These chicken parmesan smash tacos are crispy, cheesy and honestly SO good!
They have all the best parts of chicken parm, but instead of breading whole chicken breasts, the seasoned ground chicken gets smashed straight onto a tortilla, dipped into breadcrumbs and pan-fried until golden and crispy.
Then you just flip them over, add marinara and fresh mozzarella and let everything get melty while the tortilla crisps underneath. The best part is that you don’t even need an egg to get the breadcrumbs to stick. They stick straight onto the raw ground chicken!
I kept seeing smash tacos all over social media and obviously had to try making a chicken parm version. I love chicken parmesan, but sometimes I just can’t be bothered with all the breading and frying that goes into making it. These give you that same crispy chicken, tomato sauce and melty cheese situation, but they’re SO much quicker.
They take only about 20 minutes from start to finish and make such a fun easy dinner when you’re looking for new meals to try.
Why You’ll Love These Chicken Parm Smash Tacos
- Ready in around 20 minutes
- Crispy breaded chicken without an egg wash
- Only a handful of simple ingredients
- Fresh, melty mozzarella on top
- Crispy tortilla underneath
- Made with easy-to-cook ground chicken
- A fun twist on classic chicken parmesan
- Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner
And if you’ve been wanting to try one of those viral smash taco recipes, this is such a good place to start!
What Are Chicken Parmesan Smash Tacos?
A traditional smash taco is made by pressing ground meat directly onto a tortilla and cooking it meat-side down.
These chicken parm smashed tacos add a chicken parmesan twist. Seasoned ground chicken is spread over the tortilla, pressed straight into breadcrumbs (no flour or egg needed!) and cooked until golden and crispy.
Flip, top with marinara and fresh mozzarella, and cook until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melty. SO good!
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Smash Tacos
These might look impressive, but they’re actually ridiculously easy to make.
1. Season the Chicken
Add 250 g ground chicken to a bowl with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
Mix everything together until just combined.
Don’t overmix the chicken. You only need to mix it enough to evenly distribute the seasonings.
2. Smash the Chicken Onto the Tortillas
Divide the chicken mixture evenly between your four flour tortillas.
Spread the chicken over one side of each tortilla in a thin, even layer, pressing it all the way out towards the edges.
Try to keep the thickness as even as possible so the chicken cooks at the same rate.
3. Dip the Chicken Into Breadcrumbs
Now for my favourite part!
Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl or onto a plate.
Pick up one of your tortillas and place it chicken-side down directly into the breadcrumbs.
Gently press it down so the breadcrumbs stick all over the surface of the chicken. Lift it out and shake off any really loose crumbs.
That’s it!
You don’t need to use any egg to bind the breadcrumbs. Because the ground chicken is naturally moist and sticky, the breadcrumbs cling straight to it.
Repeat with all four tacos.
4. Cook Chicken-Side Down
Heat a layer of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.
Once hot, carefully place your tacos breadcrumb and chicken-side down into the oil.
Cook for around 3–4 minutes, or until the breadcrumb coating is golden and crispy and the chicken is cooked through.
Depending on the size of your pan, you’ll probably need to cook the tacos in batches.
5. Flip and Add the Toppings
Flip each taco so the tortilla is now touching the pan.
Spread approximately 2 tablespoons marinara sauce over the cooked chicken.
Add about 25 g fresh mozzarella to each taco.
6. Get Them Crispy and Melty
Cover the pan and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
This gives the mozzarella time to soften and melt while the tortilla gets nice and crispy underneath.
Once the tortilla is golden and the mozzarella is melty, they’re done!
7. Finish and Serve
Remove your chicken parm tacos from the pan and finish them with extra grated Parmesan, fresh rocket and red pepper flakes if you like.
Serve them straight away while everything is still hot, cheesy and crispy.
SO GOOD!
Tips for the Best Chicken Parm Smash Tacos
Spread the chicken thin and to the edges. This helps it cook quickly and evenly and gives you more crispy edges.
Skip the egg wash. Press the raw chicken directly into the breadcrumbs. They’ll stick without any egg!
Use enough oil. A little olive oil helps the breadcrumb coating become golden and crispy.
Go easy on the marinara. Too much sauce can make the tacos soggy.
Drain the mozzarella. Pat fresh mozzarella dry before using to remove excess moisture.
Serve immediately. These tacos are best hot and crispy straight from the pan.
Easy Chicken Smash Taco Variations
Pesto Chicken Smashed Tacos: Add a spoonful of pesto before the mozzarella.
Spicy Chicken Parm Tacos: Add red pepper flakes or finish with a drizzle of hot honey.
Extra Cheesy: Add extra Parmesan or combine fresh and shredded mozzarella.
The same method can also be used to create all kinds of smash tortilla recipes with different seasonings, sauces and toppings.
What to Serve With Chicken Parm Tacos
These are pretty filling on their own, but you can turn them into an easy chicken parm dinner with a Caesar salad, green salad, roasted vegetables, fries or garlic bread.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
These chicken parm smashed tacos are best eaten fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in a frying pan or air fryer to help them crisp up again.
Chicken Parmesan Smash Tacos FAQ
Can I use ground chicken for smash tacos?
Yes! Ground chicken is perfect for smash chicken tacos because it’s easy to spread into a thin layer and cooks quickly. Cook it completely through to 75°C (165°F).
Do I need egg for the breadcrumbs?
No. Simply press the raw chicken directly into the breadcrumbs. The moisture from the chicken helps them stick without flour or egg.
How do I get the chicken crispy?
Use a hot pan with enough oil and spread the chicken into a thin layer. Once it’s chicken-side down, leave it alone for a few minutes so the breadcrumbs can become golden and crispy.
Why are my chicken parm tacos soggy?
Too much marinara or wet mozzarella can make them soggy. Use a thin layer of sauce, drain your mozzarella well and let the tortilla crisp after flipping.
Can I use shredded mozzarella?
Yes! Fresh mozzarella is my favourite, but shredded mozzarella works just as well and melts even faster.
What breadcrumbs should I use?
Regular breadcrumbs work perfectly. You can also use panko for an extra crunchy coating.
What tortillas are best?
Small flour tortillas work best because they’re easy to flip and get nice and crispy.
Can I make these ahead?
They’re best cooked right before serving, but you can season the chicken and prep all your toppings ahead of time.
Chicken Parmesan Smash Tacos
These chicken parm smashed tacos are one of my favorite new meals to try! I smash seasoned ground chicken onto tortillas, coat the chicken side in breadcrumbs, then cook until golden and crispy before adding marinara and plenty of melty cheese.
Ingredients
- 250 g ground chicken
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 4 small flour tortillas
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 100 g fresh mozzarella
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, for topping
- Fresh rocket, for serving
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- Olive oil, for cooking
Instructions
1. Season the chicken. Add the ground chicken, 2 tbsp Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined.
2. Make the smash tacos. Divide the chicken mixture evenly between the 4 tortillas. Spread a thin, even layer of chicken over one side of each tortilla, pressing it right to the edges.
3. Coat with breadcrumbs. Add the breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl or plate. Place each tortilla chicken-side down into the breadcrumbs and gently press down so the breadcrumbs stick to the raw chicken. Lift it out and shake off any loose crumbs. There's no need for an egg wash.
4. Cook chicken-side down. Heat a layer of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the tacos chicken and breadcrumb-side down into the hot oil. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until golden and crispy and the chicken is completely cooked through.
5. Flip and add the toppings. Flip each taco so the tortilla is underneath. Spread about 2 tbsp marinara sauce over each taco and top with 25 g fresh mozzarella.
6. Get them crispy. Cover the pan and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the mozzarella is soft and melty and the tortilla underneath is golden and crispy.
7. Finish and serve. Remove from the pan and top with extra grated Parmesan, fresh rocket and red pepper flakes if you like. Serve immediately while they're crispy.
Notes
Storage
These tacos are best eaten fresh.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat them in a frying pan or air fryer until hot and crispy again.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 559Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 1195mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 33g
