Taco Bell Is Bringing Back a Menu Favorite - With a New Twist

Taco Bell has made numerous alterations to its menu in the first month of 2026, with the latest change marking the return of a fan favorite item, their Crispy Chicken Nuggets.

This time, the Crispy Chicken Nuggets are back with a new twist, as Taco Bell is debuting a Hidden Valley Diablo Ranch dipping sauce for customers to enjoy them with.

When will Taco Bell's Crispy Chicken Nuggets return to menu?

Thursday, January 22, as in today. The white meat chicken snack with the tortilla chip-breading is now available nationwide.

You can request the popular item as a five-piece or 10-piece order, with one dipping sauce for the smaller portion and two for the larger one. Customers can also order a 10-piece Crispy Chicken Nuggets Combo, which combines the 10-piece nuggets and two sauces with fries and a large drink, or the Nugget Deluxe Combo, which consists of 5-piece nuggets, one sauce, Beef Chalupa, Crunchy Taco, fries with cheese sauce and large drink.

What is the new Hidden Valley Diablo Ranch sauce?

According to a press release, the new Hidden Valley Diablo Ranch utilizes Taco Bell's customary Diablo sauce to create “spicy remix” of “creamy ranch flavor."

In the past, customers could order the Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce alongside the Crispy Chicken Nuggets, so this new condiment is advertised as a step up from that.

Third time is the charm for Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Originally introduced in December 2024, the Crispy Chicken Nuggets also made a brief return last April.

“Fueled by nonstop crispy chicken innovations across nuggets, strips, tacos, and burritos, and a slate of blockbuster sauce collaborations with Mike’s Hot Honey, Frank’s RedHot, and Hidden Valley Ranch, our Crispy Chicken journey is just getting started,” a Taco Bell spokesperson said. “Crispy Chicken remains a long-term focus for us that’s connecting with both new fans and longtime loyalists.”

In the past, Crispy Chicken Nuggets have been a limited-time menu item. We'll see what Taco Bell has in store for them this time around.

January has been busy for Taco Bell

Earlier this month, the fast food chain launched its Luxe Value Menu, which became available to Taco Bell rewards members last Friday and as of today, is now included at restaurants nationwide.

The menu, which is comprised of items costing $3 or less, features five new items making their debuts.

• Mini Taco Salad – $2.49
• Beefy Potato Loaded Griller – $2.49
• Chips & Nacho Supreme Dip – $2.49
• Avocado Ranch Chicken Stacker – $2.99
• Salted Caramel Churros (Limited-Time) – $1.99

Joining these five additions are five Taco Bell staples:

• Cheesy Roll Up – $1.19
• Spicy Potato Soft Taco – $1.29
• Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito – $1.49
• 3 Cheese Chicken Flatbread Melt – $2.29
• Cheesy Double Beef Burrito – $2.79

You can find out more here.