Taco Bell Chicken Nuggets Are Coming Back, Possibly for Good. Here’s What We Know About the Return

Taco Bell is making crispy chicken a permanent part of the menu by 2026. Starting April 24, Crispy Chicken Nuggets return as one way the brand is exploring what that permanent crispy chicken creation could be.

Nuggets are the first step, but don’t get attached just yet, as Taco Bell is exploring more crispy chicken creations this year to see how the category will take shape long-term. Let’s take a look at what we know about this latest menu update.

Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Nuggets Are Back

According to a company press release, Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets will be available again on April 24, after selling out nationwide in less than a week in December 2024. Following a menu pipeline of chicken-led innovation, the nuggets’ return marks the beginning of Taco Bell’s path to becoming a go-to destination for crispy chicken.

“We’re a taco place doing chicken our own way and like all our best moments, it’s a little unexpected — because we’ve never been about following the rules,” said Taco Bell’s Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery. “The demand for our nuggets was off the charts, which is why we’re looking at making crispy chicken permanent to give our fans what they are telling us they want. We know we’re not the usual name in crispy chicken, but our nuggets speak for themselves — they’re bold, different, and unmistakably Taco Bell.”

The fan-favorite Crispy Chicken Nuggets will be available on menus for a limited time as one of several new inventions the brand is testing as it seeks to make crispy chicken a permanent fixture on the menu by next year. With new forms and sauce combinations in the works throughout the year, fans can look forward to even more craveable drops, including a sweet and spicy collaboration with Mike’s Hot Honey later this year.

Fans can enjoy their nugget experience in a few different ways:

• Crispy Chicken Nuggets a la carte: Order either a five-piece nugget and one dipping sauce for $3.99 or a 10-piece nugget and two dipping sauces for $6.99.
• Crispy Chicken Nuggets Combo: Complete your meal with an order of regular Nacho Fries, nacho cheese sauce, and a large fountain drink. The five-piece nugget combo is $5.99, and the 10-piece nugget combo is $8.99.

Nuggets Were Taken Off the Menu in January 2025

Taco Bell made waves when it announced the addition of chicken nuggets to its menu last December. However, the menu item had a “grand opening, grand closing,” with the chain removing it from the menu only a month after it debuted.

“Offering menu items for a limited time allows us to create room for even more craveable creations for fans,” a representative for the company told PEOPLE at the time. “But we never say never when it comes to the chance of a permanent spot on menus.”

Despite their contentious nature, the nuggets earned glowing reviews from various publications, including PEOPLE. The outlet stated that it had the opportunity to review the nuggets before they were generally available to fans and that “the chicken was tender and juicy with a delicious and crunchy tortilla coating. The sauces welcomed repeated dipping and complemented the chicken.”

Allrecipes also echoed the positive sentiment of the Taco Bell chicken nuggets: “The chicken bites are very crispy, with a coating that is definitely closer to Popeye’s breading than the McNugget batter. The little bits of tortilla chip are barely perceptible in the breading, but add a subtle toasty corn flavor and textural dimension. The inside is juicy and super tender (likely from the buttermilk bath it takes before getting breaded), with real chunks of white meat — no reconstituted chicken here. They weren’t too greasy or heavy, and within minutes I had quickly eaten more nuggets than I planned to, so that’s saying something.”