I tried Taco Bell's Cantina Chicken menu and loved all 5 new menu items. It's a total game changer for the chain.

• Taco Bell's new Cantina Chicken menu is now available nationwide.

• It features five new items: two tacos, a burrito, a quesadilla, and a bowl.

• I loved the new Cantina Chicken, which is slow-roasted with spices, and the freshness of every dish.

There's no doubt 2024 is Taco Bell's biggest year yet for innovation.

The chain is releasing everything from a Baja Blast pie to a Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme, but I think its biggest success will be all about chicken.

Featuring five new items, Taco Bell's delicious Cantina Chicken menu will usher in a whole new era for the fast-food giant.

Taco Bell's Cantina Chicken menu is now available nationwide.

The new menu includes a soft taco, crispy taco, burrito, quesadilla, and bowl.

All five items feature Taco Bell's new Cantina Chicken, which has been slow-roasted with garlic, onions, and various chiles. Every order also comes with the chain's new avocado verde salsa, made with green chili peppers, tomatillos, and real avocado pulp.

Taco Bell's top executives think chicken is the next big fast-food trend.

"It's a protein that consumers feel really good about," CMO Taylor Montgomery told me at Live Más LIVE, Taco Bell's first superfan convention.

"I think they just feel better about eating it. It's a healthier protein option," the chain's CEO, Sean Tresvant, agreed. "I think that's where the tastes are going."

But the chain also wanted to ensure Taco Bell's "rebel spirit" was still reflected in its new chicken menu.

"We still gotta make it craveable!" Tresvant said. "Let's grill some cheese on the outside. Let's create an avocado salsa. It's so good, so different, and I think people are really going to like it."

And they're hoping the Cantina Chicken menu will help bring the lunch crowd to Taco Bell.

During Live Más LIVE, Liz Matthews — the chain's chief food innovation officer — told the audience of superfans that Taco Bell is always listening to their reviews of the brand.

"Keep that feedback coming because it actually guides everything we do," she said.

But that doesn't only mean bringing back beloved past items like the Mexican Pizza. The chain has also seen people on social media claim that Taco Bell is only meant to be a late-night spot, and it highlighted those posts in a new Cantina Chicken commercial with Jason Sudeikis.

"Getting Taco Bell during the daytime feels unethical," one message read.

Taco Bell wants the world to know that the new Cantina Chicken menu "isn't just for late-night." So, did it live up to the hype?

I sure think so. Here's my ranking of all five new menu items.

5. Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco

The $2.99 crispy taco features the new chicken, jalapeño sauce, and a melted and toasted three-cheese blend. The white-corn tortilla shell also features a layer of grilled cheese.

I first tried this crispy taco at Live Más LIVE and it scored the fifth spot in my ranking of 15 new Taco Bell dishes coming out this year. It tasted just as good the second time around, with a very generous amount of grilled cheese on the shell that I loved. The juicy and tender chicken pairs deliciously with the jalapeño sauce, and the bright avocado salsa helped cut through the very savory taco and add more depth to its overall flavor.

Taco Bell said the new salsa was designed to complement the entire Cantina Chicken menu, and it really delivers.

4. Cantina Chicken Soft Taco

This $2.99 soft taco features iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, avocado ranch sauce, and the new chicken.

The pico de gallo and purple cabbage are new ingredients for Taco Bell, and their presence elevates the soft taco. They infuse so much freshness into the overall flavor, helping each bite taste crisp and vibrant. The avocado ranch sauce is delicious, and a drizzle of avocado verde salsa helped tie everything together. I was delightfully surprised by the Cantina Chicken Soft Taco when I first tried it at Live Más LIVE, and I think it'll be a huge hit for Taco Bell lovers who want something bright and light — especially for lunch.

3. Cantina Chicken Bowl

In addition to the Cantina Chicken, Taco Bell's new $7.99 bowl features seasoned rice, black beans, iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese, avocado ranch sauce, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, and avocado verde salsa.

The last time I ate a Taco Bell bowl was many years ago when I tried its (now discontinued) power bowl during a road trip. I was determined to be "healthier," a mission I deeply regretted as I picked through a bland mix of sad and limp veggies while my friend happily tore through their Crunchwrap Supreme across the table.

Thankfully, Taco Bell's newest chicken bowl is a massive upgrade. It comes packed with that savory slow-roasted chicken, which pairs deliciously with the black beans, avocado ranch sauce, and sour cream. As with the soft taco, the purple cabbage and pico de gallo add a burst of freshness that enhances the overall flavor.

I would order this when I need an easy and healthy lunch on the go — plus, it's cheaper than Chipotle's famous burrito bowl.

2. Cantina Chicken Quesadilla

Taco Bell's new $6.49 quesadilla combines the Cantina Chicken with its creamy chipotle sauce and a three-cheese blend, all wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla with grilled cheese on the outside. The tortilla is served with guacamole, sour cream dipping sauces, and a packet of avocado verde salsa.

I was such a fan of Taco Bell's new quesadilla. It's got far more heft than the chain's regular quesadilla, which is solid but leaves you with a lot of leftover tortilla, and adding the grilled cheese on top makes it deliciously indulgent. There was so much chicken in my quesadilla that it was oozing out of the top (no complaints here), and stacking the tortilla rather than serving it flat made each bite substantial and satisfying.

It was a warm and comforting mix of ingredients, with an added dose of freshness from the guacamole and avocado verde salsa.

1. Cantina Chicken Burrito

This $5.99 burrito features a double portion of chicken (compared to the tacos), iceberg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, avocado ranch sauce, creamy chipotle sauce, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, and avocado verde salsa.

Taco Bell's Cantina Chicken Burrito was the best thing I ate at Live Más LIVE, so I'm not surprised it held onto its top spot here.

It's the perfect replacement for the Fiesta Veggie Burrito and Chipotle-Ranch Grilled-Chicken Burrito, which were discontinued for the chain's new Cravings Value Menu this year — much to my dismay.

But all is forgiven thanks to this new menu item, which is bursting with similar freshness. The slow-roasted chicken is so satisfying in a burrito, and I love the texture from the grilled tortilla. All the veggies are super crisp, colorful, and bright, making this a burrito designed for the daytime.

If chicken is the future of fast food, Taco Bell is ahead of the game.

Taco Bell is releasing quite a few new chicken options this year, including chicken nuggets, and I'm truly impressed with how the chain is upgrading its menu.

I enjoyed every item on the Cantina Chicken menu and would happily order any of these five new dishes again. I already know the burrito and quesadilla will become part of my regular rotation — day or night!

I love that Taco Bell is experimenting with new ingredients and elevating what fast food in 2024 looks — and tastes — like. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

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