Taco Bell is debuting its Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu Thursday, heating up five items with the fiery flavor of red jalapeño sauce.
Last year, the Irvine, California-based Mexican fast-food chain introduced Cantina Chicken, a slow-roasted protein that grew to become a fan favorite, ending up in 25% of all Taco Bell orders, according to parent company Yum Brands. Shortly after Cantina Chicken launched in March, Taco Bell’s same-store sales rose 5% in the second quarter of 2024.
Caliente Cantina Chicken, first tested in Ohio locations this past fall, is a spicy riff on that original. Here’s what the new fired-up lineup includes:
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco ($2.99), filled with slow-roasted chicken and three-cheese blend, then coated with a layer of grilled cheese and drizzled with Caliente Sauce
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Soft Taco ($2.99), packed with slow-roasted chicken, iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese and pico de gallo, then completed with Caliente Sauce
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Burrito ($5.99), featuring a double portion of slow-roasted chicken topped with iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and Caliente Sauce
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Quesadilla ($6.49), a warm flour tortilla filled with slow-roasted chicken, three-cheese blend and Caliente Sauce, then crisped with grilled cheese on the outside and served with guacamole and sour cream
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Bowl ($7.99), a combo of slow-roasted chicken, seasoned rice, black beans, iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole and cheddar cheese, topped with Caliente Sauce
Caliente Sauce can also be added to any Taco Bell menu order for an additional charge.
“It’s been nearly a year since we launched the beloved Cantina Chicken Menu, and we knew it was time to turn up the heat,” said Taco Bell's Global Chief Food Innovation Officer, Liz Matthews, in a statement. “We experimented with different peppers, spice blends, and heat levels to craft the spicier alter ego to Cantina Chicken, one that brings just the right amount of fiery kick. With the Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu, we’ve struck that balance, delivering a fresh, zesty, and flavor-packed take for those ready to embrace their bolder side.”
The Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu is available nationwide starting Feb. 27, but Taco Bell Rewards Members can get an early taste Tuesday on digital orders.
And next month, the chain’s famous Nacho Fries will get doused with Caliente Sauce. On March 27, Caliente Cantina Chicken Nacho Fries make their debut for $4.99, featuring a bed of crispy, seasoned fries loaded with slow-roasted chicken, nacho cheese sauce, cheddar cheese, fiesta strips and reduced-fat sour cream, all topped with Caliente Sauce.
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