Street Corn Chicken Tacos (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 680 g chicken tenders
02 - 240 ml pickle juice
03 - 355 ml buttermilk, divided
04 - 190 g all-purpose flour
05 - 32 g cornstarch
06 - 1 tablespoon garlic powder
07 - 1 tablespoon paprika
08 - 2 teaspoons salt
09 - 2 teaspoons onion powder
10 - 2 teaspoons black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
12 - 2 tablespoons hot sauce
13 - Peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying

→ For the Street Corn Salad

14 - 5–6 ears corn, husked and grilled
15 - 80 ml mayonnaise
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - 1 lime, juiced and zested
18 - 35 g scallions, sliced
19 - 35 g Cotija cheese, grated
20 - 15 g cilantro, minced
21 - 1 jalapeno, diced
22 - 0.5–1 teaspoon chili powder
23 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ For the Jalapeno Lime Ranch

24 - 180 ml mayonnaise
25 - 180 ml sour cream
26 - 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
27 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
28 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
29 - 60 g pickled jalapenos, sliced
30 - 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno juice
31 - 15 g cilantro, leaves only (large stems removed)
32 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
33 - 60 ml buttermilk (milk can substitute if necessary)

→ For Assembly

34 - Flour tortillas
35 - 1 strip bacon per taco, cooked until crisp and diced
36 - Neutral oil, for pan-frying tortillas
37 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Instructions:

01 - In a medium bowl, mix pickle juice and 120 ml buttermilk. Submerge chicken tenders in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
02 - Mix flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne powder in one bowl. In a separate bowl, blend 235 ml buttermilk with hot sauce.
03 - Pat dry the marinated chicken. Coat each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, dip in the buttermilk-hot sauce mix, then return to the flour blend for a second coating. Rest until the flour forms a slightly tacky surface.
04 - Heat oil in a deep fryer or cast-iron skillet to 175°C. Fry chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 74°C. Drain on paper towels.
05 - Grill husked corn until slightly charred on all sides. Remove from heat and slice kernels from the cob.
06 - Combine grilled corn, mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice and zest, scallions, Cotija, cilantro, jalapeno, chili powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until assembly.
07 - In a food processor, blend cilantro, pickled jalapenos, and jalapeno juice until mostly smooth. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Fold in cilantro-jalapeno purée and lime juice. Gradually incorporate buttermilk until sauce is pourable. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
08 - Heat a skillet over medium-low with a few tablespoons of neutral oil. Fry tortillas one or two at a time on each side until golden but still flexible. Drain on paper towels.
09 - Place a fried chicken tender in each warm tortilla. Top with a generous scoop of street corn salad, drizzle with jalapeno lime ranch, and sprinkle over crispy bacon. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Notes:

01 - Marinating chicken overnight deepens flavor and tenderness.
02 - Prepare all components before frying for efficient assembly.
03 - Control salad and ranch heat by adjusting the amount of jalapeno.

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