Taco Bell Gets Its Chicken From A Familiar Source

Taco Bell's menu has changed a lot over the years, shifting between various new menu items, many of which use chicken. Although Taco Bell's chicken isn't home-cooked, the truth behind the fast-food poultry can be surprising to some. While Taco Bell has been questioned on whether its meat filling is the real deal, its chicken is from multiple USDA-inspected farms. Moreover, these domestic farms also sell its chickens to common brands you'd find in the grocery store, such as Tyson Foods.

Taco Bell is owned by Yum!, which is the same parent company that owns KFC, Habit Burger & Grill, and Pizza Hut. Yum! has been working with Tyson Foods for many years, even earning Yum!'s supplier of the year award for Taco Bell and Pizza Hut in 2008. Moreover, Tyson Foods provides chicken to other major establishments, including retail grocers such as Walmart, and Whole Foods, as well as all other major fast food restaurants like McDonald's, prisons, and some small restaurants.

Tyson Foods has had its share of recalls, but the supplier continues to be federally approved and serves major fast food chains across the country. Although Taco Bell's beef has been questioned and has gone to court in the past, its chicken is another story. With Tyson Foods being the largest food supplier in the United States, the chicken is inspected by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). While Tyson Foods is federally approved, Taco Bell's top-ranked chicken quesadilla, and other poultry-based menu items, use pre-cooked chicken to further help ensure food safety.

Although the chicken comes from a well-known supplier, Taco Bell uses its own process before the chicken goes on your burrito or crunchwrap. The chain uses pre-cooked, frozen chicken to minimize risk when people eat. In other words, what you're eating was fully cooked before it even reached your local Taco Bell.

However, while this does minimize some risk, it doesn't take away all risk. Despite using a reputable supplier, Tyson Foods, one Reddit post from a Taco Bell employee found chicken claws throughout its supply. In the same post, despite the fast food chain using pre-cooked, frozen chicken, the employee noted that some of the chicken did arrive raw. Bear in mind that this claim is from one Reddit post, but it does put the quality inspection of Tyson food into question. Like with many things that happen with large operations, the process and logistics of how things are done will vary by location. While it's unclear to know the differences between the locations, it is clear that Taco Bell does not use fresh chicken when preparing your quesadilla or burrito.

Taco Bell has been an American staple in the Fast Food industry for years. Whether you're excited about Taco Bell's new Cantina Chicken Rolled Quesadilla or sitting through the drive-thru for a classic chicken crunch wrap, know that it sources its chicken from Tyson Foods.