Review: Taco Bell Makes 'Dusted' And 'Dirty' Words I Actually Want To See On A Menu

If there's one thing that never changes about Taco Bell, it's that things are always changing at Taco Bell. The beloved fast food chain has earned a solid reputation among fans for constantly updating its offerings in ways that always seem to grab our attention while still staying affordable. Of course, things are no different this season as Taco Bell debuts some exciting new items — and even treats long-time supporters to a throwback favorite.

Starting April 16, the restaurant is rolling out the Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets and Zab's Chicken Ranch Nacho Fries for the first time, bringing even more spice and special sauces to the menu. On top of that, the chain is also bringing a viral soda upgrade trend to locations with its Dirty Sips drinks, and revisiting a fan favorite classic with the return of the Triple Double Crunchwrap. I was lucky enough to get invited to a Taco Bell Cantina location in Manhattan to be one of the very first to try these items before they went live this week. As usual, I found something I enjoyed with each of the new additions, and was mostly pleasantly surprised by how things went. Here's what I thought of each product and what you can expect when you order them for yourself.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

As I've learned through previous experience sampling the chain's Luxe Value menu, there's no better way to get a real feeling for new Taco Bell items than by tasting them all in a lineup. With the chain's Herald Square location playing host, I was able to sample each product fresh from the kitchen and piping hot, as intended.

As always, when sampling new products, I try to keep a few things in mind (and my experience as a restaurant owner has also helped with this). Most importantly, I always ask whether or not a menu item works overall, and then whether or not it makes sense within the chain's offerings. Of course, serving size, value, creativity, and execution also factor into it. The ultimate final question always comes down to whether or not I would be willing to order any of these products again myself (especially if I like it enough to go out of my way to do so).

Since the Triple Double Crunchwrap is a revived item and not a debut, I didn't run a full review on the product (although I did deeply enjoy it). It's worth noting that it's the same Crunchwrap you know and love with even more beef, crunchy tostada shells, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, lettuce, and tomatoes wrapped in a grilled, circular pouch. Spoiler alert: It was fantastic (maybe the best of the group), but it wasn't the only thing worth celebrating.

Ever since Taco Bell rolled out its instantly iconic Doritos-dusted tacos over a decade ago, I've learned to trust the chain when it comes to dry seasoning its products. This time, instead of taking the flavoring from a popular snack brand, Taco Bell went internal and transformed its fan-favorite Diablo Sauce into a powder state, no packet opening required. The chain uses its nuggets (made from all-white meat chicken and a crunchy tortilla chip breading) as a base before coating the pieces in Diablo Dust.

As someone who almost always orders spicy chicken items when I see it on a menu, I'll admit that my curiosity was most piqued by this new product. They had a very crispy exterior with a Doritos-level of dusting that sticks to your fingers while eating them (which is honestly part of the fun). I also realized very quickly that the Diablo Sauce is no joke in this form: It's a decent amount of spice for a fast-food item! I found myself taking more sips of water (and the Dirty Sips samples) to help combat the heat in between bites. While it was nowhere near unapproachably spicy, this is the sort of assertiveness I hope for when something is marketed as such.

I'll also say that the execution was on point. There's a fantastic contrast between the moist chicken and crispy exterior that makes each bite that much more satisfying. I found myself nearly finishing my sample, and I will absolutely be ordering again.

I'll be honest: I don't often gravitate towards fried items when I order Taco Bell. But when you consider that this latest creation comes as part of a collaboration with an iconic hot sauce brand, I found myself more willing to see what would unfold. This item consists of fries topped with chicken, nacho cheese sauce, shredded cheese, and pico de gallo. The coup de grace is Zab's Ranch, which is a combination of Zab's St. Augustine Style Hot Sauce (which uses Datil peppers to build a slow heat) and Taco Bell's own Spicy Diablo Ranch Sauce.

To say that this order came out looking decadent would be an understatement (and I doubt it would be one of the healthiest options on Taco Bell's menu). It was nicely loaded with plenty of creamy toppings, and I was thankful I had a fork handy to tackle it. Even though I was expecting something as zippy as the Diablo Dust, I was surprised to find that the Zab's sauce is a little sweeter than I had anticipated. It came off more like Thousand Island dressing on my palate.

It wasn't until the third or fourth bite that I started to feel that tingle of spice on my palate. I didn't mind it, but I also couldn't help but wonder if something that's a little more vinegar-forward might be better suited atop so much starch. That being said, I appreciated the bigger pieces of chicken throughout. I might get these to share in the future, if only because it's a very rich dish in execution.

By now, I think it's safe to say that dirty sodas are having a true pop culture moment. The doctored soft drinks have sprouted their own line of devoted chains, and it's only logical that a company that approaches virality as well as Taco Bell does would eventually try its hand at it. Customers choose their own base beverage of choice (including sodas, Freezes, and lemonade), before it's topped with a swirl of vanilla crème, almost mimicking a soda float.

At our tasting, I was given a sample of both the Baja Blast and Baja Midnight with the creamy addition. I'll say that the Dirty Baja Midnight is even more cloying with the vanilla crème, and it almost tasted like Sweet Tarts candy (or even candy necklaces) with each sip. On the other hand, I actually noticed the vanilla flavor coming through much more on the Dirty Baja Blast in a way I found surprisingly pleasing. If I'm being honest, I don't have much of a sweet tooth, and I don't think this is the kind of upgrade I would personally make.

Despite how thirsty I was in the moment, there was no way I would be able to finish a single order. However, for the purposes of a few sips (and for anyone who already enjoys a dirty soda), these are genuinely pretty tasty!

I'm constantly surprised by Taco Bell's ability to continually innovate and tweak its menu in ways that are both appealing and work in execution. After this tasting, I realized that the brand had done it again with these new items by bringing in products that both stood out from their normal offerings but still tasted delicious. And while these items won't be around forever, I still think they're the kind of additions that round out an already diverse menu.

If I'm forced to pick, I think the Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets are the item I'd be most likely to order again. There's just something about the true kick of spice and tender pieces of chicken that really works in a way that blurs the line between fast food and casual grub, almost reminding me of an Irish-style spice bag. That being said, I wouldn't say no to another round of the Zab's Chicken Ranch Nacho Fries (so long as I had someone to split it with), and I'd like to see how a Dirty Sip with a Dr. Pepper base might taste on my next visit. Altogether, it's another job well done by Taco Bell.

Fortunately, you won't have to wait at all to try any of these items. The Zab's Chicken Ranch Nacho Fries, Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets, Triple Double Crunchwrap, and Dirty Sips have all gone live as of April 16 at Taco Bell locations nationwide. These will all be available for a limited time, though, so just make sure you don't wait too long to test them out for yourself.

The Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets cost $4.49 for a five-piece order, which includes one sauce. You can also double up with a 10-piece order for $7.49 along with two sauces. The Zab's Chicken Ranch Nacho Fries run for $5.49 per order.

The Triple Double Crunchwrap goes for $6.49 on its own, but you can also opt to upgrade it to a Luxe Box for $9, which includes a Doritos Locos Taco, Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito, Cinnamon Twists, and a medium fountain drink. The Dirty Sips program is more customizable and costs just $0.30 as an add-on to your base beverage of choice.