Taco Bell’s Chicken Fajita Nacho Fries weren’t handed to me on a sizzling platter that frightens me a little every time I dine at a Chili’s. But the limited-time offering did make my eyes sparkle a little.
As you can probably guess from the name, what sets these loaded Nacho Fries apart from previous iterations is the addition of bell peppers and onions. The slow-roasted chicken and creamy jalapeño sauce have been used with several other Nacho Fries variants. As for the rest of the toppings, you know them. I know them. So let’s say them together: nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and a blend of mozzarella, pepper jack, and cheddar cheeses.
I feel like for a place called Taco Bell, bell peppers should be a standard ingredient among its dozens of options. That’s my biased opinion as someone who enjoys the vegetable enough to buy a bag of them from Costco regularly, but I’m glad they got some love from Taco Bell again. (Yes, there have been other “fajita” products in the past.) By the way, if you’re into bell peppers but not into Nacho Fries, the chain is also offering Fajita Street Chalupas with either chicken or steak.
The gloopy toppings — sour cream, nacho cheese sauce, and creamy jalapeño sauce — all bring a bit of flavor, especially the latter two. Nacho cheese sauce and Nacho Fries go together as well as Oreo cookies and milk, and the creamy jalapeño sauce adds a bit of savoriness that enhances the peppers. While the sour cream has a hint of tang, its flavor gets lost in the mix of toppings, and the same goes for the chicken.
What doesn’t get totally lost are the flavors of the Nacho Fries seasoning, bell peppers, and onions. Even after being seasoned and cooked, the veggies still have some snap, which is a welcome textural contrast to the sauces and fries that have gotten a little soggy from the sauces. They also bring a genuine fajita quality to the dish. Or maybe my taste buds are just conditioned to associate peppers and onions with fajitas. Either way, it works.
One last thing about the peppers. I wish they came in a variety of colors instead of all green. I want to taste the bell pepper rainbow.
Taco Bell’s Chicken Fajita Nacho Fries are quite tasty. However, I can’t say I liked them more than previous iterations of Nacho Fries, even with my adoration for bell peppers. But I’d have enjoyed them less if they came on a sizzling platter.
Purchased Price: $7.29*
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 540 calories, 34 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 1290 milligrams of sodium, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.
*Because I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.