Is the Taco Bell Chicken Sandwich Taco good?

Rumors have been swirling since November of 2019 that Taco Bell was jumping both feet first into the fast-food fried chicken game. Houston, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, were the test markets for the new crispy tortilla chicken tender, available at that time in either a taco or a couple of tenders to an order.

Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Tenders
Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Tenders, picture courtesy of Taco Bell from November 2019

What’s in the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco?

We took crispy, white-meat chicken. Marinated it in jalapeño buttermilk. Seasoned it with bold Mexican spices. Rolled it in a crunchy, tortilla-chip coating. Topped it with creamy chipotle sauce. And put it inside a puffy flatbread shell because we could. Thus, the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco was born.

official description of the chicken from the Taco Bell website

There is also a spicy version. The only difference between the crispy and spicy crispy is the addition of jalapeños. As of this writing, both are only available for a limited time.

The Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco is Here!

During everyone’s lost year of 2020, the tenders and tacos made test appearances in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee. On March 11, 2021, my bud, the endorsement, was able to try the Cripy Chicken Sandwich Taco.

He seemed to enjoy them but felt they were too expensive at the $2.49 price point.

What did I think about the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco?

Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco
Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco

I was checking out the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco on the Taco Bell website I realized they were only $1.49 each if you order them there. Since I was about to head over to my parent’s house, I figured that two of each would suffice.

When the employee in the drive-thru window handed over the bag, I couldn’t believe how light it felt. I had to double-check what was inside. Nope, nothing is missing.

The only difference I mentioned earlier is the jalapeños which added extra crunch and heat to the crispy tenders. The “bun” is fluffy but doesn’t add much flavor.

I enjoyed the chicken tender itself, and the breading was great. The chipotle sauce was the right choice. However, I can’t help but think that the overall package is missing something; maybe a slaw.

I’d also be okay if Taco Bell returned to the original idea of just the tenders with a dipping sauce. But then it wouldn’t be a chicken sandwich, which isn’t necessarily bad.

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