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Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos

Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos are made by pressing seasoned ground chicken onto tortillas and pan-crisping them until golden and crunchy. They’re topped with tossed romaine, Caesar dressing, and both grated and shaved Parmesan for a creamy, salty finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Tacos
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 8 small flour tortillas
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Caesar Salad
  • 3 cup chopped romaine lettuce
  • 0.33 cup Caesar dressing
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup shaved Parmesan
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
Optional Toppings
  • Crushed croutons
  • Chopped parsley
  • Lemon wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and portion the chicken
  1. Combine the ground chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly mixed.
  2. Divide the seasoned chicken into 8 equal portions.
Smash-cook the tacos
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Spread each chicken portion into a thin layer over one side of each tortilla.
  3. Place the tortillas chicken-side down in the hot skillet and cook for 4–5 minutes, pressing lightly so the chicken adheres.
  4. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes until the tortilla is golden and crispy.
Build the Caesar topping
  1. Toss chopped romaine lettuce with Caesar dressing and grated Parmesan until the leaves are evenly coated.
  2. Top each taco with the Caesar salad, then sprinkle with shaved Parmesan.
  3. Finish with crushed croutons, chopped parsley, and fresh cracked black pepper, then serve with lemon wedges immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: press the chicken thin and consistent so the tortillas get crispy without leaving thick uncooked spots. Store leftover cooked chicken tacos (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; re-crisp in a hot skillet. The Caesar salad is best assembled fresh, but can be stored separately for up to 2 days—freeze not recommended. For a lighter option, use low-fat Caesar dressing and reduce the shaved Parmesan topping slightly.