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Chicken smash tacos on a platter topped with cilantro lime slaw.
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Chicken Smash Tacos

Crispy chicken smash tacos with seasoned ground chicken, melty shredded cheese, and a quick cilantro lime slaw. Ready in 35 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Isabel Orozco-Moore

Ingredients

For the chicken smash tacos

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • ½ medium white onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 8 small flour tortillas (I used 6-inch fajita-size)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 cups shredded cheese, divided (Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, or cheddar are great)

For the cilantro lime slaw

  • 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 cups tri-color coleslaw mix
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced

Instructions

For the chicken smash tacos

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and sauté for 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Stir in the cilantro, cumin, oregano, and chili powder and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • Transfer everything to a large bowl and add the ground chicken, lime juice, and salt. Mix everything with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture is combined.
  • Assemble the tacos by spreading 2-3 tablespoons of the ground chicken mixture in an even layer all over each tortilla.
  • In a separate large skillet, melt a thin layer of the butter. Place the tortilla chicken side down and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden and crispy, pressing down with a burger smasher, spatula, or carefully with your hand to keep the filling flat while it cooks. Flip the tortilla over and sprinkle with some of the pepper jack cheese. Cook until the tortilla is warmed and crispy and the cheese has melted. Continue this process with the remaining tortillas and ground chicken mixture.
  • Serve immediately with cilantro lime slaw.

For the cilantro lime slaw

  • Add the Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, honey, salt, and cumin to a small blender and blend until smooth.
  • Add the coleslaw mix, bell peppers, and the blended dressing to a large bowl. Toss to combine.

Notes

  • Storing leftovers. Place leftover tacos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep extra slaw in a separate container so it stays crunchy, also up to 3 days.
  • Reheating. Warm the tacos in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side to bring the crispiness back. Add fresh slaw after reheating, not before.
  • Greek yogurt. For a richer slaw, use sour cream or mayo in place of the nonfat Greek yogurt.
  • No ground chicken? Ground turkey or lean ground beef both work here.
  • Cook in batches. Fit 2 to 3 tacos in a large skillet at a time, or use a griddle or flat top to do more at once.

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco | Calories: 659kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 2640mg | Potassium: 1012mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1922IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 480mg | Iron: 5mg