Description

These Smash Banh Mi Tacos are a vibrant fusion dish combining the fresh, pickled flavors of traditional Vietnamese banh mi with the handheld convenience of tacos. Ground chicken seasoned with garlic, ginger, scallions, and fish sauce is smashed thinly onto mini tortillas and pan-fried until crispy and charred, then topped with pickled carrots and cucumber, fresh herbs, spicy mayo, and crunchy toasted cashews for an explosion of texture and flavor in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken Mixture

1 lb (500 g) ground chicken
3 scallions (spring onions), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon salt

Pickled Vegetables & Dressing

1 carrot, julienned
1 cucumber, julienned
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 red chili, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, grated

Toppings & Garnishes

10 mini tortillas
3 tablespoons olive oil
A handful of fresh mint leaves
A handful of fresh cilantro (coriander)
A handful of Thai basil
1/4 cup toasted cashew nuts, crushed
1/4 cup spicy mayo

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Instructions

Make the dressing: In a bowl, combine 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, finely chopped garlic, diced red chili, and grated ginger. Stir well until the sugar dissolves completely to create the nuoc cham dressing.
Pickle the carrot and cucumber: Add the julienned carrot and cucumber to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat evenly and allow the vegetables to pickle while you prepare the other components.
Mix the chicken topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken with chopped scallions, crushed garlic, grated ginger, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly so all seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the meat.
Assemble the tacos: Scoop a heaped spoonful of the chicken mixture and spread it thinly and evenly over one side of a mini tortilla. Repeat this step with all tortillas, ensuring the chicken layer is as thin as possible for quick cooking and crisping.
Cook the tacos: Heat a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle in some olive oil. Place a tortilla with the chicken side down onto the pan. Using a spatula, press down firmly on the tortilla to create a thin crust and encourage quick, even cooking. Cook for 4 minutes without disturbing, then flip and cook the other side for 1 minute until the chicken is cooked through and the tortilla is slightly charred. Depending on pan size, cook multiple tacos at a time.
Top and serve: Spread each cooked taco with a little spicy mayo. Top with the pickled carrot and cucumber, drizzle some of the remaining nuoc cham dressing on top, then finish with fresh cilantro, mint, Thai basil, and a sprinkling of crushed toasted cashews. Serve immediately with extra spicy mayo and nuoc cham on the side.

Notes

You can substitute ground chicken with ground pork or turkey if preferred.
For extra heat, add more chopped red chili to the dressing or spicy mayo.
To toast cashews, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
If mini tortillas are unavailable, use small corn or flour tortillas as a substitute.
The smashed technique ensures a crispy crust on the chicken and helps it adhere well to the tortilla.