Chicken Caesar Smashed Tacos

These Chicken Caesar Smashed Tacos are crispy, saucy, and ready in just 30 minutes and loaded with 30 grams of protein per serving. They’re made with ground chicken, a kale and romaine base, and my viral tahini Caesar dressing all piled onto mini flour tortillas that get pressed flat in a hot pan until golden and crispy.

You’ve probably seen smashed tacos all over your social media feed and I have to say they’re worth the hype! They make a quick and easy meal packed with flavour, and are really fun to make!

The concept is simple: you press seasoned ground chicken directly onto mini tortillas and cook them in the pan so the chicken melds right into the tortilla. It creates this perfect taco that holds together without all the taco meat falling out as you bite into it.

While other Caesar taco recipes use only romaine lettuce, mine are made with a mix of romaine lettuce and kale. I tested these with just romaine and found it felt a bit too light and watery once everything was assembled. Adding chopped kale gives the filling more structure and it holds up so well in the tacos, the same way it does in my Viral Kale Caesar Pasta Salad. If you haven’t made that one yet, it’s a reader favourite for good reason!

The dressing is my go-to tahini Caesar dressing that I put on everything from Kale Caesar Salad to my Baked Falafel Bowls. Tahini might not sound like something you usually find in a Caesar dressing but trust on this one. It’s gives rich creaminess that works perfect for these tacos.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Mini tortillas: Four-inch flour tortillas are the perfect size. They’re small enough to fit easily in a skillet and the right size for a handheld taco. Corn tortillas can work but are more prone to cracking when pressed. If you use corn tortillas I recommend warming them in the microwave slightly to help make them more pliable.

Ground chicken: Ground turkey like I use in my sweet potato turkey skillet or even ground beef can work here too.

Kale: The kale is what gives the topping real body. Romaine alone gets a bit watery once dressed. If you prefer to just use romaine lettuce that’s ok too.

Parmesan cheese: if you want to make these tacos dairy-free try a sprinkle of nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese. The dressing for these tacos is already dairy-free.

How To Make Chicken Caesar Smashed Tacos

Step 1: Add the salt, paprika and garlic powder to the ground chicken.

Step 2: Mix to combine.

Step 3: Spread the chicken on the taco shells, then place face down on a heated pan with some oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Step 4: flip and cook for another 30 seconds on the second side.

Step 5: Add the lettuce, kale, parmesan and Caesar dressing to a bowl.

Step 6: toss together.

Step 7: Add the caesar salad to the taco and top with more parmesan cheese.

How To Store

These tacos are best eaten fresh since the tortilla softens once assembled. If storing, store the cooked chicken tortillas, salad and tahini Caesar dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat the tortillas in a hot skillet to get them crispy again before serving. The dressing keeps well for up to 5 days.

Jess’s Tips

• Press the chicken evenly: The thinner and more even you spread it, the better it cooks through and the crispier the edges get.
• Don’t overfill the tacos: overfilling will make it difficult to fold them in half.
• Double the dressing: You’ll want extra for drizzling on top and using throughout the week. It’s also great on my Kale White Bean Salad or these white bean beet burgers.
• Assemble to order: If you’re feeding a crowd, keep the cooked taco bases warm in a low oven and let people top their own as they go.

Frequently Asked Questions