Taco Bell is giving the people what they want.
On February 27th, the fast-food chain rolled out four new menu items, piggybacking off the explosive popularity of their Cantina Chicken—but with a new extra spicy take.
The Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu, will pick up right where the Cantina Chicken left off: taking their perfectly-seasoned chicken and serving it up in the form of burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more, this time with their “scary” Caliente sauce at the center. So far, the social media responses are positive.
Cantina Chicken Popularity
A little history: when Taco Bell first introduced its Cantina Chicken Menu last year, it became an instant sensation. Fans couldn’t get enough of the slow-roasted, flavorful chicken, snatching up the new menu items such as the Cantina Chicken Burrito and Cantina Chicken Bowl. The California-based chain has since even referred to the menu’s popularity as “unmatched.” The Quesadilla Meal Box was especially popular, even prompting a Change.org org petition to bring it back. T.Bell fans, we see you.
And now, they’re taking it up a notch by adding some serious spice to the recipe.
A New Fan Favorite: Caliente Cantina Chicken
The new Caliente Cantina Chicken will be a happy marriage of the Cantina Chicken and Taco Bell’s signature Caliente Sauce, which is made with red jalapeño peppers. The marriage will yield four offspring, aka four new menu items. And here’s how real customers are responding to each of them:
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Caliente Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco. Here's what you can expect with this order: a white corn shell, stuffed with slow-roasted chicken and a three-cheese blend. A layer of grilled cheese on the outside takes it up a notch in terms of crunch and flavor, and a drizzle of the spicy-yet-tangy Caliente Sauce completes the dish.
"Won't lie, it was pretty good," Redditors have remarked of the order. "The Caliente sauce is spicy and kind of reminded me of Louisiana hot sauce, but slightly creamier." Interasante!
Caliente Cantina Chicken Soft Taco: If you prefer a soft taco, this one is described as a warm, soft tortilla "packed with slow-roasted chicken, iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese, and pico de gallo." Tied together with the signature Caliente Sauce.
Youtuber TheEndorsement gave the dish's spiciness a 3 out of 10. "I really do enjoy it," he said, giving it an overall score of 90/100 for deliving "bold flavor."
"I don't mind the $3 price tag, especially nowadays!"
Caliente Cantina Chicken Burrito: For a heartier serving of the Caliente Chicken, this burrito has a double portion of the chicken, plus iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, and Caliente Sauce. Are you starting to see a pattern her?
Tiktok user Eating With Shay said the burrito "definitely has a kick," calling it "good" and rating it an "8 out of 10."
Caliente Cantina Chicken Quesadilla: For the cheese lovers, this quesadilla is your best bet. It features the the chicken plus a three-cheese blend inside and a grilled cheese exterior. Don't forget to take your Lactaid! The guacamole and reduced-fat sour cream come on the side for dipping and the Caliente Sauce is inside.
Instagrammer The Southern Snack tried all of the items and called the quesadilla, "the worst bang for your buck" of the four menu options, and "very skinny."
Caliente Cantina Chicken Bowl: You know all the bloggers love their bowls, and this one features the chicken plus seasoned rice, black beans, iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, pico de gallo, reduced-fat sour cream, guacamole, cheddar cheese, and the Caliente Sauce all in one big bowl.
Instagrammer Thanh Dang gave it a "9/10" in his review, calling it "well-balanced." "It is delicious!"
