Taco Bell Sensation That Sold Out Fast Returns To Menu – And This Time, It's Staying

Taco Bell is bringing back its highly popular Crispy Chicken Nuggets, the fast-food chain said in a news release on Thursday, April 17. After quickly selling out when they launched in December 2024, the nuggets will be available again starting Wednesday, April 24.

The popular item's return marks the first step in Taco Bell's broader plan to make crispy chicken – beyond just nuggets – a permanent part of its menu by 2026.

"We're a taco place doing chicken our own way and like all our best moments, it's a little unexpected – because we've never been about following the rules," said chief marketing officer Taylor Montgomery. "The demand for our nuggets was off the charts, which is why we're looking at making crispy chicken permanent to give our fans what they are telling us they want."

Made with all-white meat chicken, the nuggets are marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated in a crunchy tortilla-chip breading. Taco Bell said it tested more than 50 recipes before landing on the final version.

Nuggets are available in five- and 10-piece servings with sauces like Hidden Valley Fire Ranch, Bell Sauce, and jalapeño honey mustard. Combo options start at $5.99 and include nacho fries, cheese sauce, and a drink.

Roughly 5 million people ordered the nuggets during their initial release, according to the company. About one in six orders included them, leading to a nationwide sell-out within a week.

The nuggets were a major entrance into the chicken game for the Mexican-inspired chain owned by Yum! Brands, which is also the company behind KFC.

"We know we're not the usual name in crispy chicken, but our nuggets speak for themselves – they're bold, different, and unmistakably Taco Bell," Montgomery said.

Fans who send in their empty dipping cups in April through Taco Bell's TerraCycle partnership can earn 80 bonus rewards points. The chain said more crispy chicken items are in the works for later in 2025, including a new collaboration with Mike's Hot Honey.

According to Yum!, there are more than 8,500 Taco Bell locations in at least 30 countries.

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