Name: Fried Chicken Street Corn Tacos with Jalapeno Lime Ranch
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Mexican-American Fusion
Ingredients: Chicken Marinade: 1.5 lbs chicken tenders, 1 cup pickle juice, 1/2 cup buttermilk; Chicken Coating: 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cayenne powder, 2 tbsp hot sauce, 1.5 cups buttermilk; Street Corn Salad: 5-6 ears grilled corn, 1/3 cup mayo, 1 garlic clove (minced), 1 lime (juiced/zested), 1/3 cup sliced scallions, 1/3 cup cotija cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 jalapeno (diced), 1/2-1 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp salt; Jalapeno Lime Ranch: 3/4 cup mayo, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 tbsp dry ranch seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos, 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno juice, 3/4 cup cilantro, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 cup buttermilk; Other: Flour tortillas, 6-8 strips cooked bacon, neutral oil for frying tortillas

Description

Delicious, crispy fried chicken tacos with smoky street corn salad, crunchy bacon, and a zesty jalapeno lime ranch dressing. Perfect for taco nights!

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade: 1.5 lbs chicken tenders, 1 cup pickle juice, 1/2 cup buttermilk
Chicken Coating: 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cayenne powder, 2 tbsp hot sauce, 1.5 cups buttermilk
Street Corn Salad: 5-6 ears grilled corn, 1/3 cup mayo, 1 garlic clove (minced), 1 lime (juiced/zested), 1/3 cup sliced scallions, 1/3 cup cotija cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 jalapeno (diced), 1/2-1 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp salt
Jalapeno Lime Ranch: 3/4 cup mayo, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 tbsp dry ranch seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos, 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno juice, 3/4 cup cilantro, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 cup buttermilk
Other: Flour tortillas, 6-8 strips cooked bacon, neutral oil for frying tortillas

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken: Combine pickle juice and buttermilk, marinate chicken tenders for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Prepare the Coating: Mix dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine buttermilk and hot sauce. Create crumbly flour mixture for coating.
Fry the Chicken: Coat chicken in flour, buttermilk, and back in flour. Fry in oil heated to 350°F until golden and crispy.
Make Street Corn Salad: Grill corn, slice off kernels, and mix with mayo, lime, garlic, cotija, cilantro, scallions, jalapeno, chili powder, and salt.
Make Ranch: Puree jalapenos, juice, and cilantro. Mix with mayo, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic, salt, and lime juice. Thin with buttermilk.
Pan-Fry Tortillas: Fry tortillas in neutral oil until golden but pliable.
Assemble Tacos: Place one fried chicken tender in each tortilla, top with street corn salad, bacon bits, and drizzle with jalapeno lime ranch.

Notes

Marinate chicken overnight for maximum flavor.
Adjust jalapenos for spice level.
Use neutral oil like vegetable or peanut oil for frying.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Frying
Cuisine: Mexican-American Fusion