This afternoon I tested the Taco Bell Chalupa, which is made using fried chicken as the shell. Don't worry, I am not getting into fast food reviews, I have enough vices. I randomly felt the need to post about it, mostly because I see it everywhere online.
As it happens often, a cigar buddy posted about what they were eating for lunch, Yes, the Naked Chicken Chalupa... and considering I live on the West Coast, a couple hours behind most cigar smokers, I tend to crave even the fast food posts. It's like going grocery shopping while hungry, not wise.
Here it is, my Naked Chicken Chalupa
Close, but no cigar 😜
Such as the Doritos Locos Tacos, each Naked Chicken Chalupa has its own paper holder, I assume to keep it from becoming a Naked Chicken Tostada. The "shell" is filled with lettuce, diced tomatoes, a small amount of cheddar cheese, and a delicious avocado dressing.
Overall it was decent, I loved the avocado dressing sauce, and the flavors of the chicken shell, of which the breading was quite spicy! The Chalupa was satisfying, the flavors were great and worked well together, it really isn't weird tasting like you might first assume.
What I didn't like about the Chalupa, was the texture of the "shell"... You can recognize it is made from mechanically separated chicken bits, then molded into a patty 🙄😝.., not that I expected any different. The chicken itself was juicy, so that is a plus I guess.
One other complaint.., the lettuce quickly became soggy. I notice on the Taco Bell advertisement that you can upgrade with many items, one being romaine lettuce. I think it would have been best to have romaine as a standard ingredient, unless that actually was romaine 🤔.
Anyway, due to how different a food item it is, it's worth trying at least once. Especially if a slightly rubbery texture doesn't bother you, I mean don't expect a KFC extra crispy-like experience.
I'd eat it again, eventually,
Now back to my cigars...
Nutrition facts from the Taco Bell website:
440 calories, 270 calories from fat, 30 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 70 milligrams cholesterol, 1,090 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams dietary fiber, less than 1 gram sugar and 20 grams of protein