Description
These Red Chile Chicken Tacos with Creamy Corn are a delicious and spicy twist on traditional tacos. Tender chicken simmered in a homemade red chile sauce, paired with a creamy corn topping, all wrapped in warm corn tortillas.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cabbage or lettuce
- ½ cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco
- lime wedges for serving
For the Red Chile Sauce:
- 3 dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ small onion (chopped)
- 1 roma tomato (chopped)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Creamy Corn:
- 1½ cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Red Chile Sauce: Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant. Soak in hot water for 10 minutes, then blend with garlic, onion, tomato, broth, vinegar, oregano, and salt. Set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Season chicken with spices and sear in a skillet until cooked. Shred the chicken and simmer in the red chile sauce.
- Make the Creamy Corn: Combine corn, cream cheese, mayo, butter, lime juice, chili powder, and salt in a saucepan. Cook until creamy.
- Assemble Tacos: Warm tortillas and fill with red chile chicken, creamy corn, cabbage, and cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- You can use canned enchilada sauce as a shortcut for the red chile sauce.
- Add sliced jalapeños or pickled onions for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Sautéing, Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg