Street Corn Chicken Tacos (Print)

Crispy buttermilk chicken with grilled corn salad, jalapeño lime ranch, and bacon bits, served in warm fried tortillas.

# Ingredients:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 680g chicken tenders
02 - 240ml pickle juice
03 - 355ml buttermilk, divided
04 - 190g all purpose flour
05 - 32g cornstarch
06 - 1 tablespoon garlic powder
07 - 1 tablespoon paprika
08 - 2 teaspoons salt
09 - 2 teaspoons onion powder
10 - 2 teaspoons black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
12 - 2 tablespoons hot sauce
13 - Peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying

→ For the Street Corn Salad

14 - 5-6 ears corn, husked
15 - 80ml mayonnaise
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - 1 lime, juiced and zested
18 - 35g scallions, sliced
19 - 35g Cotija cheese, grated
20 - 15g cilantro, minced
21 - 1 jalapeño, diced
22 - 0.5-1 teaspoon chili powder
23 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ For the Jalapeño Lime Ranch

24 - 180ml mayonnaise
25 - 180ml sour cream
26 - 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
27 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
28 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
29 - 60g pickled jalapeños, sliced
30 - 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño juice
31 - 15g cilantro, leaves only
32 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
33 - 60ml buttermilk (or milk if necessary)

→ For Assembly

34 - Flour tortillas
35 - 1 strip bacon per taco, cooked until crisp
36 - Neutral oil, for pan frying tortillas
37 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, mix pickle juice and 120ml buttermilk. Submerge chicken tenders in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
02 - Mix flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne powder in one bowl. In a separate bowl, blend 235ml buttermilk with hot sauce.
03 - Pat dry the marinated chicken. Coat each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, dip in the buttermilk-hot sauce mix, then return to the flour blend for a second coating. Rest until the flour forms a slightly tacky surface.
04 - Heat oil in a deep fryer or cast-iron skillet to 175°C. Fry chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 74°C. Drain on paper towels.
05 - Grill husked corn until slightly charred on all sides. Remove from heat and slice kernels from the cob.
06 - Combine grilled corn, mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice and zest, scallions, Cotija, cilantro, jalapeño, chili powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until assembly.
07 - In a food processor, blend cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and jalapeño juice until mostly smooth.
08 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Fold in cilantro jalapeño purée and lime juice. Gradually incorporate buttermilk until sauce is pourable. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
09 - Heat a skillet over medium-low with a few tablespoons of neutral oil. Fry tortillas one or two at a time on each side until golden but still flexible. Drain on paper towels.
10 - Place a fried chicken tender in each warm tortilla. Top with a generous scoop of street corn salad, drizzle with jalapeño lime ranch, and sprinkle over crispy bacon. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Notes:

01 - The chicken can be marinated overnight for maximum flavor.
02 - For best results, maintain oil temperature between 170-180°C while frying.

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