Fried Chicken Street Corn Tacos (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For Marinating the Chicken

01 - 1/2 cup buttermilk
02 - 1 cup pickle juice
03 - 1.5 lbs chicken tenders

→ For the Crispy Coating

04 - 1.5 cups buttermilk
05 - 2 tablespoons hot sauce
06 - 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
07 - 1 tablespoon garlic powder
08 - 2 teaspoons onion powder
09 - 2 teaspoons black pepper
10 - 2 teaspoons salt
11 - 1 tablespoon paprika
12 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
13 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
14 - Cooking oil (peanut or vegetable) for frying

→ For the Corn Salad

15 - 1/3 cup cotija cheese, grated
16 - 5-6 ears of grilled corn, kernels removed
17 - 1/2-1 teaspoon chili powder
18 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
19 - 1/3 cup finely chopped scallions
20 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
21 - 1 clove garlic, minced
22 - 1 lime, zested and juiced
23 - 1 jalapeño, chopped
24 - 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

→ For the Jalapeño Ranch Sauce

25 - 3/4 cup sour cream
26 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
27 - 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
28 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
29 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
30 - 1/2-3/4 cup pickled jalapeños, based on heat preference
31 - 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño juice
32 - 3/4 cup cilantro, large stems discarded
33 - 1/4 cup buttermilk or regular milk as needed
34 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ For the Final Touches

35 - Lime wedges for garnish
36 - Crispy cooked bacon, chopped (8 strips)
37 - 8 flour tortillas
38 - A bit of oil for toasting tortillas

# Instructions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, stir together buttermilk and pickle juice. Drop in the chicken, making sure all pieces are soaked. Cover the bowl tightly and pop it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, but it's even better if left overnight.
02 - Grill the corn until some kernels are browned. Once cool, slice off the kernels with a sharp knife. Stir them together with mayo, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, scallions, cheese, cilantro, jalapeño, chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Keep in the fridge until you're ready to dig in.
03 - In a blender or food processor, blitz the cilantro with pickled jalapeños and the jalapeño juice until mostly smooth. In a separate bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Stir in the jalapeño puree, then add lime juice and slowly mix in buttermilk to achieve your perfect dressing texture. Keep chilled.
04 - In a big bowl, stir up the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, and salt. In a separate dish, combine buttermilk with hot sauce. For an extra crispy layer, sprinkle a bit of the buttermilk mix into the dry ingredients and stir gently until crumbly.
05 - Heat a generous amount of oil to 350°F in a heavy-duty pan. Take the chicken from its marinade, pat it dry, and coat each piece by dipping in flour, then buttermilk, and back in flour. Let the coated chicken sit until the surface looks slightly sticky before frying. Cook a few pieces at a time until golden brown and fully cooked inside (165°F). Flip occasionally.
06 - Warm a bit of oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Fry each tortilla just enough so both sides are golden but still soft and bendable. Move them to paper towels to soak up extra grease.
07 - Lay one tender on a warm tortilla, then throw on some corn salad and bacon bits. Drizzle a good amount of the ranch sauce over the top and squeeze on some fresh lime just before eating.

# Notes:

01 - These tacos bring together crunch from the chicken, smoky bacon, creamy dressing, and tangy lime for the ultimate flavor bomb.
02 - Want the juiciest chicken? The pickle juice in the marinade does the trick!
03 - Store the salad and dressing in advance for easy prep and better flavor.
04 - The jalapeño lime ranch is a lot like that creamy dip from Chuy's!

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