KANSAS CITY — Handheld menu items featuring chicken strips are seeing an uptick in introductions across foodservice menus.

Yum! Brands subsidiary Taco Bell has built off the launch of its chicken nuggets with a line of limited-time items utilizing the brand’s new crispy chicken strips. The strips, which are made with white meat chicken and a jalapeño buttermilk marinade, will be available as a standalone offering and as an ingredient in a crispy chicken taco or a crispy chicken burrito.

“The craving for crispy chicken is growing every single day, and our fans told us loud and clear: give us more,” said Liz Matthews, global chief food innovation officer at Taco Bell. “From our viral crispy chicken nuggets to now with crispy chicken tacos and burritos, we're not just jumping on a trend – we're redesigning it completely with the signature flavor of Taco Bell.”

McDonald’s is bringing back the snack wrap as a permanent menu item. The wrap, which was previously removed from menus in 2016, will feature the company’s recently released McCrispy Strips, along with shredded lettuce, shredded cheese and a flour tortilla. McDonald’s snack wraps include varieties such as spicy, with a kick of habanero spice, and ranch, which includes garlic and onion flavor notes, according to the company.

Popeyes, a Restaurant Brands International, Inc. brand, has entered the wrap category for the first time with the unveiling of its chicken wraps. Available for a limited time, the wraps feature a Popeyes chicken tender, lettuce, shredded cheese, pickles, a flour tortilla, and either classic, spicy or honey mustard spreads.

“With our new chicken wraps, we've taken our iconic chicken tenders and wrapped them in something completely new, bringing all that craveable crunch in a fresh, portable way," said Amy Alarcon, vice president of culinary innovation at Popeyes.