Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets Are Coming Back

Ending a romantic relationship is terrible, but there’s another kind of breakup that we dread almost as much. Have you ever discovered a new fast food menu item only to learn it was discontinued the next time you were at the drive-thru? We’ve felt this disappointment quite a few times, and we’re no stranger to loving a limited-edition offering that’s gone in a flash. But one major fast food chain is soothing that heartbreak with a permanent commitment to a fan-favorite item. 

Taco Bell is reviving its Crispy Chicken Nuggets after a wildly successful — and brief — debut last December, the brand tells Food & Wine. Starting April 24, you can find the nostalgic side on menus nationwide, priced at just $4 for a five-piece order and $7 for 10 pieces.

The brand first teased the details of this launch during its Live Más LIVE event in early March, and the prospect of more crispy chicken was met with wide enthusiasm from the crowd. 

“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,” Taco Bell’s chief marketing officer, Taylor Montgomery, says in a press release.

If you weren’t lucky enough to try this item previously, you might be wondering how Taco Bell, a chain known for its Tex Mex-inspired eats that tend to feature plenty of cheese, approaches this fast food classic. 

As Taco Bell shares, the development team tried more than 50 recipes for the breading on this chicken nugget before it landed on a tortilla chip coating. The winning rendition features white meat chicken that’s marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with a thick layer of crumbled tortilla chips before being fried to perfection.

The first time these crispy bites were introduced, they were an immediate hit. “The response to our Crispy Chicken Nuggets was immediate and overwhelming, nearly one in six orders included them during their first run,” a Taco Bell spokesperson exclusively tells Food & Wine. “Fans weren’t just excited, they were loud, and that kind of demand doesn’t happen every day. It was clear to us that this wasn’t just a fun limited-time menu offer, it was a sign our consumers want crispy chicken from Taco Bell.”

In the brand’s press release, Montgomery also notes that, “We know we’re not the usual name in crispy chicken, but our nuggets speak for themselves.”

This isn’t the only exciting item that’s returning: Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce — a spicy, creamy dip that first debuted alongside the nuggets in late 2024 — is also heading to a Taco Bell near you. Based on order data from the first release of Crispy Chicken Nuggets, the brand notes that the Hidden Valley Fire Ranch was the most-ordered side, so you should make sure to try them together.

If ranch doesn’t appeal to you, two other returning condiments — Bell Sauce and Jalapeño Honey Mustard — will be at your disposal for dipping. 

The chain, which operates under the massive umbrella of Yum! Brands, says it’s ultimately listening to visitor feedback, and that’s why it’s committed to crispy chicken for the long haul: The nuggets are on a fast track to be a permanent menu item by 2026, the brand tells us via email, and we’re thrilled to hear it.