The Chicken Sandwich Wars continue to heat up as plenty of people are lining up at fast food establishments to pick up the many poultry products available. Taco Bell has been testing a Chicken Sandwich Taco to lure some of the clucker business their way, but that is apparently not ready Prime Time just yet. So they did the smart move and brought back a fan-favorite to satisfy the appetites of those checking out chicken in the drive thru.
The Naked Chicken Chalupa consists of a deep-fried chicken patty that acts as the taco shell and that holds together lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and avocado ranch sauce. They previously had a spicy version that came with a spicy sauce, but that is not on the current menu. That’s okay, though, as you have plenty of options to add some heat to your chalupa.
Those who have read previous posts where I have covered Taco Bell products know that I am a particular lover of the Naked Chicken Chalupa. It’s not just another mix-and-spin of the same old ingredients like the Bell usually put out as the latest “new” thing that tastes like almost everything else on the menu. This is a truly unique item for TB (some would call it overindulgence) and a tasty twist on fried chicken as well.
The patty is made up of ground chicken, but you kind of have to expect that seeing as it is getting molded into a taco shell. And even though it is not whole chicken breast, it is still quite tasty. The breading has a crispiness to it and remains crunchy if you do not have to drive far once you have picked up your order. It is seasoned very similar to KFC’s original recipe, which is not surprising considering the two franchises are owned by the same company (and we will all be owned by Google or Disney before too long). It is pretty salty, though not to the point of overdoing it. The veggies, cheese, and sauce offer a nice counterbalance to the chicken and the saltiness, and they lend to the flavor as well.
The Naked Chicken Chalupa does have a zing from the seasonings and sauce, but no real heat. As I mentioned above, they previously had a spicy version but that one apparently remained in Limited-Time-Only-Ville. If you want to spice it up, though, ask them to add some jalapenos, or you can squeeze on some Fire or Diablo sauce to amp of the heat. (Speaking of add-ons, you can ask them to put seasoned beef or steak in the chalupa as well. Talk about your fast food overload!) One nitpick that I have is that it seems to be smaller than it was before. Maybe I’ve just gotten larger since they were last available? (I know the gullet has.)
Calorie-wise, these are much more filling than you might expect. They come in at 470 cals for just one chalupa, so go easy on extras. If you add one regular taco, that’s only an additional 170 calories, so not too bad. Or an order of Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes (recently returned to the menu) only adds 230 calories. But if you pack on much more than that, better plan on salads for the rest of the week.
I assume that Taco Bell decided to start testing that chicken sandwich taco to improve their Google search results. Because when you type in “Taco Bell” and “Chicken Sandwich”, the Naked Chicken Chalupa doesn’t make it to the top of the list. I don’t know where they stand with releasing that new item nationwide, but I am certainly happy they brought their other chicken product back (please add it to the permanent menu). If they would only have this and the Nacho Fries available at the same time, we could achieve fast food Nirvana! (Am I flying too close to the sun to ask for the Spicy Tostada back as well?)
The Naked Chicken Chalupa is just hanging around until the Limited-Time-Only hook takes it back off the menu. And I expect that will coincide with the arrival of the new Chicken Sandwich Taco. So go get yourself one (or three) while you still can. They are selling for about three fifty around me and they have plenty of combo options as well. It should fulfill your chicken sandwich craving, and it has fewer carbs in case you are counting those.
Tale of the Tape:
Serving Size: 1 Chalupa
Calories: 470
Fat: 30 (6g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 21g
Carbs: 31g
Sodium: 1300mg