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Easy Smashed Chicken Caesar Tacos
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5 from 3 votes

Easy Smashed Chicken Caesar Tacos

Easy Smashed Chicken Caesar Tacos is unique twist on a classic that combines juicy chicken tacos with the flavors of a Caesar salad.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Cinco de Mayo, Dinner, Game Day, Main Course, Salad, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 Tacos
Calories: 382kcal
Author: Susan Ensley

Equipment

  • Large Bowl
  • Vinyl Gloves
  • Kitchen scale
  • Plastic Wrap
  • wax paper
  • quarter sheet pan
  • non-stick skillet
  • smash burger press
  • silicone spatula turner
  • Silicone Tongs
  • taco holder stands
  • 15-cup container with lid

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ground Chicken (See Note 1)
  • 1 tbs Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • 8 tsp Olive Oil
  • 8 6-inch Flour Tortillas fajita size (See Note 2)
  • 8 c Romaine Lettuce
  • ½ c Caesar Dressing (See Note 3)
  • 1 c Caesar Croutons
  • ½ c Parmesan Crisps crushed
  • ½ c Shaved Parmesan
  • ½ c Crumbled Bacon

Instructions

  • Place ground chicken, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, and Kosher salt in a large bowl. Put on a pair of vinyl gloves and work the herbs and spices into the meat until they are well combined. Cover the top of a kitchen scale with plastic wrap. Divided the meat into eight 2-ounce portions. Roll the meat into balls and place on a wax paper lined pan.
  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add about a teaspoon of olive oil. Place one ball of meat in the center of the heated pan. Then, immediately cover with a tortilla. Use a burger press to smash the chicken meat flat with the tortilla and cook for three to four minutes. Flip the smashed taco over and cook for an additional minute. Then, use a pair of silicone tongs to fold the taco in half while it's still in the pan. Place the folded taco in a taco holder stand or on a wire cooling rack, if you don't have a taco holder stand. Repeat cooking the remaining balls of chicken meat and tortillas.
  • Place the romaine in a large bowl with a lid (I used a Rubbermaid Take Alongs large serving bowl). Then, add the Caesar dressing, place the lid on the bowl, and shake the container to evenly coat the lettuce with the dressing. Then, add the Caesar croutons and parmesan crisps. Place the lid back on the bowl and shake it to coat the croutons and crisps with the dressing.
  • Use a pair of tongs to fill each taco with the romaine mixture. Sprinkle the tops of the Smashed Chicken Caesar Tacos with shaved parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon.
  • Yield 8 tacos (See Note 4)

Notes

  1. If necessary, ground turkey can be substituted for the ground chicken. However, the taste will be a bit different and technically they wouldn't be Chicken Caesar tacos.
  2. I have not tried this recipe with corn tortillas, so I'm sorry.
  3. Feel free to use your favorite store-bought or homemade Caesar salad dressing in this recipe. However, the flavor of Ken's dressing works well in this recipe.
  4. Leftovers, if any can be refrigerated in a covered container for a day or two and eaten cold. However, these tacos do not reheat well.

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 953mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4159IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 3mg