Food & Beverage

Taco Bell to launch Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets nationwide April 16

Photo: Taco Bell

April 13, 2026

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Taco Bell is expanding its crispy chicken lineup with the launch of Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets, a menu item that transforms the brand's spiciest sauce into a dry seasoning, according to a press release.

The limited-time offering will be available at participating nationwide locations starting April 16. The nuggets feature all-white meat chicken with a tortilla chip breading coated in Diablo Dust, a powdered version of the Diablo Sauce that first debuted in 2015.

"Diablo Sauce has a cult following, it's that lingering heat with a hint of lime. Turning that iconic flavor into a dust reimagines how that heat hits," Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's global chief food innovation officer, said in the press release. "By coating our nuggets with Diablo Dust, we're unlocking a new level of intensity and opening the doors for even more creative, dusted flavor experiences with our Crispy Chicken. This is just the beginning."

The menu expansion includes several price points, starting at $4.49 for a five-piece order and $7.49 for a 10-piece order. A digital-exclusive combo featuring 10 pieces, nacho fries and a large drink is priced at $9.99, while a deluxe combo is available for $10.99.

The company also noted that customers can participate in its recycling partnership with TerraCycle during April. Fans who mail in empty sauce containers can earn 80 bonus rewards points through the Taco Bell app.

The launch follows a preview of the "sauce-to-dust" technology earlier this year at the brand's Live Más LIVE event. Taco Bell first entered the crispy chicken category in Dec. 2024.