Dill Pickle Ranch Smash Chicken Tacos with Crispy Cheese Lace
A playful twist on taco night featuring seasoned ground chicken, dill pickles, and crispy cheese lace.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: None
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 8 small tortillas (corn or flour)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Jack cheese (for cheese lace)
- 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
- 2 tablespoons pickle brine
- 1 cup shredded cabbage (green or purple)
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese (blended smooth)
- 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning
- 1 lemon (squeeze of juice)
Instructions
- Combine ground chicken with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add chicken mixture and cook for 8-10 minutes until fully cooked.
- Blend cottage cheese with ranch seasoning and lemon juice until smooth.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese in a non-stick skillet to create a cheese lace, cooking until golden.
- Lift the cheese lace off the pan and cool on a paper towel.
- Warm the tortillas in a separate pan for about 30 seconds on each side.
- Assemble tacos with the chicken, dill pickles, and cabbage.
- Spoon the ranch mixture over the cabbage.
- Drizzle pickle brine over tacos and top with cheese lace.
- Serve immediately while crispy.
Notes
Adjust seasoning to taste; for a milder version, add less seasoning. Swap tortillas for lettuce for a low-carb option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg