Review: Spicy Ranchero Crispy Chicken Taco from Taco Bell

Bottom Line: The Spicy Ranchero Crispy Chicken Taco from Taco Bell has a quality chicken tender at its core, and the sauce delivers a nice kick of heat.

The Bell was once considered the go-to place for Mexican-inspired fast food, but over the last year or so, it seems to be changing that perception. Ever since they introduced the Cantina Chicken menu, the bird is the word—and they have recently gone full-on with poultry thanks to their Crispy Chicken Nuggets and Crispy Chicken Strips. I reviewed the former here (and they are quite good), and I stopped by recently to try the Spicy Ranchero Crispy Chicken Taco, which features one of the new chicken strips. Here’s the rundown on that:

Spicy Ranchero Crispy Chicken Taco: A harmonious combination of one perfectly crisped Crispy Chicken Strip layered with purple cabbage, crisp lettuce, pico de gallo, and shredded cheddar cheese, with the all-new Spicy Ranchero Sauce made with Anaheim and jalapeño chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and onion.

For all practical purposes, this is Taco Bell’s answer to the fan-favorite McDonald’s Snack Wrap, which just returned to the Golden Arches this week. And The Bell is certainly giving Ronald a run for his money with these.

At the center of this taco is the new Crispy Chicken Strip, which is the same as the nuggets introduced last year—just a bigger piece of meat. It is quite tender and well-seasoned, and the tortilla crust delivers some crunch, standing up well to the sauce. As for the latter, that is a tasty concoction delivering some creaminess and earthiness along with a hint of smoke and a nice kick. This wrap is also packed full of veggies, with that cabbage bringing a nice crunch and the pico delivering a little bit of citrus tang and some fresh notes. The shredded cheese adds a bit of sharpness, and while tortilla is standard Taco Bell fare and doesn’t add much, it holds everything together well enough. The chicken strip in mine was on the small side, but other than that nitpick, I really enjoyed this taco.

As for the heat, this one rises above the typical Mild level that The Bell often offers, delivering a nice bite. I would put it close to Medium on my scale, which is pretty good for a fast food joint. (Note that I also tried the Avocado Ranch version of this taco, and that sauce delivered some tang and creaminess—but no heat.) Sadly, the Ranchero Sauce is another of their limited-time offerings, so it won’t stick around for long. But I really enjoyed it and felt like it offered a nice change of pace from The Bell’s typical sauces.

Nutrition-wise, this taco clocks in at 260 calories, which is not bad for the drive-thru. You can get two of these or one and a small order of Nacho Fries (330 cals) and still not break the calorie bank. Of course, this is Taco Bell, and the siren’s lure of a taco or burrito or chalupa will certainly tempt you to keep adding to the cart.  So be wary, lest you be shopping for the next size up in pants!

As for the price, these cost $2.79 in my area—twenty cents less than what McDonald’s is charging for the Snack Wraps they just brought back. I haven’t sampled the new options from the Golden Arches yet (though I used to get them all the time), but I would lean toward The Bell at this point if I have a hankering for a chicken taco/snack wrap. These are on loan from Limited-Time-Only-Ville, but I’m guessing they’ll stick around long enough to make a dent in Ronald’s cash flow from the returning Snack Wraps. And the Crispy Chicken Nuggets are supposed to be going on the permanent menu next year, so expect a taco version of that at some point.

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 260
Fat: 13g (3.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 11g
Carbs: 26g
Sodium: 630mg