Atlanta’s El Taco is the place to go for Mexican street food with a twist and this taco, starring an herb-marinated chicken tender, lives up to the hype. The corn condiment is inspired by the charred, spice- and cheese-dusted corn on the cob you’ll find on virtually every street corner in Mexico. The combination of the crunchy chicken and the sweet, smoky salad all folded into a soft tortilla is addictive.
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 5 scallions (white and green parts), roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- ½ cup corn or vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 8 2-ounce chicken tenders (or 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 8 equal-sized strips)
For the Corn Elote
- 8 ears yellow corn, shucked
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup grated cotija (or Parmigiano-Reggiano) cheese, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
For Frying and Serving the Tacos
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 8 6-inch flour tortillas
- Lime wedges, for garnish
How to Make It
-
Marinate the Chicken
- In a food processor, purée the scallions, garlic, salt, cumin, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons water until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil very slowly until the mixture resembles a thin mayonnaise. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the buttermilk. Place the chicken tenders in the buttermilk mixture, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Make the Corn Elote
- Heat a grill or cast-iron skillet over high heat and cook the corn, turning occasionally, until very slightly charred and just cooked, 7 to 8 minutes total. Cool slightly, then cut the kernels off the cobs into a separate bowl. (You will have about 5 cups corn kernels; discard the cobs.) In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, hot sauce, salt, sugar, garlic powder, and pepper until smooth. Gently fold in the corn kernels, cheese, and cilantro until just combined. Fry the Chicken
- Prepare a deep-fryer or a large (at least 6-quart) pot filled about halfway with oil to 325°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the chicken tenders in the flour two at a time, tossing well until completely coated; shake off the excess. Working in batches, fry the tenders until the chicken is golden on the outside and fully cooked through, about 7 minutes. Assemble the Tacos
- Warm the tortillas on the grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet. Add one fried chicken tender for each taco, and top with about ¼ cup of the corn elote. Serve the extra elote alongside the tacos. Garnish with additional lime, cheese, and cilantro.