Banish The Sizzle With Taco Bell’s New Items

Ah, Taco Bell. We can always rely on you for something new. The restaurant, which customers recently voted the best taco chain in the US, is never far from releasing fresh menu items; in fact, it happens every few weeks these days. In May, we saw the arrival of its Strawberry Cinnabon Delights and its Shredded Beef Dipping Taco (which got a mixed response, it’s fair to say). Now we’re in the depths of June, though, it’s fajita time. 

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If this conjures up images of piping-hot, sizzling meat, though, you might be disappointed. Taco Bell’s going silent on this one. Here’s what you should know.

Taco Bell’s New Fajita Items

Taco Bell announced its new fajita items in a press release yesterday, and the restaurant’s clearly trying to capture all of the drama of the dish without any of the fuss (or, let’s be honest, the danger – those plates are hot). “Fajitas have a way of making an impression, and we wanted to bring that same excitement and unmistakable flavor to the menu in a way fans can experience wherever they are,” said the restaurant’s CMO, Luis Restrepo. “To us, it’s all about centering the savory peppers and onions that make fajitas so iconic and bringing that flavor to formats fans already love, so they get everything they crave without the sizzling spectacle.”

Okay, cool – so what’s on offer? Taco Bell’s starting with its Fajita Street Chalupas, made with your choice of marinated steak or slow-roasted chicken, with seasoned peppers and onions layered into a cheesy Street Chalupa shell, and then finished with creamy jalapeño sauce and an onion-cilantro blend. Then, there are its Chicken Fajita Nacho Fries, which essentially combine its Nacho Fries and these chicken fajita flavors (as its name suggests – you probably didn’t need me to explain that one, actually. But I did it anyway!).

This is hardly the first time Taco Bell has incorporated fajita flavors into its food – it first did so in the ‘80s – but it’s their first outing in a chalupa. Will these new menu items hit? From June 18, you can find out (for a limited time).

Lucky Charms

To celebrate the release of its Fajita Street Chalupas and Chicken Fajita Nacho Fries, Taco Bell is also dropping some merch, in collaboration with Ian Charms. From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT on Tuesday, June 23, Rewards Members can enter for a chance to win a limited-edition necklace, which Taco Bell says will be inspired by the new menu items. You can find full details and terms and conditions here.