Exclusive: Taco Bell pushes deeper into fast-food chicken wars

Driving the news: Taco Bell is adding two new chicken items starting March 19: a limited-time Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Slider and a permanent Cantina Chicken Rolled Quesadilla.

• Both were tested in select markets before rolling out nationally, including Knoxville, Tennessee, and Oklahoma City.

The big picture: The announcement builds on Taco Bell's recent menu reveals at its Live Más LIVE event, where the brand previewed additional chicken innovations coming in 2026, including Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza and Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets.

State of play: Rather than launching entirely new platforms, Taco Bell is building on its most recognizable menu formats — letting the brand experiment while keeping menu items familiar.

• "Chicken is a real playground for spices and sauces, which is where Taco Bell thrives," Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's global chief food innovation officer, told Axios in an exclusive interview. "We start with what people already crave and push it somewhere new."

By the numbers: Cantina Chicken is already gaining traction, with about 1 in 10 Taco Bell orders now including a Cantina menu item, Matthews said.

• Chicken is the most consumed meat in the U.S., according to USDA data.

• "It's created a whole new reason for people to come to Taco Bell," Matthews added.

Zoom out: Chains including McDonald's, Wendy's, Chick-fil-A and Popeyes are expanding their chicken menus as demand surges.

• The boom has fueled years of menu experimentation across the industry, from nuggets and sandwiches to premium chicken offerings.

What's next: Chicken will play a bigger role in Taco Bell's menu pipeline as the brand experiments with new formats and flavors, Matthews told Axios.

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