These crispy Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos are taking over the internet. Crispy chicken taco shells filled with a cool and creamy Caesar salad, all in a handheld bundle… bonus – it’s ready in 20 minutes!
Not only is this smash taco recipe super delicious, I’ve also made it incredibly easy, using just three main ingredients plus a few spices you already have in your pantry.
Why This Chicken Caesar Smash Taco Recipe Works
It all comes down to less = more for this Chicken Caesar Smash Taco recipe.
With just three main ingredients – 1 lb. of ground chicken, a packaged Caesar Salad kit and small flour tortillas, you can bust out a juicy chicken taco that has a crispy crouton crust and a crisp Caesar salad filling. It’s a party in your mouth, with a whole lot less fuss in the kitchen.
Ingredients For Caesar Smash Taco Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need in order to make these smash tacos. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Ground Chicken – you can also swap this with ground turkey if desired.
- Caesar Salad Kit – get the whole kit that comes with the lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese and dressing.
- Small Flour Tortillas – I like to use the street taco size, but you can also use fajita size. The small tortillas will probably be too big for this recipe.
- Seasonings – keeping it simple with just garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
How To Make Chicken Smash Tacos Extra Crispy
After testing these smash tacos with ground chicken on the tortilla by itself, I knew it needed something more. I wanted that crispy crunch from croutons to pop in each bite with the cool Caesar salad.
Then it dawned on me – use the croutons as a coating for the chicken!
Mix Chicken & Crush Croutons
Combine the ground chicken with some simple seasonings and mix it till it’s completely combined.
Then pull out the croutons from the salad kit and use a heavy rolling pin to crush them to a fine crumb.
Press and Smash
Press the ground chicken into the small flour tortillas and smooth it out into an even layer. The thinner the layer, the quicker the chicken will cook – so make sure you’ve got a nice even thickness to them.
Next, press the ground chicken side of the tortilla into the crushed croutons and shake off any excess.
Pan Fry the Smash Tacos
Coat a skillet with avocado oil and heat it to a medium-high heat. Once it’s nice and hot, place the chicken taco, meat-side-down into the hot pan.
Let it cook, smashing it down so the whole surface gets nice and crispy, for about 3 minutes – until it’s a golden brown.
Flip the tortillas over and let the tortilla get crispy on the backside for about 1 minute.
PRO TIP: When I am preparing these for a larger crowd I’ll make them on my Blackstone Griddle so I can make them all at the same time.
Prepare Caesar Salad
Mix up the cool and crispy Caesar salad kit and toss it all together. Fill each of the crispy chicken tortillas with the salad, fold up and enjoy!
Make Ahead and Storage
These chicken tacos a so quick to make, but you can also save time by mixing up the ground chicken and seasonings and crushing the croutons ahead of time.
The ground chicken can be mixed up to 24 hours in advance – but store covered in the fridge until ready to use.
Once the tacos are made, I recommend enjoying them right away for best flavor and consistency.
Store any leftover taco shells (without salad added) in the fridge for up to 3 days. Due to the crispy nature of the chicken, they will get soggy after cooking, but you can reheat them in the air fryer to regain crispiness.
What else can I add to these chicken Caesar Smash Tacos?
If you’re wanting to jazz up these chicken Caesar smash tacos a little more, here are a few simple things you can add to really take them to the next level.
- Hard Boiled Eggs – add extra protein by mixing in some hard boiled egg slices with the Caesar Salad
- Bacon – give these tacos a smoky flavor with some salty and crispy bacon!
- Tomatoes – juicy tomatoes inside the tacos would be a nice touch.
What to serve with chicken smash tacos?
In my opinion, this Chicken Caesar Smash Taco recipe can stand alone as a meal, but if you’re wanting to add some sides, here are a few more options:
- Air Fryer Crispy Potatoes – like fries, but so much better!
- Creamy Corn Salad – a cool and creamy addition to any meal.
- Fresh Fruit Salad – with a creamy greek yogurt dressing.
- Classic Macaroni Salad – a fan favorite with rave reviews!
I can’t wait for you to give this fun twist on a chicken Caesar salad a try! I know you’re going to love it!
Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 12 small flour tortillas, street taco size or similar
- 15 oz Caesar Salad Kit, with lettuce, croutons, cheese and dressing
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- Combine the ground chicken with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and salt in a bowl and mix until fully combined.
- Spread about 1 1/2 tbsp of the chicken mixture in an even layer over a small flour tortilla. Make sure it's nice and thin so it'll cook fast. Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture and tortillas. Set these aside.
- Open the Caesar salad kit and remove the croutons. Crush the croutons into a fine crumb- I like to use a heavy rolling pin to crush them. Place the crumbs in a shallow plate.Press the chicken side of the tortillas into the crumbs and shake off any excess.
- Heat a large skillet (or griddle) over medium-high heat and coat with avocado oil. Once hot, cook the chicken tortillas (meat-side-down) for about 3 to 4 minutes, until they're golden brown. Use a spatula to flip the tortillas over and cook an additional 1 minute (meat-side-up) to brown the bottom side of the tortillas.
- Remove from the pan to a plate or platter. Mix the Caesar salad kit (lettuce, cheese, dressing and seasonings if it came with) in a bowl. Top each chicken tortilla with the salad, fold in half and enjoy!
