Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos

Photo from The
Wooden Skillet

If you have Instagram, chances are you’ve seen these all over your feed lately. This recipe has officially entered the “everyone is making this” category. Most versions seem to have the same basic ingredients, although there are plenty of variations. Some have you making Caesar dressing from scratch (umm…why?) and others simplify the chicken mixture by leaving out a few ingredients.

What caught my attention was what actually went into the chicken. So naturally, I had to give it a try.

For once, I actually read the entire recipe before I started. I know. Look at me being all responsible. I also prepped everything ahead of time and put the ingredients into little bowls, which made the cooking process ridiculously easy. Just grab, toss, and go.

I think there are two things that really make these burgers work: the shredded onion and the shredded butter. The shredded onion gives you plenty of onion flavor without getting a giant chunk of onion in a bite. And the butter? That's the magic. It keeps the chicken incredibly moist and adds a ton of flavor.

The recipe called for buttering the griddle, but I skipped that. There was already plenty of butter hiding inside the patties, and I figured we were good. Do what feels right to you.

I don’t have a Blackstone griddle, which is what the original recipe recommends. I do, however, have a cast-iron griddle that I’ve been wanting to try on my grill forever. This seemed like the perfect opportunity, and it worked beautifully. Mine is a little smaller than a traditional griddle, so I had to cook the burgers in batches. Was it slightly more work? Sure. Was it a big deal? Not even remotely.

For cheese, I went with shaved Parmesan. Provolone just seemed…wrong to me with Caesar flavors. But hey, this is your burger. Follow your heart.

I also ignored the instructions to grill the tortilla. Instead, I warmed mine in the microwave and called it good. It worked perfectly fine for me, and I'm not looking to make more work for myself than necessary.

I would absolutely make these again. They’re a little more involved than my typical recipes, mostly because I was making multiple batches on the grill and running back and forth between the kitchen and patio. But honestly, it wasn’t that bad.

One word of warning: watch how much salad you put on that tortilla. We all know how this goes. You make tacos or wraps and suddenly you’re convinced the tortilla has the structural integrity of a burrito bowl. You pile on the filling, fold it over, and then wonder why everything is falling out the sides.

Yep. That happened here, too.

But messy or not, it was delicious. And sometimes that's a perfectly acceptable price to pay for a really good dinner.

Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos 

Recipe from The Wooden Skillet

Serves: 6

Chicken Smash Burgers:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/4 cup white onion, shredded & moisture squeezed out
• 2-3 tablespoons cold butter, shredded
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• kosher salt and ground black pepper

Quick Chopped Caesar Salad:

• 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/4 cup caesar dressing, more for serving
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shaved

Other Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 street taco tortillas
• 6 provolone cheese slices
• 1/2 cup croutons, crushed

parchment paper squares

Mix Burgers: 

Put all of the burger ingredients in a large bowl and mix to fully combine. Divide into 6 equal-sized balls on a plate and place in the freezer for 15-30 minutes (this will help them not be so sticky when you smash them).

Mix Chopped Salad: 

In a separate mixing bowl, add 3 cups romaine lettuce, 1/4 cup Caesar dressing, and shaved parmesan. Mix to combine and set aside. [Jenn Note: I didn't put the dressing on the salad until I got the burgers off the grill. I don't like soggy lettuce.]

Prep Other Ingredients: 

Make sure you have the tortillas, salt, pepper, and cheese slices ready to bring out to the griddle (or use a large cast iron skillet or a flat-top insert for your grill). The cook time goes super fast so having everything ready-to-go is a must!

Cook Patties + Toast Tortillas: 

Preheat flat top griddle to a medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter [JennW - I found I didn't need this because of the butter in the burgers] and spread around the cook top. 

Place the burger balls on the hot cooktop with a parchment sheet on top, then use the burger press to flatten the patties as much as you can. This will take about 15-20 seconds per patty. 

Let sit and cook for 40 seconds (season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper) [JennW: I didn't do this. I felt like I seasoned the burger mixture enough]. Flip the burgers, place a slice of cheese on each one, and then place the tortillas on the cook top next to each patty. Close the lid and let burger cook for about 1-2 minutes. 

Open lid and flip tortillas. Use a large spatula to lift patties and place on top of toasted tortilla. Transfer to a plate.

Top + Serve: Add your desired amount of the chopped Caesar salad, crushed croutons, and any additional Caesar dressing and/or parmesan. Enjoy!