Tag: Taco Bell

If you had told me a year ago, or heck, even just a few days ago, that I’d be “winging” in 2022 by reviewing chicken wings from Taco Bell, I would have said you were out of your gourd (or gordita, as it were). But if you squint, I guess there’s a strange sort of synergy to it. In recent years Taco Bell has been expanding its roster of alcohol-slinging “Cantina” locations, and what’s a more appropriate bar food than wings?

My first impression was that these Crispy Chicken Wings… looked like chicken wings. That’s maybe not the most profound musing, but cut me some slack, this was the first time I’d ever purchased, nay, even conceived of the idea of a food item from Taco Bell that was not slathered in cheese, beans, sour cream, or some combination thereof. I don’t know, I would have felt more at home if they’d at least slapped a gratuitous Doritos Locos logo on there or something.

I began by searching for the advertised “Mexican Queso seasoning.” I was eventually able to divine some, dare I say, cheetle-esque orange dust, but these wings are pretty standard-looking (albeit crispy). I would describe the coating as more ambiguously savory than particularly cheesy, but my main impression of its taste was, plain and simple, “fried,” which I consider to be a compliment!

Digging in deeper led me to a discovery even more surprising than the fact that Taco Bell is offering chicken wings in the first place, which is the fact that Taco Bell chicken wings are actually quite good.

My wings were tender and flavorful, the meat practically falling off the bone without the grittiness or stringiness that can plague lesser chicken items. I was pleasantly surprised that each wing offered a couple satisfying mouthfuls of meat that didn’t require me to gnaw at the bone for scraps like a hyena. I mean, of course I did that too, but it was for fun, not out of necessity!

These wings are served with a side of Spicy Ranch sauce, and while I can see how that creamy tingliness could elevate the experience for some, I personally found it a bit overpowering and was glad to let the moist meat stand on its own two chicken feet. The extra oomph of the crispy coating definitely helped, and between that and the substantial meat-to-bone ratio, the experience almost felt more like eating a hunk of fried chicken than a wing specifically. But maybe that’s just because one of my wings was so misshapen and chunky that it looked more like the state of Texas than anything that had once allowed a bird to fly.

All in all, I had a blast with these wings (a Mountain Dew Baja Blast, to be precise). As long as you make it to your local Taco Bell before their week-long Chicken Run – which started on January 6th — is over, I think you will too.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: Five chicken wings per box
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 750 calories with Spicy Ranch sauce/530 without, 54/31 grams of fat, 10/6 grams of saturated fat, 230/205 milligrams of cholesterol, 1970/1770 milligrams of sodium, 26/23 grams of carbohydrates, 3/2 grams of fiber, 1/0 gram of sugar, and 40/39 grams of protein.

Taco Bell has always been different in how it approaches new items. Sometimes it takes huge swings with things like the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco. Other times, it finds a way to remix a few ingredients and package it as a new item. The Chipotle Cheddar Chalupa falls squarely into the latter.

It consists of a deep fried flatbread shell, seasoned beef, tomato, lettuce, creamy chipotle sauce, and shredded cheddar cheese. To be entirely honest, I was a little underwhelmed when I first ordered it. A change of cheese and substituting sour cream with chipotle sauce didn’t seem like it would make much of a difference. After the first bite, I was eating my words.

The creamy chipotle sauce is the same one used in the Spicy Potato Soft Taco. It’s creamy, smokey, and offers just a little bit of heat without being painfully spicy. It was a pleasant surprise when I took a bite of the chalupa and realized it was the same sauce. Using shredded cheddar cheese instead of the shredded three cheese blend added a little more sharpness, but it didn’t stand out like the chipotle sauce. The chalupa shell will always be one of the best food items Taco Bell has ever added to not only its lineup, but the fast food landscape.

I honestly don’t know why I thought I would be underwhelmed with the item considering my deep love for the long discontinued Baja Beef Chalupa. The simple swap was absolutely delicious and made me want to get it again or, at the very least, remember the customization for next time. Although, when this item eventually is no longer offered, the cost to customize a chalupa to this recipe will run me a dollar more.

I would love to see Taco Bell bring back a few variations to standard menu items on a more permanent basis (like the Baja or Nacho Chalupas were). At the very least, it should be a 1 for 1 swap that doesn’t cost more to remove a sauce and add another.

The Chipotle Cheddar Chalupa isn’t going to change the world, but it does an excellent job of adding a new twist to a standard product and to shake me out of my Taco Bell rut. I tend to stick with the same three items when I go to Taco Bell, so it was a nice reminder to explore outside the norm. Even if it’s as simple as swapping sauces.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 420 calories, 28 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 610 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.

What is the Taco Bell Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito?

I’ll let the Taco Bell website answer that question:

Double the steak*, nacho cheese sauce, seasoned rice, red strips, creamy chipotle sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, and three-cheese blend wrapped inside a warm flour tortilla, with even more three-cheese blend grilled on the top.

*As compared to a Steak Quesadilla

Basically, it has everything last year’s wonderful Grilled Cheese Burrito had. Except, instead of seasoned beef, it comes with a double steak serving.

How is it?

Well, first off, this sucker is thick, and it puts my forearms to shame. Actually, it puts all of my arms to shame. I’m surprised it didn’t weigh a pound, but it did make a pleasing thud when I dropped it on my dining table.

The highlight of the menu item is the grilled cheese on the flour tortilla. It gives the outer layer an almost plasticky feel, but it also provides an additional cheesy burst with most burrito bites. Its flavor reminds me of some Keto-friendly cheese crisps I’ve had.

As for what’s within the cheese encrusted tortilla, the flavors that stand out the most are the nacho cheese and creamy chipotle sauces. While there’s a double steak serving, the tender pieces of meat aren’t as flavorful as Taco Bell’s seasoned beef, so they’re more in the background of every chew with the seasoned rice. But as someone who loves the flavors of Taco Bell’s tangy nacho cheese and smoky chipotle sauce, every bite was a delight.

And that brings us to the red strips. As you can imagine, being in a grilled tortilla with hot meat, hot rice, and three different sauces, the tortilla chips fell into soggy despair. There have been menu items where the red strips provide some crunchiness, but that’s not the case with this.

As someone who enjoyed the original Grilled Cheese Burrito, it’s not surprising that I also liked chomping on this meatier version. Although, I prefer the original a little more.

Anything else you need to know?

Taco Bell is mainly promoting the Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito. But if the chain’s marinated steak isn’t your thing, it’s also available in Double Chicken, Double Beef, and Double Black Bean varieties (the original Grilled Cheese Burrito is also back). It’s probably highlighting the steak version because it’s the most expensive out of the bunch.

Also, the Taco Bell menu has spicy versions of the Double (insert protein here) Grilled Cheese Burritos that get their heat from jalapeño peppers.

Conclusion:

Taco Bell’s Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito is a hefty and tasty addition to the chain’s menu.

Purchased Price: $7.19*
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 910 calories, 44 grams of fat, 17 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 2140 milligrams of sodium, 89 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, and 40 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did. I’ve seen it promoted in other regions for $5.49.

I used to hate crunchy tacos.

My grandfather would try so hard to get me to like them when we went to Taco Bell for “39-cent crunchy taco night,” but usually ended up paying the extra 10 cents so I could get soft tacos instead. I can’t tell you why I didn’t like them, but it was a preference that followed me well into my late 20s until something clicked.

It is probably too dramatic to say I heard angels singing, but it’s the truth. Since then, they have been my preferred taco of choice, particularly Taco Bell’s crunchy beef taco (sorry, Grandpa). Its simplicity is one of the reasons why they are so satisfying. Rarely will I venture out of the standard build (shell, meat, cheese, lettuce), but every so often, Taco Bell will tempt me away with a new product, like it did with its Cantina Crispy Melt Taco.

The menu item is made with a white corn tortilla that is fried in-store daily, then layered with nacho cheese sauce, three-cheese blend, seasoned beef, tomato, lettuce, sour cream, and (yet more) shredded cheddar cheese. Two things about this item caught my attention immediately: the freshly fried in-store white corn tortilla and the sheer amount of cheese involved with it. With the white corn shell, I was curious how it would differ from the standard yellow corn shell in both structural integrity and flavor. I was a bit wary about the amount of cheese involved, particularly the nacho cheese.

Look, I’m no stranger to cheese, but crunchy tacos can go from crunchy to soggy rather quickly, and I was worried the dairy would expedite that process. Much to my surprise, it all held up exceptionally well. The white corn offers a much more mild flavor than the yellow corn. I wouldn’t quite say it’s bland, but it’s certainly not the star flavor-wise.

Its texture, though, exceeded my expectations. It was airy and light, but managed to stay strong after the 15-minute car ride home. With my first bite, it didn’t shatter or split. In fact, it did not break apart until the end.

The nacho cheese was the strongest flavor, with the seasoned beef and sour cream coming in next. I couldn’t quite tell you if the three cheese blend added to it in any way, but it didn’t detract. I was also pleasantly surprised that the cheese didn’t cause the seam to get soggy and split apart. The rest of the toppings (lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese) felt sort of like a take-it-or-leave-it situation, but I often find those Taco Bell ingredients to be that way.

While I don’t find the Cantina Crispy Melt Taco too groundbreaking, it’s an interesting detour from the standard crunchy taco, and it’s worth trying once. The standout was the shell, but mostly for how well it held up and not because it added to the taste profile. But if you are a fan of the nacho cheese, I think you will very much find this to be a home run.

Purchased Price: $2.19
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 17 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 540 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.

What are the Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Tacos?

The new “sandwiches” with flatbread that wraps around the chicken like a taco are available in two varieties — regular and spicy. Both come with creamy chipotle sauce and crispy, white-meat chicken that’s marinated in jalapeño buttermilk, seasoned with Mexican spices, and have a tortilla chip coating. The spicy one also comes with pickled jalapeño peppers.

How are they?

Well, they’re fit-in-the-palm-of-my-hand small. They’re also very, um, well, let’s just say I don’t need a manual to make one if I got thrown into a Taco Bell prep line. With the regular one, it’s just flatbread, sauce, and chicken.

But while they’re small and simple, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them.

With the Flatbread Tacos on the menu a few months ago, I complained about how the flatbread can mute the other ingredients, but that wasn’t the case with these. The ample amount of smoky and peppery chipotle sauce provides a lot of flavor and, in doing so, makes sure the flatbread knows its role as a vessel and not much else.

But the chicken strips really surprised me. They had a decent thickness to them, the meat wasn’t too dry, the exterior was surprisingly crunchy, and what was even more of a surprise, they were seasoned enough that they taste good on their own. If Taco Bell ever wants to get into the chicken strips game, it could do so with these.

As for heat, the chipotle sauce brings some lower-level spiciness, while the jalapeño peppers in the spicy one takes things up a notch or two. Also, the brine-y flavors from the peppers add a vinegary bite, which I enjoyed.

Anything else you need to know?

There’s a conversation about whether a taco is a sandwich. It’s like how some folks ask whether a hot dog is a sandwich. I’m not going to share my opinion here because it would add 1,000+ words to this review. I’m just satisfied these are tasty.

These have an “online exclusive price” of $1.49 in most regions, which I think is worth it. But here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it’s $2.59, which is a bit too much for something so small.

Conclusion:

The flavors of Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich Tacos delight me, and because of that, I want to give them a higher rating, but their size makes it hard for me to do so. Definitely worth a try at their online exclusive price.

Purchased Price: $2.59 each*
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Regular – 280 calories, 11 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 650 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein. Spicy – 290 calories, 11 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 710 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.