Taco Bell is putting its own spin on a fast-food classic with a bold new offering, chicken nuggets, available nationwide starting Thursday for a limited time, catering to the growing preference of Gen Z consumers for chicken over red meat.
The new offering brings an unexpected twist to the classic American snack, following successful tests in Minneapolis and Houston. These aren’t your typical chicken nuggets. Taco Bell has marinated all-white meat in a zesty jalapeño buttermilk flavor, then coated it in crushed tortilla chips and breadcrumbs, creating a crunchy, flavorful alternative.
To complement the crispy nuggets, Taco Bell is introducing three exciting new dipping sauces specially made to elevate the nugget experience and attract adventurous Gen-Z eaters looking for fresh flavor combinations.
There’s the Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce, a spicy twist on the classic ranch. There’s also the chain’s signature Bell Sauce, a tangy and savory option, and a Jalapeño Honey Mustard sauce.
Prices vary depending on the city, but Taco Bell suggests a retail price of $3.99 for five nuggets with one sauce, and $6.99 for 10 nuggets with two sauces. Customers can opt for a $10.49 value meal that includes five nuggets, one sauce, a crunchy taco, a beef chalupa, nacho fries, and a medium soda.
“As the inventors of Nacho Fries, Taco Bell is fully aware that reinventing an American classic with a Taco Bell twist is a responsibility we don’t take lightly. But in a world dominated by chicken cravings, it was time to show the world how Taco Bell does chicken nuggets – unexpected and undeniably bold,” said Taco Bell’s Chief Marketing Officer, Taylor Montgomery.
“The Crispy Chicken Nuggets deliver a crispier, more flavorful nugget experience, and combined with the Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce, we hope it will test people’s devotion to their favorite nuggets.”
Taco Bell acknowledged that it’s entering a category “where chicken nugget loyalty runs deep,” a space largely dominated by McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Chick-Fil-A, reports CNN.
The move is part of Taco Bell’s broader strategy to expand its poultry offerings, catering to younger consumers, specially, Gen Z, who increasingly prefer chicken over red meat.
Former Taco Bell CEO Mark King highlighted this shift at last year’s Yum Brands investor day, noting that a “large percentage of our business is beef, and the Gen Z consumer wants chicken.” In response, Taco Bell launched its “Cantina Chicken Menu” in March this year, featuring oven-roasted, shredded chicken in various tacos and salads.
That menu helped increase Taco Bell’s sales by 5% during the quarter it launched, with one in four orders including an item from the “Chicken Cantina Menu.”
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