The Brand Marketing team led the research and ideation to launch chicken in the most Taco Bell way possible.
“One of the first concepts the team had previously landed on was the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco, which was a success. When it launched in 2021, it proved to be a light bulb moment,” said Mira L., Manager of Brand Marketing.
From there, the team went back to the drawing board to see how chicken could be re-invented in an authentic way. First, Taco Bell entered the market with the Cantina Chicken menu, featuring slow-roasted chicken as the star alongside elevated new ingredients such as purple cabbage and an avocado Verde salsa. Then came the hope to continue spotlighting chicken in various ways, and that’s how the Crispy Chicken Nuggets came to be.
For Senior Associate Manager of Brand Marketing, Stephanie R., the idea of re-creating the concept of a well-loved nugget while staying true to Taco Bell roots for our consumer base was daunting.
“The Crispy Chicken Nuggets were a challenge because of how foreign the product was to our consumer base. So, navigating how it would be expected by consumers was a hurdle to overcome.”
Mira added, “Once we were sure on the concept, we saw hundreds of versions, different suppliers and various coatings for the product. Keeping our roots in mind, we finally landed on a unique tortilla-chip coating.”
To make the unexpected a little more expected, the team decided to pair it with something that’s recognizable from Taco Bell’s classic menu portfolio – making it saucey!
Stephanie said, “We decided to create three completely new sauces to leverage and utilize what we’re best at, and pair the unexpected (chicken nuggets) in a familiar way (sauce) to stay true to our Mexican-inspired QSR.”
"Of course, we didn’t want to make it fit into our existing menu but rather work it into the menu in an authentic and inspiring way. So, we took the well-known nugget sauce pairings and re-invented it with a Taco Bell twist. We got the following: Bell Sauce (our take on a classic nugget sauce), Jalapeno Honey Mustard (honey mustard being an important sauce that pairs well with nuggets) and a Hidden Valley ™ Fire Ranch (comforting and delicious),” added Mira.
After narrowing down what the flavor and product profile would look like, it was time to see what Taco Bell fans thought! At the beginning of the year, Taco Bell conducted restaurant tests to see where it landed with consumers. In particular, Team Members at restaurant #029863 in New Caney, Texas had a blast sharing it with their customers.
“As a test location, I had the opportunity to test and interact with the new nuggets before the national launch. This involved gathering feedback from my team and customers, monitoring how they performed, and ensuring our job was done correctly so they meet the high quality and taste standards. People loved the idea of putting a unique spin on nuggets and were giddy by the flavors and delicious dipping sauces,” said Restaurant General Manager Ashka P.
And in true Taco Bell fashion, those restaurant Team Members immediately put their own creative twists on the product like using the iconic Nacho Cheese as a dipping sauce, adding it to a burrito, and a real bonus, mixing Jalapeno Honey Mustard with our classic Hot! Sauce for extra spice.
“It’s exciting to have the Crispy Chicken Nuggets on our menu because they bring something unexpected to Taco Bell, appealing to a wider audience and offering another great option to our customers,” said Ashka.
Looking to the future, we hope to continue innovating on chicken and create new experiences for the Taco Bell fans!