Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
Tell me if your brain works like mine.
I often think about how few things there are left to “invent” or “discover”.
When I was little, I distinctly remember my little girl brain thinking that if I’m ever going to write a song, I better hurry up and do it now. Because pretty soon there aren’t going to be any songs left that someone hasn’t already written.
I still think it’s crazy that people are able to write original songs. How are all the note combinations not used up?
There aren’t any “lands” left to discover. Google Earth has an image of every square inch of the globe. No uninhabited islands left to find and claim as your own, Swiss Family Robinson style.
I actually have a hard time watching the movie Cast Away because the whole time I’m thinking, “There’s no WAY this awesome island could exist and no one knows about it. Surely some celebrity would have bought this up and made it their paparazzi free vacation island. FAKE!”
I especially worry that there aren’t going to be any revolutionary “food” discoveries. Besides the cronut, I can’t think of too many completely original new foods that have been invented recently. Maybe a few new food combinations here or there. But nothing life changing, like discovering chocolate.
How did someone even think to make chocolate?
“You guys know that weird brown bean growing on the trees? Well, I picked some, ground it up really fine, added in some sugar and butter, then added in some milk. I know, sounds crazy. But you won’t believe how amazing it tastes! I’m calling it chocolate.”
That guy is a hero.
Well, fear not. There are still food discoveries left to have!
After tasting this cilantro lime ranch dressing I can confidently say I had a life changing “HOW have I never tasted this before?! How is this not served on everything?!” moment. I love ranch dressing (like, really love), and I love Mexican food. This cilantro lime ranch dressing is a match made in food heaven.
While these tacos are amazing, the real star here is the cilantro lime ranch dressing. The dressing is made with cilantro, lime, roasted tomatillos, roasted jalapenos, roasted garlic, ranch seasoning mix, greek yogurt, and a little milk. You throw it all in a blender, and then try to restrain yourself from eating with a spoon.
While this sauce is perfect for tacos, I also use it on salads, in sandwich wraps, burritos, ice cream.
Ok, just kidding about the ice cream.
But if a little bit of this somehow dripped onto some vanilla ice cream, I’d eat it no sweat.
I’m not gonna waste it!
Make this for Cinco de Mayo and blow everyone away.
Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
Chicken Tacos
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each (I get my chicken from ButcherBox, which I highly recommend)
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 8 taco sized tortillas
Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
- 4 to matillos, husks removed
- 1 large jalapeno
- 2 cloves of garlic
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 packed cup cilantro, leaves and stems OK
- 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix, or 2 tablespoons homemade ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup non fat plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 milk
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Dressing: Preheat oven to 450. Roast the tomatillos, garlic cloves and jalapenos, whole. After 10 minutes turn the tomatillos and jalapeno, remove the garlic since it should be golden and roasted. Return to oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes. Peel the skin from the jalapeno, slice the jalapeno in half and remove the seeds. In a blender, add the charred tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic cloves along with the lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, ranch dressing mix, greek yogurt, milk, salt and pepper. Blend until combined. Makes 1-1/4 cups. Will keep in the fridge for 1 week in an airtight container.
- Tacos: Marinate the chicken in 1/4 cup of the cilantro lime ranch dressing for 30 minutes. Preheat grill (or indoor grill pan) over medium high heat. Grill the marinated chicken until it is cooked thru, about 8 minutes per side. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before dicing into 1/2" cubes. To assemble the tacos, warm the tortillas then fill with chicken, shredded lettuce, onions and top with cilantro lime ranch dressing.
Notes
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40 Comments on “Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing”
Oh delicious, i love this sort of food, Great recipe.
Simon
Love baking with little foil packets and especially with salmon. Copper River Salmon goes pretty quick as it’s season is gone before you can blink, but Costco usually carries it. This looks sensational. Thanks!
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Have you seen the mini series, Cosmos? I think the same as you when it comes to science.
Love love love these tacos! They look delicious and gorgeous. :)
Delicious! I’m always impressed at the creative new food ideas people come up with!
I’ve been wanting to get over here and check out your chicken tacos. But oh my days have been way too busy. But anyway, I’m here not and they were worth the wait!
They look oh so good. I’m sure the whole family would enjoy this little twist from our usual.
Pinning!
Have a beautiful Thursday Natalie!
I just love cilantro and tacos and usually overload my tacos with it so your dressing sounds just perfect! I can really imagine dipping the tacos into more of that goodness.
Sounds so good! Your pictures are wonderful too!!
Thanks Kathleen!
If your brain is constantly on tacos like mine, then yeah, I’d say we’re sharing the same brain! These tacos look incredible, Natalie! That cilantro dressing? Killerrrrr.
Tacos are always on the brain! Haha! Thanks Georgia : )
Yum!!! This dressing looks amazing. I can imagine using it on so many things. It’s like a spiced up green goddess dressing with Mexican flair.
I can’t remember the last time I had chicken tacos but these look so delicious! I’m definitely going to try making that dressing!
Seriously. I need this dressing in my life! And on everything I eat! It might be weird to call a dressing pretty, and I don’t care. This dressing is so pretty.
I’m the same way when it comes to songs. How in the world do people do it?! Maybe it’s because I’m not very musically inclined. Those people that are truly have a gift!
This cilantro lime ranch dressing sounds amazing!!! Like, I want to put it on everything kind of amazing! Pinning :)
I can think of a million different things I would top with this amazing Lime Ranch Dressing! To say that ranch is my favorite dressing would not even come close to how much I really love it and adding another favorite of mine – limes… you’re a genius!!
I can so relate to how your brain works. I get bored really fast and am constantly thinking about how I can change or reinvent something, which is precisely why I am dying to try this amazing dressing. Craving tacos for breakfast – that’s a first :)
I love how I read that first sentence as “Tell me if your brain works”… and I thought “ehh, sometimes?” lol clearly an inventor or discover-er (word?) I am not! not only do these tacos look fab but that dressing is to die for, pinning!
I totally have those same thoughts…how will there always be something new? But then again the food world is probably like fashion and things just come out from the wayy back of the closet. (like overalls?? now in skinny jean form?) anyways, these look amazing and i’m pondering how to find all the ingredients. the one mexican store has a decent selection, but i might have to buy some canned tomatillos. i’m sure it will be worth it though! can’t wait to try it!
Yes, I have a crazy brain just like that!! I think all the great ideas are already out there. Then I come across something ingenious like this Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing! Why didn’t I think of this?!! Looks and sounds absolutely delicious!! I can’t wait to try this :D Pinning!!