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Smash Chicken Caesar Tacos

Smash chicken Caesar tacos turn Caesar salad into a taco with crispy smash chicken patties, dripping Caesar dressing, and shaved Parmesan. Corn tortillas are charred until blistered, then piled with caramelized chicken and shredded romaine for an easy weeknight taco.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground chicken and seasonings
  • 1.5 lb ground chicken
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder To taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning To taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Taco assembly
  • 8 corn tortillas small
  • 2 cup romaine lettuce finely shredded
  • 0.5 cup Caesar dressing
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese shaved
  • 4 lemon wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and portion the chicken
  1. Season the ground chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, then divide it into 8 portions.
Smash and crisp the chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until hot.
  2. Place 1 portion of ground chicken in the skillet and immediately smash flat with a spatula.
  3. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the edges are crispy and caramelized.
  4. Flip the patty and cook for 2 more minutes until cooked through to 165°F.
  5. Repeat the smash and cook process with the remaining chicken portions, keeping the skillet over high heat.
Char tortillas and dress the romaine
  1. Char the corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet until slightly blistered.
  2. Toss the romaine lettuce with the Caesar dressing until evenly coated.
Assemble the tacos
  1. Assemble each taco by topping a charred tortilla with a smash chicken patty.
  2. Top with Caesar-dressed romaine, shaved Parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon, then serve right away.

Notes

For the crispiest smash, press the chicken flat immediately after it hits the hot skillet so the edges caramelize fast. Store leftover chicken and romaine separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat chicken in a skillet until hot. Freeze chicken patties for up to 2 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. For a lighter option, use low-fat Caesar dressing to cut calories while keeping the same crisp chicken texture.