Taco Bell is Testing Chicken Nuggets

Look out, McDonald's; Taco Bell is getting in on the chicken nugget game. According to Insider, Taco Bell began testing Crispy Chicken Nuggets in select stores on October 12th. The nuggets are the latest chicken menu item to be developed by the brand and, according to a brand representative, Taco Bell's nuggets are meant to be unlike any other available in the fast-food space.

"This is like truly a very premium nugget," a Taco Bell employee. "It's not a chicken nugget patty you might get at some fast-food restaurants."

Chef Brett Pluskalowski, who is on Taco Bell's food innovation team, went just a bit further and compared the nuggets to McDonald's offerings.

"When you go to McDonald's, that's not what you see," he said.

The new Crispy Chicken Nuggets are currently being tested in 83 Taco Bell restaurants in Minneapolis. A five-piece nugget along with sauce will cost between $3.99 and $4.99 while a 10-piece comes with two sauces and ranges between $6 and $8.99. As for those sauces, Taco Bell has two new sauces for them: Jalapeno Honey Mustard and Bell Sauce. The Bell Sauce is described as being mildly spice, comprising of tomatoes, red chilies, garlic and onions while the Jalapeno Honey Mustard is a blend of honey and hot mustard with a kick. As for the nuggets themselves, they feature all-white meat chicken from whole muscle chicken breast marinated in a spicy jalapeno buttermilk before they are breaded and fried.

In Other Taco Bell News

Taco Bell recently brought back its popular Taco Lover's pass. The service, which sots $10 per month, lets fans get one taco a day for the next 30 days. Subscribers are able to choose a taco of their choice form the chain's extensive taco lineup.

"Fans can stick to a personal favorite or expand their taste horizons by selecting any of following options: Seasoned Beef Crunchy Taco, Seasoned Beef Crunchy Taco Supreme, Seasoned Beef Soft Taco, Seasoned Beef Soft Taco Supreme, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Seasoned Beef Doritos® Locos Tacos, Seasoned Beef Doritos® Locos Tacos Supreme and the all-new Toasted Breakfast Tacos (choice of potato, bacon or sausage)," the chain says in a release.

"The return of Taco Lover's Pass exemplifies Taco Bell's innovative spirit and creativity, leveraging digital experiences to deliver unrivaled value in modern ways," adds Dane Mathews, Taco Bell's Chief Digital Officer. "We're embracing our fan's passion for this digital pass along with the potential it holds to transform our retail experiences."