Description
Elevate your taco game with these Street Corn and Fried Chicken Tacos! Featuring crispy fried chicken, creamy and tangy street corn salad, and a zesty jalapeno lime ranch dressing, these tacos are a perfect fusion of bold flavors and textures. Ideal for Taco Tuesday or any day you’re craving something extraordinary.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade:
- 1 ½ lbs chicken tenders
- 1 cup pickle juice
- ½ cup buttermilk
For the Chicken Coating:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- Vegetable or peanut oil for frying
For the Street Corn Salad:
- 5–6 ears of corn, husked and grilled
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- ⅓ cup sliced scallions
- ⅓ cup grated cotija cheese
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 1 diced jalapeno
- ½ to 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Jalapeno Lime Ranch:
- ¾ cup mayo
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pickled jalapenos
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno juice
- ¾ cup cilantro (large stems removed)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ cup buttermilk (or milk)
For Assembly:
- Flour tortillas
- Crispy bacon pieces (1 strip per taco)
- Neutral oil for tortillas
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken:
- Mix pickle juice and buttermilk in a bowl.
- Submerge chicken tenders in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours).
- Grill the Corn:
- Heat your grill to medium-high.
- Grill the corn for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred.
- Cool and cut kernels from the cob.
- Prepare the Street Corn Salad:
- In a large bowl, mix mayo, garlic, lime juice and zest, scallions, cotija cheese, cilantro, jalapeno, chili powder, and salt.
- Toss in the grilled corn kernels and mix well. Set aside.
- Make the Jalapeno Lime Ranch:
- Blend mayo, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pickled jalapenos, jalapeno juice, cilantro, lime juice, and buttermilk until smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Prepare the Chicken Coating:
- In one bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk and hot sauce.
- Coat the Chicken:
- Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.
- Dip each piece in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture. Repeat for a thicker coating.
- Fry the Chicken:
- Heat oil in a deep skillet to 350°F.
- Fry chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Warm the Tortillas:
- Lightly fry tortillas in a pan with a small amount of oil until warm and pliable.
- Assemble the Tacos:
- Place a fried chicken tender on each tortilla.
- Add a generous scoop of street corn salad.
- Drizzle with jalapeno lime ranch.
- Top with crispy bacon pieces.
- Serve:
- Garnish with lime wedges and enjoy immediately.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying, Grilling
- Cuisine: Fusion