Taco Bell Is Bringing Back The Naked Chicken Chalupa And We Got To Taste It

Here's what you need to know.

Starting today, Taco Bell is bringing back its hugely popular Naked Chicken Chalupa.

Taco Bell

The Naked Chicken Chalupa is made up of an all-white meat crispy chicken shell seasoned with Mexican spices, and then stuffed with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and a creamy avocado ranch sauce.

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There's also a spicy version that has the same ingredients as above but with smoky wild sauce instead of avocado ranch.

Taco Bell

You can see the avocado sauce in the taco on the right. The other one on the left is Taco Bell's special Nacho Cheese Chalupa. Taco Bell says, "For those that prefer cheese over spice, the disruptive, all-chicken shell is also being revamped as the Nacho Cheese Naked Chicken Chalupa for a limited time test currently in Cleveland, OH, complete with warm nacho cheese delivering ultimate craveability. Variations of the beloved Naked Chicken Chalupa are also popping up on Taco Bell menus across the globe."

In a press release, Taco Bell said that, "The Naked Chicken Chalupa and its wilder and cheesy versions are available at participating locations for just $2.99 a la carte, or in a $5 Box including a Naked Chicken Chalupa, a Doritos Locos Taco, a Crunchy Taco and a Medium Drink."

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Here's what it looks like IRL:

Kevin Smith / BuzzFeed

Earlier this week we got our hands on the Naked Chicken Chalupa so we could try them and give you our honest thoughts:

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Here's what I—Kevin—thought:

Kevin Smith / BuzzFeed

I love Chalupas. They're probably my go-to item from Taco Bell that I pretty much order every time I'm there. This upgrade on the Chalupa by turning the shell into a chicken breast was delightfully satisfying. The chicken was well-seasoned and all of the ingredients were what I knew and expected from Taco Bell. The shell was a little softer than I expected, but that was fine all things considered. I'd definitely order this at any time of day, but I think that it would make a particularly tasty drunk snack.

Here's what my food partner-in-crime Michelle thought:

Michelle No / BuzzFeed

"OK, you know how sometimes you get a taco and there’s like, a tablespoon of ground beef on it? And your drunk-ass 2 a.m. self is mad for not hitting up Mickie Dee’s for the nugs instead? IDK how they’re trying to market this Chalupa, but I promise you this is the solution to that exact problem/demographic.”

Here's what Clark thought:

Clark McCaskill / BuzzFeed

"Some of these food crazes are out of hand but you know the main dude Taco Bell, knows how to do them right. The fried chicken shell was the perfect density and had a nice crunch to it without it being too crispy. Everything went together really well and I'm happy to report that an hour after eating I still don't feel an urge to expel it from my body. But, 12/10, would get naked again"

But don't just take our word for it, because I also got a bunch of other coworkers to try it, and here's what they thought:

Kevin Smith / BuzzFeed

"I’ve never had Taco Bell before, but I’m getting some serious McChicken vibes from this one, just spicier, and in taco form. Love it." — Inga Lam

“I liked it. I’m a pretty picky eater, and I thought the chicken was good and not too spicy. I also feel like it’d make a really good drunk snack.” — Ryan Schocket

"Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it to taste that good. But then again, it’s essentially fried chicken with some toppings added in, so I should have expected it to be great. My only complaint is that it’s a bit salty." — Neena Paul

"So, I would definitely buy this chicken taco on days that I'm feeling extra greedy. I just wish the chicken was a little more crispy, but other than that it was pretty good." — Mary Wilson

"This is the most exciting taco shell update since Doritos Locos Tacos. Must. Try. now." — Jessica Seib

"Honestly, this was the best thing i've eaten all day so thank you [Kevin] and Taco Bell for bringing this into my life." — Justine Teu

"Just ate the [Naked] Chicken Chalupa! I thought that the chicken was good — it was flavorful and a nice way to add some protein. The lettuce and tomato could've been better quality (not a big fan of iceberg), but for a fast food item I thought it was tasty! I took the not-spicy one, and I think it still had a little heat to it. I liked that." — Emma Byrne

"I really enjoyed the tacos! It is definitely something that has to be hot/fresh when you eat. But more of the sauce would have been great." — McKenzie Marshall

TL;DR: The Naked Chicken Chalupa is pretty dang tasty and it's a great snack, whether you're drunk or not. It's not too much chicken, but actually just enough chicken, and that Avocado ranch sauce: talk about incredible.

Kevin Smith / BuzzFeed