Arguably the best part of the new lineup, perfect for dipping. Preferred to Taco Bell’s recent nuggets and compared favorably to chicken tenders at other chains.
- Burrito Over Taco: The burrito wins on practicality, flavor distribution, and portion size.
- Stick With Favorites? While the crispy chicken line isn’t “bad,” many would stick to classic Taco Bell options like the Crunchwrap Supreme or regular tacos.
At the end of the day, Taco Bell’s entry into the crispy chicken wrap competition is solid but doesn’t reinvent the wheel. The chicken strips themselves are the true stars, suggesting Taco Bell could further refine wrap/taco construction to better highlight their strength.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Are Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Tacos & Burritos spicy?
A: They’re more zesty than truly spicy. The Spicy Ranchero Sauce brings notable heat, but the chicken and veggie mix stay fairly mild overall.
Q: Which sauce is better—the Spicy Ranchero or Avocado Ranch?
A: Spicy Ranchero adds bold heat and flavor, especially to burritos, but can overpower some bites. Avocado Ranch is milder and better for those wanting a subtle tang.
Q: Are the portions generous?
A: Both the taco and burrito are designed to be filling—especially the burrito, which holds two chicken strips per serving and more tortilla.
Q: How do these compare to other Taco Bell menu items?
A: The chicken strips themselves are excellent. However, as tacos or burritos they don’t outrank classics like the Crunchwrap Supreme or ground beef tacos for most regulars.
Q: Would you recommend trying them?
A: Yes, if you’re seeking something different or enjoy fast food chicken. Try the burrito with Avocado Ranch for the best balance; sample the strips alone for pure crunch and flavor.
Final Thoughts: Should You Order the Crispy Chicken Line?
Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken lineup is an ambitious effort to tackle the chicken wrap trend. Great chicken texture, satisfying sauces, and fresh veggies are its strengths. The burrito is the clear winner among the new wraps, while chicken strips shine best solo. For fans of Taco Bell or crispy chicken, these items are worth a taste during the limited-time run—but loyalists may continue to gravitate toward staple menu picks for everyday orders.
- Order for a satisfying crunch and new flavor profile.
- Choose burritos over tacos for portion and taste.
- Experiment with both sauces, but expect Spicy Ranchero to take center stage.
Give Taco Bell’s crispy chicken a whirl and decide for yourself if this menu remix hits the spot!
References
- https://www.tastingtable.com/1889002/taco-bell-crispy-chicken-new-items-review/
- https://www.thetakeout.com/1889654/taco-bell-crispy-chicken-burrito-taco-review/
- https://www.thedailymeal.com/1889175/taco-bell-crispy-chicken-taco-burrito-strips-review/
- https://www.theimpulsivebuy.com/wordpress/2025/06/17/taco-bell-crispy-chicken-strips-and-spicy-ranchero-crispy-chicken-taco-and-burrito-review/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8EDs-gxRC4
- https://www.purewow.com/food/taco-bell-crispy-chicken-taco-burrito-review
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoAnl1Alr7Y
