Crispy chicken is back at Taco Bell, and this time, it’s bringing a spicy friend along for the ride.
On Oct. 14, the Tex Mex-inspired chain announced the return of its fan-favorite Crispy Chicken and introduced Frank’s RedHot Diablo, a “mashup” of Buffalo and hot sauces. The sauce will be included with four new Crispy Chicken items including burritos and soft tacos and hits menus nationwide on Oct. 16.
As a reminder, Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken, which were first introduced in December 2024, are all-white meat chicken bites that are marinated in jalapeño and buttermilk, and coated with a blend of breadcrumbs and tortilla chips.
Frank’s RedHot Diablo sauce combines the flavor of Frank’s RedHot with Taco Bell’s Diablo sauce and spicy ranch. Buffalo sauce, which is commonly made with Frank’s, is now reimagined “the Taco Bell way.”
Here are the four new, limited-time items:
- Frank’s RedHot Diablo Crispy Chicken Burrito ($5.49): Crispy chicken strips are layered with shredded lettuce, purple cabbage, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese, wrapped in a flour tortilla then grilled and finished with Frank’s RedHot Diablo or Avocado Ranch.
- Frank’s RedHot Diablo Crispy Chicken Soft Taco ($2.99): A soft flour tortilla is filled with a Crispy Chicken strip, purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese and topped with the choice of Frank’s RedHot Diablo or Avocado Ranch. It’s also part of Taco Bell’s Welcome Reward picklist for new members for a limited time.
- Frank’s RedHot Diablo Chicken Nacho Fries ($4.99): Nacho Fries are piled with slow-roasted chicken, nacho cheese sauce, a three-cheese blend, pico de gallo and a drizzle of Frank’s RedHot Diablo.
- Crispy Chicken Strips with Spicy Ranch ($6.99): Four Crispy Chicken Strips are served up with the choice of Spicy Ranch or Frank’s RedHot Diablo sauce.
“For decades, our sauces have become a core part of the Taco Bell experience,” Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer, said in a press release. “Crispy Chicken is our stage for flavor innovation, with every new sauce collaboration breaking new ground. We take our sauces seriously — they’re the hero of our continued success and reinforces there’s no limit to how we reimagine the classics.”
Taco Bell says Crispy Chicken isn’t just back, it’s “building its legacy” at the chain with the plan to make crispy chicken items permanent additions to the Taco Bell menu.
This news comes after burger chains like Wendy’s and McDonald’s are shifting their focus to crispy chicken in order to keep up with popular poultry-focused chains like Popeyes and Chick-fil-A.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
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