Description
These Fried Chicken Street Corn Tacos with Jalapeño Lime drizzle are a flavorful Mexican-American fusion dish featuring crispy fried chicken bites, a creamy and tangy street corn topping, and a spicy jalapeño lime sauce, all wrapped in warm tortillas. Perfect for a vibrant and satisfying meal or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the street corn topping:
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt to taste
For the jalapeño lime drizzle:
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 jalapeño, seeded for less heat
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon water
- Pinch of salt
For serving:
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas
- Extra chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the buttermilk and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prepare the coating: In another bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. This mixture will create a crispy, flavorful crust on the chicken.
- Fry the chicken: Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and dredge pieces in the flour mixture. Fry the chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Drain cooked chicken on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make the street corn topping: In a bowl, combine corn kernels, mayonnaise, sour cream, crumbled cotija or feta cheese, chopped cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Prepare the jalapeño lime drizzle: Blend sour cream, mayonnaise, seeded jalapeño, lime juice, water, and a pinch of salt in a small blender or food processor until smooth to create a creamy, spicy sauce.
- Assemble the tacos: Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave. Fill each tortilla with several pieces of fried chicken, spoon over the street corn topping, and drizzle generously with the jalapeño lime sauce. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- For a lighter alternative, air fry or oven-bake the chicken instead of deep frying.
- In a pinch, you can substitute with pre-cooked frozen chicken tenders for quicker preparation.
- Adjust the jalapeño quantity to control the level of heat in the drizzle.
- Use fresh corn for the best flavor, but frozen or canned corn works well too.
- Serve immediately for the crispiest chicken and freshest flavors.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 430mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
