Getting wings from Taco Bell may sound impossible, but there are actually a few creative ways to craft your own wings using ingredients from the popular Mexican fast food chain. While Taco Bell is best known for their tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, the ingredients on their menu can be re-imagined in creative ways. With a little ingenuity, patience, and the willingness to get your hands dirty in the kitchen, you can make tasty Taco Bell-inspired wings right in your own home.
Why Would You Want Wings from Taco Bell?
Taco Bell offers a unique assortment of flavors that you can’t find at typical wing joints. Their seasoned beef, spicy nacho cheese, flavorful beans, creamy sauces, and signature spices can all be used to put a special Taco Bell twist on chicken wings. Some reasons you may want to craft your own Taco Bell wings include:
- Craving Taco Bell but want a different format – Wings allow you to enjoy Taco Bell flavors in a handheld, dippable format.
- Want a creative cooking challenge – Turning Taco Bell ingredients into wings is an innovative way to recreate and remix flavors.
- Have a leftover Taco Bell haul – Give new life to unused Taco Bell ingredients by incorporating them into freshly made wings.
- Need an appetizer for a party – Wings make great party fare, and Taco Bell-inspired wings are sure to be a unique crowd pleaser.
- Hosting Taco Tuesday – Taco-flavored wings are a fun way to shake up a typical Taco Tuesday.
The unique flavor combos possible with Taco Bell ingredients are endlessly appetizing. Even just the idea of nacho cheese or Baja sauce-covered wings is mouthwatering. Read on to learn how to unlock the full wing potential of your local Taco Bell.
Getting the Right Ingredients
The first step in engineer Taco Bell wings is getting your hands on the right ingredients. Here are some Taco Bell menu items that can help you build crave-worthy wings:
Protein
Every order of wings needs a base of chicken. You have two options here:
Raw chicken wings – Your best bet is to start with fresh, raw chicken wings. Opt for whole wings rather than pre-sectioned drums and flats to have more flexibility in preparing and saucing them.
Shredded chicken – Alternatively, you can buy shredded chicken from Taco Bell and form it into wing shapes. Just ask for a side of shredded chicken in a bowl.
Sauces
Taco Bell’s signature sauces add a distinctly craveable flavor. Here are some of the best sauce options:
- Nacho cheese sauce – The smooth, spicy cheese sauce is a perfect creamy coating for wings.
- Spicy ranch sauce – The blend of ranch and chipotle pepper flavors pairs great with chicken.
- Avocado ranch sauce – Cool ranch meets avocado in this tangy green sauce.
- Chipotle sauce – Smoky, spicy chipotle peppers punch up traditional buffalo style wings.
- Hot sauce – For traditional spicy buffalo wings, ask for hot sauce on the side.
Seasonings
Capture the Taco Bell taste by adding their signature seasonings into your wing sauce or coating mixture. Seasonings to request include:
- Taco seasoning – A savory blend of spices like cumin, garlic powder, and red pepper.
- Fajita seasoning – Onion, garlic, cumin and chili peppers make up this mix.
- Mexican pizza seasoning – Oregano, cumin, and red pepper flake flavors.
You can also buy bottles of Taco Bell’s signature seasoning blends like Mild Border Sauce and Verde Sauce in grocery stores.
Preparing the Wings
Once you’ve gathered ingredients from Taco Bell, it’s time to turn them into cravable wings. Here is a step-by-step process:
Bake Raw Wings
If starting with raw chicken wings, first bake them:
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease.
- Season raw wings with salt, pepper, and any dry Taco Bell seasonings.
- Arrange wings on baking sheet and bake 25-35 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
Baking first helps render excess fat and makes the wings crispy.
Sauce the Wings
- In a large bowl, mix together your desired Taco Bell sauce(s).
For example, nacho cheese sauce, hot sauce, and avocado ranch. - Add 1-2 teaspoons of Taco Bell fajita seasoning and 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning.
- Toss the baked or shredded chicken wings in the sauce until fully coated.
Feel free to tweak sauce ingredients to create different flavor combos.
Finish the Wings
- For crispy skin, broil wings 2-3 minutes on high heat.
- Or, air fry sauced wings at 400°F for 5 minutes to make extra crispy.
- Top wings with any desired Taco Bell toppings like pico de gallo, guacamole, shredded cheese or lime juice.
- Serve wings with sides like Mexican rice, beans, tortilla chips and dips for the full Taco Bell experience.
Get creative with finishing touches like sprinkles of cilantro or cotija cheese.
Taco Bell Wing Flavor Ideas
Let your imagination run wild with unique Taco Bell wing creations. Some flavor combo ideas:
| Wing Style | Sauce Mix | Toppings |
|---|---|---|
| Nacho Cheese | Nacho cheese sauce + hot sauce + Mexican pizza seasoning | Shredded cheese, pico de gallo |
| Avocado Ranch | Avocado ranch sauce + Chipotle seasoning | Grilled onions, avocado slices |
| Cheesy Jalapeño | Nacho cheese sauce + jalapeños + fajita seasoning | Shredded cheese, crispy jalapeños |
| Fiesta | Spicy ranch sauce + taco seasoning + hot sauce | Pico de gallo, lime juice, cilantro |
| California | Avocado ranch + Verde sauce + fajita seasoning | Guacamole, pico de gallo, cotija cheese |
Let the Taco Bell flavors guide you toward wings that are outside the box.
Making Taco Bell Wings from Scratch
For the ultimate DIY challenge, you can also craft Taco Bell style wings completely from scratch:
Marinade the Raw Wings
- Whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 3 tablespoons hot sauce, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Add raw chicken wings and marinate 30 minutes to overnight.
The marinade starts infusing Taco Bell flavors.
Bread and Bake the Wings
- In one bowl, mix 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons Taco Bell taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon paprika.
- In another bowl, whisk 3 eggs with 1 tablespoon hot sauce.
- Dredge marinated wings in flour mix, dip in egg wash, then back into flour.
- Bake at 425°F 25-35 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
Breading and baking the wings gives them a crispy texture.
Make Sauce and Toss
- Melt 1 cup nacho cheese with 1/4 cup milk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.
- Toss cooked wings in cheese sauce to coat.
- Top with shredded cheese, pico, guacamole, etc.
DIY sauce brings that coveted nacho cheese flavor.
Tips for Crispy, Juicy Wings
To achieve the perfect crispy yet juicy Taco Bell style wings, use these preparation tips:
- Pat wings dry before baking or breading to improve crisping.
- Use baking powder in the breading mixture to add extra crispness.
- Fry sauced wings at high heat for a few minutes to recrisp the skin.
- Avoid overcrowding wings on the baking sheet to maximize airflow and crispiness.
- Brush wings with a little oil before air frying or broiling to make extra crispy.
- Don’t overbake raw wings – pull at 165°F for juicy interior meat.
- Let wings rest 5 minutes before saucing to help juices redistribute.
- Toss wings in sauce right before serving to maintain crispy texture.
Aim for saucy, crispy wings covered in craveable Taco Bell flavors using these tips.
Serving Suggestions
Taco Bell wings pack a flavor punch on their own, but they’re even better with some dipping and dredging options. Serve your wings with:
- Ranch or avocado ranch – For dipping saucy wings
- Nacho cheese – Another creamy, craveable dip
- Taco Bell hot sauce packets – For an extra kick
- Lime wedges – A bright, refreshing squeeze
- Mexican rice – To round out the meal
- Refried or black beans – More Taco Bell flavors
- Chips and tortillas – Vessels for scooping up any fallen bits of wing
Pulling together a full Taco Bell-style spread makes the wings feel even more special. Ground beef or shredded chicken are also fair game as taco fillings on the side.
Full Taco Bell Wing Bar Idea
For a fun party or game day theme, set up a DIY Taco Bell wing bar with these elements:
- Slow cooker filled with Taco Bell nacho cheese sauce
- Slow cooker with shredded chicken in hot sauce
- Array of Taco Bell sauce packets
- Taco and fajita seasoning shakers
- Bowls of toppings like pico, shredded cheese, avocado, onions, cilantro
- Lime and jalapeño slices
- Taco Bell’s Classic Border Sauce and Mild Border Sauce bottles
- Taco shells, tortilla chips, chips and dips
Let guests build their own custom Taco Bell wings with favorite sauces, seasonings and toppings. The wing possibilities are endless!
FAQs
Can you actually get wings from Taco Bell?
Unfortunately, wings are not currently on the menu at Taco Bell. The popular Mexican chain is best known for tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos – not wings. However, you can replicate Taco Bell flavors at home by making DIY wings using ingredients sourced from their menu. A little creativity goes a long way!
What’s the closest thing to wings on the Taco Bell menu?
If you’re craving bite-sized chicken pieces glazed in sauce, your best Taco Bell order would be crispy chicken strips coated in one of their signature sauces. You can choose from options like Creamy Jalapeño Sauce, Nacho Cheese Sauce, Red Sauce, Spicy Ranch, Avocado Ranch and Chipotle Sauce. Addseasonings like jalapeños, pico de gallo or guacamole to amp up the flavors.
Would it be possible to get Taco Bell to add wings to their menu?
It’s highly unlikely that Taco Bell would add traditional bone-in wings to their menu, since it doesn’t align with their core Mexican-inspired offerings. However, it’s possible they may get creative and release a limited time offering of boneless “wings,” which would essentially be diced and sauced crispy chicken. Fans would have to campaign very persuasively to get Taco Bell to diversify their menu with a non-Mexican format like wings.
Can you order single wings from Taco Bell, like samples?
Since wings are not on the menu, there is no way to order them individually from Taco Bell. Your only option would be to purchase a larger menu item that contains chicken strips or shredded chicken and sample small bite-sized pieces of it to mimic a wing experience. Or, you can follow the DIY steps above to recreate Taco Bell wings from scratch at home.
Are the wings from Taco Bell spicy?
The level of spice in Taco Bell wings comes down to how you craft the recipe. Many of Taco Bell’s signature sauces pack a punch, like their Diablo and Fire sauces. Adding jalapeños, Chipotle sauce, or heavy doses of hot sauce to your wings would also up the heat level. On the other hand, sauces like nacho cheese, creamy jalapeño, and ranch offer milder flavors. Balance is key to pleasing all levels of spice tolerance.
Conclusion
While you won’t find wings on the menu board at Taco Bell, with a little ingenuity, you can transform their signature ingredients into craveworthy Mexican-inspired wings. Taco Bell’s nacho cheese sauce, fiery hot sauces, zesty seasonings, and fresh toppings all lend themselves perfectly to customizable wings. Satisfy your wing fix with a unique Taco Bell twist. Just don’t forget plenty of napkins!