Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco: Price, Calories & Nutrition 2026
A freshly fried white corn taco shell filled with slow-roasted Cantina Chicken, a three-cheese blend and Creamy Jalapeño Sauce, with more cheese grilled onto the outside of the shell. Every order comes with an Avocado Verde Salsa packet. It is one of the two tacos on Taco Bell's permanent Cantina Chicken Menu.
Quick Answer
The Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco costs $3.19 (Taco Bell's website, checked October 1, 2026; prices vary by location) and Taco Bell currently lists it at 320 calories. It is slow-roasted chicken, a three-cheese blend and Creamy Jalapeño Sauce in a fried white corn shell with cheese grilled on the outside, served with Avocado Verde Salsa. It is mild, not spicy.
What is actually in the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco?
Four things: a white corn taco shell fried fresh, slow-roasted chicken, a three-cheese blend (mozzarella, cheddar and a pepper jack style cheese), and Creamy Jalapeño Sauce. The part that makes it different from every other crunchy taco on the menu is the layer of cheese grilled onto the outside of the shell. There is no lettuce, tomato or pico de gallo in this one, which is where a lot of menu sites get it wrong.
That outside cheese layer changes the texture. The shell is less crunchy than a plain Crunchy Taco. Spicy Food Reviews described it as more al dente than crispy, and that is a fair expectation to set.
Is the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco spicy?
No, it is mild. The Creamy Jalapeño Sauce has a light kick and the cheese blend has some pepper in it, but the chicken and cheese soften it a lot. If you want real heat, ask for a Diablo sauce packet. If you want it brighter rather than hotter, use the Avocado Verde Salsa that comes with it; it is tangy and tomatillo based, and it is where most of the "cantina" flavor comes from.
Crispy Taco vs Soft Taco: which Cantina Chicken taco should you get?
Both tacos use the same slow-roasted chicken and cost the same on Taco Bell's site, but they are built very differently.
| Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco | Cantina Chicken Soft Taco | |
|---|---|---|
| Price* | $3.19 | $3.19 |
| Calories* | 320 | 260 |
| Shell | Fried white corn shell, cheese grilled outside | Warm flour tortilla |
| Sauce | Creamy Jalapeño Sauce | Avocado Ranch Sauce |
| Cheese | Three-cheese blend, inside and outside | Cheddar |
| Veggies | None | Lettuce, purple cabbage, pico de gallo |
| Side | Avocado Verde Salsa packet | Avocado Verde Salsa packet |
My pick is the Crispy Taco if you want something rich and cheesy that feels closer to a small meal. Pick the Soft Taco if you want fresh crunch from vegetables and 60 fewer calories. If one taco is not enough, the Crispy Taco Combo gives you two tacos, Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce and a large drink for $9.89.
*Prices and calories from Taco Bell's Cantina Chicken Menu page, checked October 1, 2026. Prices vary by location.
Is the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco worth $3.19?
Yes, if you judge it by how much food you get. At Taco Bell's listed prices it works out to about $1.00 per 100 calories. A classic Crunchy Taco ($1.99, 170 calories) comes to about $1.17, and the Cantina Chicken Soft Taco ($3.19, 260 calories) about $1.23. So the Crispy Taco costs more up front but is the most filling taco of the three for the money.
Where it loses is freshness: it has no vegetables at all. If that matters to you, the Soft Taco is the better order.
Math based on prices and calories on Taco Bell's Tacos menu page, checked October 1, 2026.
Why do calorie counts for this taco differ online?
You will see 280 calories on most nutrition sites and 320 on Taco Bell's own menu. The 280 figure comes from the full nutrition breakdown Taco Bell published when the taco launched in March 2024. Taco Bell's menu now shows 320 calories, which points to a recipe or portion update, but a full updated breakdown was not published on the menu page when we checked. We show the 320 figure as the current number and keep the launch breakdown in the Nutrition Facts panel so you can see the fat, carbs and protein. For exact numbers at your location, use the Taco Bell nutrition calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
QHow much does the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco cost?
Taco Bell's website listed it at $3.19 when we checked on October 1, 2026. It launched at $2.99 in March 2024, and prices vary by location.
QHow many calories are in the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco?
Taco Bell's menu currently lists 320 calories. The full nutrition breakdown Taco Bell published at launch was for a 280 calorie version with 16g fat, 17g carbs and 15g protein.
QIs the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco spicy?
Not very. The Creamy Jalapeño Sauce and the pepper jack in the cheese blend give it a light kick, but Spicy Food Reviews rated it barely mild. Add a Diablo or Fire sauce packet if you want real heat.
QDoes the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco come with sauce?
Yes. Creamy Jalapeño Sauce is inside the taco, and every order comes with an Avocado Verde Salsa packet on the side.
QIs the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco gluten-free?
Its listed ingredients contain no wheat, since the shell is white corn. But Taco Bell uses shared equipment and fryers, so it is not certified gluten-free and is not safe for celiac disease. See our Taco Bell gluten-free guide.
QWhat cheese is on the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco?
A three-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar and pepper jack style cheese. It goes inside the shell and is also grilled onto the outside.
QIs this the same as the Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco from 2022?
No. The 2022 Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco was a flour tortilla with a breaded crispy chicken strip, lettuce, tomato and avocado ranch or creamy chipotle sauce. The current Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco uses slow-roasted chicken in a fried corn shell.
QWhen did the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco come out?
It launched nationwide on March 21, 2024, with early access for Taco Bell Rewards members from March 14, 2024. Taco Bell says the Cantina Chicken Menu is permanent.
QWhat comes in the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco Combo?
Two Cantina Chicken Crispy Tacos, a Jalapeño Citrus Salsa packet, an Avocado Verde Salsa packet, Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce, and a large fountain drink. It was $9.89 on Taco Bell's site on October 1, 2026.
QHow much sodium is in the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco?
Taco Bell's launch nutrition listed 530mg of sodium, about 23% of the daily value. The current 320 calorie version may differ slightly. Compare it with other items in our Taco Bell sodium guide.
QIs the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco better than a regular Crunchy Taco?
It is a bigger, richer taco. It has 320 calories vs 170 and costs $3.19 vs $1.99, but it gives you more food per dollar. Pick the Crunchy Taco if you want lettuce and a lighter bite.
QCan you order the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco dairy-free?
Yes, by asking for no cheese and no Creamy Jalapeño Sauce, or ordering it Fresco style, according to Go Dairy Free. Shared equipment still means cross-contact is possible.
More From the Cantina Chicken Menu
Want more of the same chicken? The Cantina Chicken Burrito is the most filling option, the Cantina Chicken Bowl skips the tortilla, and the Cantina Chicken Rolled Quesadilla is the cheesiest of the lineup. To see how this taco fits into your day, try our Taco Bell calorie calculator.
TacoBellMenus.net is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Taco Bell Corp or Yum! Brands. Prices and nutrition were checked against Taco Bell's official website on the date shown and can change or vary by location. Always confirm allergens with the restaurant. See our full disclaimer.