Taco Bell has a new chicken sandwich that’s also a taco, but is also not a taco or even really a sandwich. It’s weird. Yet, even weirder than all that is that I.. like it?
In the world of fast food, the chicken sandwich wars rage on. It all started in 2019, when Popeyes introduced a new fried chicken sandwich to its menu. People lost their collective shit over it. Where I live, the local Popeyes was packed in the weeks and months following the new menu items rollout. I remember passing by the joint as a line of 40 cars in the drive-thru stretched out past the parking lot and into the road. In response, other places like McDonald’s and Burger King have added new and (supposedly) improved chicken sandwiches.
And now, surprisingly, Taco Bell has decided to join the ongoing war with its new chicken taco sandwich. And folks, I hate myself for typing this next sentence but: I love it.
So what is the chicken taco sandwich? Well, it’s essentially a crispy and fried large chicken tender placed inside a soft pita bread “taco shell” with some Taco Bell chipotle sauce. You can also get a spicy variant which is the same thing, but with some jalapenos tossed into the mix. Is this actually a sandwich? I don’t think so. Is it a taco? That’s probably a better way to describe it, but I’m still not so sure. I get why Taco Bell decided to just go with the name Chicken sandwich taco, because while that name really doesn’t make sense, it would end up being what most folks called this thing anyway. Most likely, saying the name with a high-pitch voice and in a questioning tone.
Thing is, crispy chicken and pita bread plus some decent sauce is not a hugely unique concept, but still a tasty creation. I ordered two as I wasn’t sure how big they would be and I ended up eating both of them and not hating a minute of it. The chicken is very crunchy and contains just enough spice so as not to be bland, but not too much so your boring uncle or whatever can still enjoy it. The spicy variant is spicier, but anything is spicier if you add jalapenos to the recipe.
The pita bread-like shell is soft, but not as soft as a standard tortilla you would find at Taco Bell. However, it’s also not as messy or crunchy as a hard shell taco either. It sits somewhere in the middle.
Taco Bell has said it’s a temporary item only, which is sad. I’d be happy to have it on the menu for the foreseeable future. Unlike some past Taco Bell experiments (the waffle taco...*shivers*) this crunchy chicken sandwich taco is a winner in my book. And after trying all the other fast-food chicken sandwich contenders, it’s by far the most unique spin on an item that is quickly becoming overdone and dull.
I guess you could say, Taco Bell really did think outside the bun on this one.
No. Wait. Stop. I can’t end this blog like that. Oh, I’m out of time.
Shit...