UNLEASH YOUR SPICY SIDE: TACO BELL® CRANKS UP THE HEAT WITH NEW CALIENTE CANTINA CHICKEN MENU

The fan-favorite Cantina Chicken gets a spicy remix with a bold new sauce—available nationwide for a limited time starting Feb. 27.

TLDR:

• Last year, Cantina Chicken took over, landing in 1 out of every 4 Taco Bell orders, and now it's back with a fiery twist. Meet the all-new Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu, bringing the heat with a sauce made with red jalapeños for a bolder, spicier bite.
• Can't wait? Taco Bell Rewards Members get exclusive early access starting today via the Taco Bell app*. New users who join Taco Bell Rewards between 2/27-3/12 can choose from the new Caliente Cantina Chicken Tacos as one of their options for a welcome reward.***
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu assets can be found here.

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cantina Chicken has found its spicy alter ego—Caliente! After earning a permanent spot on Taco Bell's menu last year, the fan-favorite slow-roasted chicken is turning up the heat with the all-new Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu. This spicy upgrade debuts nationwide on February 27, and even sooner with exclusive early access starting today for Taco Bell Rewards Members.

With unmatched popularity in 2024, Cantina Chicken found its way into 1 out of every 4 Taco Bell orders as shared in Yum! Brand's Q2 2024 earnings call. In 2025, it's time to kick it up. Topped with the all-new Caliente Sauce featuring red jalapeños, this limited-time menu takes the premium, slow-roasted chicken fans love and dials up the spice for those ready to embrace their bolder side. Whether you're a Cantina Chicken stan craving more heat or someone looking for a fiery new favorite, the Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu brings bold, flavorful spice to the Cantina Chicken line-up of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and bowls.

"It's been nearly a year since we launched the beloved Cantina Chicken Menu, and we knew it was time to turn up the heat," shared Taco Bell Global Chief Food Innovation Officer, Liz Matthews. "We experimented with different peppers, spice blends, and heat levels to craft the spicier alter ego to Cantina Chicken, one that brings just the right amount of fiery kick. With the Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu, we've struck that balance, delivering a fresh, zesty, and flavor-packed take for those ready to embrace their bolder side."

The Caliente Lineup
It's everything fans adore about Taco Bell's Cantina Chicken—plus a little something extra to keep taste buds dancing. Fans are encouraged to reinvent their Cantina Chicken routine and let their spicy side shine with the Caliente lineup that includes:

• Caliente Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco ($2.99)** - A white corn shell that is freshly fried daily, filled with slow-roasted chicken and a 3-cheese blend, generously coated with a layer of grilled cheese on the outside, drizzled with the Caliente Sauce.
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Soft Taco ($2.99)** - A warm, soft tortilla packed with slow-roasted chicken, iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese and pico de gallo, completed with Caliente Sauce.
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Burrito ($5.99)** - Packed with a double portion of slow-roasted chicken (compared to the Cantina Chicken Soft Taco) topped with iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and a Caliente Sauce.
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Quesadilla ($6.49)** - A melted cheese lover's dream, slow-roasted chicken enveloped in a warm flour tortilla alongside a decadent layer of a 3-cheese blend, crisped to perfection with grilled cheese on the outside and served with guacamole and reduced-fat sour cream for dipping and kicked up with the heat of Caliente Sauce drizzled inside.
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Bowl ($7.99)** - A flavor-packed bowl, loaded with slow-roasted chicken, seasoned rice, black beans, iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, pico de gallo, reduced-fat sour cream, guacamole, cheddar cheese and topped with Caliente Sauce.
• Caliente Sauce - Fans can feel the heat and let their spicy sides shine through by adding the all-new Caliente Sauce to their favorite Taco Bell menu items for an additional charge.

Cantina Chicken's Slow-Roasted History
Since launching in March 2024, the permanent Cantina Chicken Menu offers new flavors, new ingredients and a new experience to daytime routines. The slow-roasted chicken features a savory seasoning of Mexican spices including onion, garlic and a variety of chilies. This is paired with premium ingredients including shredded purple cabbage, white corn tortilla shells freshly fried daily, pico de gallo and the Avocado Verde Salsa.

The bright red Caliente Sauce spiced up Cincinatti, Ohio last fall where it was first tested for a limited time bringing lucky residents a first taste of its rich creamy citrus filled sauce.

Not Just A (Heat) Flash in the Pan
The party doesn't stop here...on March 27, the Caliente sauce will take a coveted spot in the Nacho Fry family. Available for $4.99** the Caliente Cantina Chicken Nacho Fries will feature a bed of crispy, seasoned fries fried to golden perfection topped with slow-roasted chicken, nacho cheese sauce, cheddar cheese, fiesta strips and reduced-fat sour cream doused with Caliente Sauce for an extra oomph of spice and heat.

* Early Access to Caliente Cantina Chicken Bowl, Caliente Cantina Chicken Quesadilla, Caliente Cantina Chicken Burrito, Caliente Cantina Chicken Soft Taco, and Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco are available on 2/25/252-2/26/25 for registered & logged in Rewards Members on the Taco Bell mobile app, at participating U.S. Taco Bell® locations, while supplies last. Non transferable. Check store for availability. No cash value. Terms and conditions apply: tacobell.com/terms. ©2025 Taco Bell IP Holder, LLC
** At participating locations for a limited time, while supplies last. Contact restaurant for prices, hours and participation, which vary. Taxes extra. Prices are higher with delivery. ©2025 Taco Bell IP Holder, LLC
*** Welcome Reward redeemable only via the Taco Bell mobile app at participating U.S. Taco Bell® locations, while supplies last. Not available for delivery orders, unless placed on the Taco Bell app. Must be a registered Taco Bell app user in order to redeem. If selecting one of Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco, Seasoned Beef Soft Taco, or Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, reward will be valid for 14 days from issuance. If selecting one of Caliente Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco or Caliente Cantina Chicken Soft Taco, reward will be valid through March 12, 2025. Limit 1 per registered user. Substitutions, upgrades, or add-ons may incur additional charges. Reward is non-transferable and cannot be combined with some other offers. No cash value. Terms apply: tacobell.com/terms. ©2025 Taco Bell IP Holder, LLC.

About Taco Bell Corp.  
For more than 62 years, Taco Bell has brought innovative, craveable Mexican-inspired food to the masses, and was recently recognized as one of Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies, one of TIME's Most Influential Companies, and Nation's Restaurant News' Brand Icon. For more information about Taco Bell, visit our website at www.TacoBell.com, our Newsroom at www.TacoBell.com/news, or check out www.TacoBell.com/popular-links. You can also stay up to date on all things Taco Bell by following us on LinkedIn, TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook and by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

Jacqueline Cisneros – Taco Bell Corp. 
[email protected] 

Rosie Herzog – Edelman  
[email protected] 

SOURCE Taco Bell Corp.