Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos
These Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos are the perfect high-protein dinner, ready in just 20 minutes - Crispy tortillas filled with seasoned chicken, crunchy romaine, parmesan, and a light creamy Caesar dressing.
You’ve probably seen smash tacos all over the internet lately and flooding your feeds. There is a good reason for this: People love juicy meat smashed straight onto a tortilla, topped with a creamy Caesar salad.
The first time I saw this recipe on the internet, I was curious how they would turn out. Now, I can guarantee you, these are just ridiculously tasty! They are perfect for a weeknight when you are tired from work or just too lazy to cook a complicated dinner.
What I love most? They are absolutely family-friendly – place them in the middle of the table, the toppings separated from the tacos, so that everyone can fill them as they like – perfect for a super fun family dinner!
Why These Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos Work
Ultra crispy – Ultra-crispy taco shell paired with crunchy romaine is a total game-changer.
Super quick – these smash tacos take about 20 minutes, which makes them perfect for busy nights.
Simple Ingredients – You’ll only need a handful of ingredients like ground chicken, tortillas, and elements of a Caesar salad.
Twist on chicken Caesar salad – These smash tacos taste like the perfect mashup of a classic chicken Caesar wrap and a crispy smash burger taco.
Easy to customize – Add avocado, bacon, or extra parmesan to make it your own version.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Chicken – Chicken is a perfect choice for smash tacos, as it cooks fast and is rich in protein.
- Flour Tortillas – Small tortillas work best for this recipe as they crisp up well in the skillet while staying flexible to fold and fill.
- Greek yogurt – I use full-fat Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a healthy version.
- Parmesan Cheese – The cheese gives the dressing that classic Caesar flavor and adds a salty flavor.
- Romaine lettuce – Crisp romaine is a classic for Caesar salad. It stays extra crisp and crunchy, which works perfectly with the warm tacos.
- Caesar Dressing – Skip the store-bought bottles—making your own Caesar dressing from scratch is incredibly easy and tastes a million times better!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the dressing a classic Caesar flavor.
Variations
Add avocado – Sliced Avocado adds creaminess and balances the crispy texture of the tacos.
Add crispy bacon – This adds extra crunch to the tacos.
Add extra protein – Add extra chicken or swap for ground beef if desired.
How to do Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos
Make the Caesar Dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, combine the sliced romaine, pepperocini, parmesan, and half of the Caesar sauce. Toss until well combined and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the tacos: Season the ground chicken with the seasoning mix. Place the tortillas on a clean surface, spread each tortilla with the ground chicken in a thin layer, pushing it to the edges.
Fry the tacos: Heat some of the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet, then place the tortilla meat-side down and press down with a spatula for 15 seconds. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the meat is cooked and browned. Flip to the other side and fry the tortillas until crispy.
Assemble the tacos: Remove the tacos from the skillet and top one half with the dressed salad and grated parmesan. Fold the tacos in half and serve with additional Caesar dressing!
From my Kitchen (Chef’s Tips)
Spread the chicken thinly: A thin, uniform layer ensures the meat cooks rapidly and gives you those coveted, ultra-crispy taco edges.
Start meat-side down: Searing the chicken side first guarantees proper browning while simultaneously getting the tortilla nice and crisp.
Stick to medium heat: Don’t crank up the stove! Keeping the heat moderate prevents the tortilla from burning before the chicken can cook all the way through.
Assemble at the very last second: Toss the salad and croutons onto the tacos right before you serve them to prevent the crispy shells from getting soggy.
Other Caesar Recipes to try
Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos
Ingredients
Method
- Make the Caesar Dressing. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
- Prepare the salad. In a large bowl, combine the sliced romaine, pepperocini, parmesan, and half of the Caesar sauce. Toss until well combined and season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the tacos. Season the ground chicken with the seasoning mix. Place the tortillas on a clean surface, spread each tortilla with the ground chicken in a thin layer, pushing it to the edges.
- Fry the tacos. Heat some of the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet, then place the tortilla meat-side down and press down with a spatula for 15 seconds. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the meat is cooked and browned. Flip to the other side and fry the tortillas until crispy.
- Assemble the tacos. Remove the tacos from the skillet and top one half with the dressed salad and grated Parmesan. Fold the tacos in half and serve with additional Caesar dressing!
