Taco Bell to add chicken nuggets to menu for a limited time

Taco Bell will soon add an item to its menu that might catch some customers by surprise.

The fast-food chain, known for its Mexican-inspired cuisine, will begin offering crispy chicken nuggets at Taco Bell restaurants nationwide on Thursday. They will remain on the menu "for a limited time and while supplies last," according to the Yum! Brands-owned company. 

Taco Bell said it will make the new item with a "zesty jalapeño buttermilk flavor" marinade and bread them with a "blend of breadcrumbs and crunchy tortilla chips."

Three dipping sauces – Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce, Bell Sauce and Jalapeño Honey Mustard – will debut at the same time as the chicken nuggets. 

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The limited-time introduction of the nuggets to U.S. menus comes after Taco Bell conducted market testing in Minneapolis last year and Houston earlier this year. About 87% of Taco Bell’s 8,565 restaurants are located in the U.S.

Customers will be able to purchase nuggets a la cart as well as part of a combo and a deluxe meal, the chain said. 

A standalone five-count of the crispy chicken nuggets will cost $3.99 and come with one dipping sauce. For $6.99, customers can get 10 nuggets and two sauces. 

The combo will feature either five or 10 nuggets paired with regular Nacho Fries, nacho cheese sauce and a large fountain drink. It will have a $5.99 or $8.99 price tag, depending on the size. 

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Meanwhile, Taco Bell also will offer a $10.49 crispy chicken nugget deluxe meal containing five nuggets, a dipping sauce, a Crunchy Taco, Beef Chalupa, regular Nacho Fries and a medium fountain drink, the chain said. 

"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," Taco Bell Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery said in a statement. "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."

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The nuggets will compete with similar items offered by other fast-food giants like McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s and Burger King.

Chicken has become an increasingly popular category at fast-food restaurants. In late October, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski described it as a "massive category worldwide that’s twice the size of beef and growing much faster."