Can I make the tacos with a different protein?

Yes! These work beautifully with ground turkey, pork or beef. You could also use a plant-based alternative for a vegetarian version (just skip the fish sauce and use more soy sauce in that case).

Can I air fry or bake them instead?

You can air-fry them, chicken side up, at 400°F/200°C for 5 minutes, but they won’t get quite the same crispy sear as in a pan. Drizzle or spray each taco with a little olive oil before air frying. Baking is possible, but less ideal - I recommend pan-frying for the best result. You can also cook them on an outdoor grill or BBQ.

What could I serve with the tacos?

They're honestly great as a stand-alone meal, but you can bulk them out with a few sides if you like. Try this crunchy Asian-style slaw , green goddess salad or even crispy loaded wedges .

High-Protein Satay Chicken Smash Tacos

Description

These high-protein satay chicken smash tacos are crispy, saucy AND ready in under 30 minutes. Packed with juicy ground chicken, a creamy peanut butter satay sauce and fresh, zingy toppings, they’re an easy, flavor-loaded meal you’ll want on repeat.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the tacos -

1lb (500g) ground chicken
2 scallions, finely chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
A handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
12 mini tortillas
Olive oil

For the satay sauce -

1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chilli jam
1/3 cup water

For the toppings -

2 tablespoons sweet chili jam
1 cucumber, diced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
A handful of cilantro leaves
2 scallions, finely sliced
Sesame seeds

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Instructions

Make the chicken topping. To a mixing bowl, add 1 lb of ground chicken, 2 chopped scallions, the grated ginger, crushed garlic, chopped cilantro, 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Mix well to combine.
Press the topping onto your tacos. Scoop up a heaped spoonful of the chicken mixture and spread it onto a tortilla, using the back of your spoon to smooth it into a thin, even layer. You can go right to the edge of the tortilla. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Make the quick pickled cucumber. To a small bowl, add the diced cucumber, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. Toss to combine, then set aside.
Make the satay sauce. To a small bowl or jar, add ⅓ cup of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of sweet chili jam. Use a fork (or a small whisk if you have one) to mix the ingredients into a thick paste. Slowly pour in ⅓ cup of water, mixing as you do, until the sauce reaches the consistency of double cream. Set aside. PRO TIP: Add more water if you’d like the sauce runnier, and remember it will thicken up as it sits.
Cook the tacos. Set a large frying pan or skillet over high heat. Drizzle the pan with a little olive oil, then add your topped tacos, chicken side down, onto the pan. Use a fish slice to really press the tacos into the pan – this ‘smashes’ the tacos and ensures they cook quickly, and that the meat sticks to the tortilla. Cook for four minutes, then flip and cook for a further minute to crisp up the tortilla. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining tacos.
Top and serve. Drizzle the cooked tacos with some of the satay sauce, then spoon over the pickled cucumber. Drizzle with more sweet chili jam, then scatter with the sliced scallions, cilantro and the sesame seeds. Serve with the remaining satay sauce on the side for dipping.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: Swap ground chicken for turkey, pork, beef or a plant-based alternative. You can also blitz 1 lb of skinless, boneless chicken thighs in a food processor to make your own ground chicken if it’s tricky to find. If you don’t want to use fish sauce (I promise it won’t make the tacos taste fishy!), swap it for more light soy sauce. It’s best to use natural peanut butter, with just peanuts and salt in the ingredients list, for the right flavor and texture (either smooth or crunchy work well!)

PREP AHEAD: You can get ahead in a couple of ways. The ground chicken mixture can be made two days ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. The topped (raw) tacos themselves will keep well for 24 hours in the fridge – just use pieces of parchment paper to separate them when you store them in a container so they don’t stick together. The satay sauce keeps well for at least one week in the fridge once mixed, and the pickled cucumber can be made three days ahead of time. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

MEAT NOT STICKING? Make sure you’re either using a non-stick pan and ensure there’s a decent drizzle of oil in the pan. You also need to make sure it’s nice and hot when you add the tacos, and you need to firmly press down on them in the pan to ‘smash’ and seal the meat to the tacos. If the meat doesn’t stick, don’t worry too much. It doesn’t make a difference to the finished tacos.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Category: meat
Method: stove top
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3 tacos
Calories: 521
Sugar: 17.9g
Sodium: 790.4mg
Fat: 28.8g
Saturated Fat: 6.2g
Unsaturated Fat: 20.7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 40.4g
Fiber: 4.5g
Protein: 30.9g
Cholesterol: 107.5mg