Dill Pickle Ranch Smash Chicken Tacos
Quick smashed chicken tossed with a tangy dill pickle ranch, piled into warm tortillas with crunchy pickles and lime slaw. Ready in about 30 minutes for a bold weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Smash chicken
- 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thin-cut or pounded to 1/2-inch
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
Dill pickle ranch
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp pickle juice from jarred dill pickles
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Taco assembly & toppings
- 12 small flour tortillas or corn tortillas
- 1 cup dill pickles thinly sliced
- 2 cups crunchy slaw shredded cabbage + carrot
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- red onion Thinly sliced, optional
- Hot sauce or extra pickle brine, optional
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Halve or pound thicker breasts to 1/2-inch thickness.
- Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together. Chill until ready to use.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook undisturbed 2–3 minutes until golden. Press each piece down with a spatula to 'smash' and continue cooking 2–3 minutes until crisp. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes until cooked through. Rest 3 minutes, then chop or slice.
- Toss slaw with lime juice and a pinch of salt to brighten and balance the dish.
- Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave. Fill each with smashed chicken, drizzle with dill pickle ranch, top with slaw, pickles, red onion, and cilantro. Add lime and hot sauce if desired.
- Serve immediately while the chicken edges are still crisp. Enjoy with a cold beverage.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken can be used — crisp shredded meat in a hot skillet to recreate the smashed texture.
- Ranch can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Keep cooked chicken on a wire rack in a warm oven to maintain crispiness when serving in batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 28gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 820mgSugar: 5g
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