Chicken Caesar Smashed Tacos
These crispy Chicken Caesar Smashed Tacos are tucked with juicy, seasoned ground chicken that’s pressed onto flour tortillas, cooked until golden and crispy, then topped with a fresh Caesar salad, Parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons. It’s everything I love about chicken Caesar salad, tucked into a crispy taco.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tacos
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 small flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
For the Caesar Salad Topping
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ½ cup Caesar dressing homemade (recipe below) or store-bought, plus more for dipping (optional)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ cup crushed croutons
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- For serving: lemon wedges
Optional Homemade Caesar Dressing - Double this recipe if you want additional dressing for dipping
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 garlic clove finely, grated
- 1-2 tablespoons water to thin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the chicken mixture into 8 portions. Spread a thin, even layer of chicken over each tortilla, pressing it firmly to cover the surface from edge to edge.
- Heat a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of olive oil or use a nonstick spray to cover the surface of the pan.
- Place a tortilla in the skillet with the chicken facing down. Use a spatula to press firmly for a few seconds. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through.
- Flip the tacos and cook the outside (tortilla part) for another 1 minute or so, until the tortilla is golden and crispy. Sometimes this can happen in a matter of seconds so carefully watch. Repeat with the remaining tacos, adding oil as needed.
- In a large bowl, toss the chopped romaine with Caesar dressing, lemon juice, and Parmesan until evenly coated.
- Spoon the Caesar salad onto each crispy chicken taco. Finish with crushed croutons, extra Parmesan, and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and optional dressing on the side for dipping.
- Optional Homemade Caesar Dressing: Whisk together the Caesar dressing ingredients in a small/medium bowl until well combined. Thin out with additional water until preferred consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.