Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs chicken tenders
- 1 cup pickle juice
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1.5 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 powder
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1.5 cups buttermilk (for frying)
- Peanut oil or vegetable oil (for frying)
- 5–6 ears of corn, husked and grilled
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 lime, juiced and zested
- ⅓ cup sliced scallions
- ⅓ cup grated cotija cheese
- ¼ cup cilantro, minced
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- ½–1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup mayo
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pickled jalapeños (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons juice from pickled jalapeños
- ¾ cup cilantro (large stems removed)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ cup buttermilk (or milk as a substitute)
- Flour tortillas
- Bacon, cooked crisp and diced (1 strip per taco)
- Neutral oil (for pan-frying tortillas)
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken tenders in pickle juice for at least an hour.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne powder, and hot sauce.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, dip it into the buttermilk, then coat it in the flour mixture.
- Heat peanut or vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes per side. Set aside on paper towels.
- Grill the corn until charred, then cut the kernels off into a bowl.
- Mix in mayo, minced garlic, lime juice, lime zest, scallions, cotija cheese, cilantro, jalapeño, chili powder, and salt.
- For the ranch, whisk together mayo, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. Fold in pickled jalapeños, jalapeño juice, cilantro, lime juice, and buttermilk.
- Heat a little oil in a skillet and pan-fry tortillas until warm and slightly crispy.
- Assemble tacos by layering fried chicken, street corn salad, and ranch on a tortilla. Top with crispy bacon and lime wedges.
Notes
Keep leftovers separate to maintain texture. Reheat chicken in an oven for crispiness.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying, Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Non-Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg