To be honest, I haven’t eaten at Taco Bell in nearly two years. After the drive-thru workers began to know me by name, I decided I needed to take a break (too much of a good thing, you know?). But when I heard Taco Bell was coming out with Naked Chicken Chips, I simply couldn't resist. So, Taco Bell — I’m back!
It's no surprise Taco Bell would add the “naked chicken” twist to another classic because the Naked Chicken Chalupa did so well, but wow! I did not expect what was to come. Here is what you need to know about the new Naked Chicken Chips.
My Expectations
The last time I remember Taco Bell coming out with something wildly out-of-the-box that I just couldn't resist trying was the Doritos Locos Tacos. They were delicious and combined two of millennial’s' favorite things — Doritos and Taco Bell. It was revolutionary, and one of the few fast food crazes I actually remember. I was unsure the Naked Chicken Chips would change the fast food game as much as the Doritos Locos Tacos, but I was excited to find out.
I also had an interesting viewpoint on this Taco Bell treat — I have not eaten the Naked Chicken Chalupa (and sadly, I’ve lost my chance, now that they discontinued it). So, going in, I had no prior experience or expectations to base my opinion on.
Ordering
When I walked up to the menu, I was delighted by the options for the Naked Chicken Chips. They came in two different sizes: 6-pack for $1.99 or 12-pack for $3.99. To top it all off, they even had a combo pack that includes a 6-pack of the Naked Chicken Chips, a burrito supreme, a crunchy taco and a medium drink — all for only $5.00. I don't know about y'all, but I think that's one helluva deal!
I decided to go for the 6-pack. While waiting for my chips, the suspense killed me as the aroma of hot, sizzling, Americanized Mexican food tantalized not only my body, but my soul. Then, my name was called to get my order and my tasty journey began.
Tasting the Naked Chicken Chip
There was a cup-shaped container filled with the Naked Chicken Chips and a small container of nacho cheese on my tray. The chips themselves looked pretty much exactly like they were pictured on the menu, which is pretty uncommon in the era of articles dedicated to food that looks drastically different than it's advertised. They were a pretty good size; I'd say about the same size as their chips that make up the Nacho Supreme.
I picked one up and I was surprised by how warm it was, even after I took a plethora of pictures. I decided to take a bite of it without the nacho cheese first because I'm one of those 'never salt your soup before you taste it' people.
At first bite, the first thought that popped into my head was that it was surprisingly spicy. I probably should have expected it to be spicy considering it was from Taco Bell, but I digress. Other than that, it was pretty much what I was expecting — crispy on the outside, soft and chicken-y on the inside. I would give it 5/5 even before I dunked it in the nacho cheese.
Tasting the Cheese Dip
Let me just start off by saying that the cheese was warm — a huge plus. The combo of warm, spicy cheese and salty, crunchy chip was on the same level of perfection as the combo of Chrissy Teigen and John Legend.
Final Thoughts
Once I got done with my six chips and nacho cheese, I was surprised by how much it filled me up. I was definitely glad I didn't overdo it with the 12-pack or the combo — I'll save that for a time in the future when I’m hungrier
The only thing I felt that was missing was another option to dip the chips in. If I eat non-chicken chips, I would normally have salsa and queso dip on hand for dipping. I think salsa would have taken this snack to the next level and created a hot and cold combo.
Overall, I loved the Naked Chicken Chips, especially paired with the nacho cheese dipping sauce. However once my friend pointed out that they were glorified chicken nuggets, they did lose a bit of their charm. Either way, I'm going to go back for more these ASAP. I mean, everyone loves a good nugget, right?