- Taco Bell recently debuted its crispy tortilla chicken tenders in two US cities.
- The chicken tenders are marinated in a jalapeño buttermilk mix, coated with tortilla chip crumbs, and come with a new chili ranch sauce.
- Here’s what Taco Bell’s take on chicken tenders tastes like.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Taco Bell is known for experimental menu items like the Quesarito, Doritos Locos Tacos, and the Crunchwrap Supreme.
But its latest addition to the menu is putting the fast-food chain in uncharted territory.
Taco Bell announced in November it would add crispy tortilla chicken tenders to its menu, in an apparent move to compete with chicken chains like Chick-fil-A and Popeyes.
The company said the tenders are marinated in a jalapeño buttermilk mix and coated with tortilla chip crumbs. The dish is accompanied by a chili ranch sauce, another new addition to the menu.
While the tenders won't be available nationally until 2020, Taco Bell began testing the new menu item in late November in two US cities: Houston, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. Customers can try the tenders in a taco for $2, or they can buy two tenders individually for $3 or three tenders for $4. They are also available in boxes for $5 or $7.
As a Dayton resident and lover of chicken t enders, I decided to take advantage of my unique situation and see for myself if Taco Bell can pull off chicken.
I walked 15 minutes from my apartment in Dayton to the nearest Taco Bell, which is one of only a handful of locations nationally that are serving the crispy tortilla chicken tenders.
I learned after walking into the restaurant that Taco Bell chicken also is available as part of a box or in a taco.
In case you haven't been to a Taco Bell in a while, you order at self-service kiosks now instead of with a cashier at some locations.
When I visited, the chicken tenders were listed as having 0 calories, in what I assume was a typo or technical error. In any case, I went with the three-pack of tenders for $3.99, as well as the default chili pepper ranch dip sauce.
The packaging for the tenders was unassuming — no unique branding or anything that would indicate this was a special menu item.
Perhaps the unassuming packaging was an omen. My first impression was that there was nothing visually distinct about these chicken tenders — they looked like they could have come from anywhere.
The first bite left me underwhelmed. It was definitely crispy — I could hear myself chewing. It was juicier than I expected, but there was nothing especially distinctive about the chicken tender's flavor.
The tortilla chip crumbs the tenders are coated in are hardly noticeable and don't have a discernible texture. I forgot they were there until I started eating the second tender.
On the other hand, the chili pepper ranch dip was tangy and zesty. Its spice added some much-needed flavor to the chicken.
While the tenders have some spice, it's only really brought out by the sauce. I can't imagine eating them plain.
I quickly realized the flavorful ranch dip was the real star of the show here. It made up for the otherwise standard-tasting chicken tenders. While I don't regret spending about $4 on this new experimental item, I'd say they aren't worth a special trip to Taco Bell.
