Dill Pickle Ranch Smash Chicken Tacos Recipe
These Dill Pickle Ranch Smash Chicken Tacos combine seasoned ground chicken with crispy cheese lace, tangy dill pickles, and a creamy ranch-infused cottage cheese sauce, all wrapped in warm tortillas for a flavorful and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Tacos
- 8 small tortillas
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
- 2 tablespoons pickle brine
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
For the Ranch Sauce
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning
- Squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: In a bowl, season the ground chicken with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the seasoned chicken until fully browned and crumbly, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the meat.
- Make Cheese Lace: In a separate pan over medium heat, sprinkle small circles of shredded cheese and cook until they melt and become crispy golden, forming cheese lace. Remove and let cool.
- Warm Tortillas: Heat the tortillas either in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side or microwave them covered with a damp paper towel for 20 seconds until warm and pliable.
- Prepare Ranch Sauce: Blend the cottage cheese with ranch seasoning and a squeeze of lemon juice until smooth and creamy to create the ranch sauce.
- Assemble Tacos: On each warm tortilla, layer the cooked ground chicken, a piece of cheese lace, chopped dill pickles, shredded cabbage, and a generous dollop of ranch sauce.
- Finish with Pickle Brine: Drizzle each assembled taco with pickle brine to add a tangy punch before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute mozzarella or Jack cheese with cheddar or your preferred melting cheese for the cheese lace.
- Use fresh dill pickles for a crunchy texture and vibrant flavor.
- If you do not have ranch seasoning, you can use a mix of dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt.
- To save time, cheese lace can be made in batches and stored between parchment paper for later use.
- Adjust the amount of pickle brine to taste for desired tanginess.
Keywords: chicken tacos, dill pickle tacos, ranch chicken tacos, cheese lace, ground chicken recipe, quick tacos, crispy cheese, taco recipe
