Street Corn Chicken Tacos (Printable version)
Juicy grilled chicken with zesty street corn in warm tortillas.
# What you need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp chili powder
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - Juice of 1 lime
→ For the Street Corn Topping
10 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned; about 3 ears)
11 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
12 - 2 tbsp sour cream or Mexican crema
13 - 1/4 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
14 - 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - Juice of 1/2 lime
17 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ For Assembly
19 - 8 small corn or flour tortillas
20 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
21 - Additional crumbled cotija/feta cheese (optional)
22 - Lime wedges, to serve
# How To:
01 - In a bowl, mix olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes.
02 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and lightly charred. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice or chop.
03 - If using fresh corn, char the kernels in a hot dry skillet for 3–4 minutes until slightly blackened. In a bowl, combine corn, mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija/feta, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
04 - Heat tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame until pliable and slightly toasted.
05 - Place chicken in the center of each tortilla. Top generously with street corn mixture. Garnish with sliced red onion, extra cheese, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
06 - Serve immediately and enjoy!
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of smoky, tangy, and creamy flavors hits every single craving at once.
- It comes together in under forty minutes but tastes like it came from a fancy food truck.
02 -
- Do not skip the charring step for the corn because it adds essential smoky depth.
- Letting the chicken rest before slicing keeps all the juices inside the meat.
03 -
- Use rotisserie chicken to cut the cooking time in half on busy weeknights.
- Making the corn topping ahead of time actually lets the flavors meld together better.