Dill Pickle Ranch Smash Tacos (Printable Version)

Smashed chicken with dill pickles, ranch sauce, and crispy cheese lace in warm tortillas for ultimate crunch and flavor.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon dried dill
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Ranch Sauce

09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
15 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Crispy Cheese Lace

18 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
19 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings and Assembly

20 - 8 small flour or corn tortillas
21 - 1 cup dill pickles, thinly sliced
22 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
23 - 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Combine chicken with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
02 - While chicken marinates, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh dill, chives, parsley, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste and refrigerate until needed.
03 - Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Take 60 to 70 grams of marinated chicken, place in skillet, and use a spatula or burger press to flatten into a thin patty. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with remaining chicken.
04 - Wipe skillet clean. For each taco, sprinkle a thin, even layer of mixed cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese in a 4 to 5 inch circle on the skillet. Place tortilla on top and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until cheese becomes golden and crispy. Carefully flip and warm tortilla for 30 seconds on the other side. Remove with cheese side facing up. Repeat for all tortillas.
05 - Spread a spoonful of ranch sauce on the cheese side of each tortilla. Layer with smashed chicken, sliced dill pickles, red onion, and shredded lettuce. Drizzle with additional ranch sauce if desired and serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The cheese lace gives you that addictive crunch that regular tortillas simply cannot deliver, and it's honestly easier to master than it sounds.
  • Ranch and dill pickles together hit a flavor note that tastes fancy but requires zero culinary school, just good instincts about what tastes good.
  • Smashed chicken cooks so fast you'll have dinner on the table before your brain stops thinking about work.
02 -
  • The cheese lace will only be crispy for about 30 seconds after you remove it from heat, so assemble your tacos immediately—don't get distracted dicing things after you've cooked the cheese.
  • If your cheese starts smoking or browning too fast, your heat is too high; medium-high is genuinely the sweet spot, not a suggestion.
  • Fresh herbs in the ranch sauce are not optional if you want it to taste like something special; the dried equivalent will taste like the ranch packets from 1985.
03 -
  • Slice your pickles and onions the night before so assembly is genuinely just 30 seconds of stacking things together.
  • If your cheese lace cracks when you flip it, that means the skillet wasn't hot enough or the layer was too thin—dial in your heat and thickness on the first attempt so the rest are flawless.
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