Southern Fried Chicken Tacos Recipes

SOUTHERN-FRIED CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the chicken on a baking sheet and cook for 15 mins or until piping hot in the centre. Meanwhile, stir half the chives into the soured cream and season to taste.
• Warm the tortillas in the microwave on high for about 1 min. Slice each chicken piece in half diagonally. Serve the warm tortillas topped with the chicken, lettuce wedges, a dollop of soured cream, the spring onions and a generous glug of buffalo sauce. Scatter over the remaining chives to serve.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN TACOS WITH BACON GRAVY

Steps:

• To make the marinade, mix the buttermilk and chipotle peppers in a medium sized bowl and mix to combine. Add a ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Add the chicken tenders and marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. If you want spicier chicken, you can marinade up to 2 hours.
• To make the roasted corn salsa, heat a barbecue grill or grill pan and heat to medium heat. Spray with a non stick cooking spray. Grill the corn on all sides until slightly charred but cooked through. Remove from the grill and cut the kernels off. In a small bowl, mix together the charred corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, avocado and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper and set aside.
• To make the bacon gravy, heat a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned and cooked through on both sides. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Once drained and cool, chop the bacon into ½ inch pieces and set aside. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease left in the sauté pan and heat the pan to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan. Cook the flour for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Slowly pour in the milk and whisk. Cook until the gravy thickens up, but not too thick, about 3-4 minutes. Add the kosher salt, pepper and the crisp bacon to the gravy and mix. Turn the heat off the stove but keep the gravy warm.
• To fry the chicken, heat a cast iron skillet or large sauté pan to medium heat. Add 1 cup canola oil. Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade and drain. Discard the marinade. Put the flour and taco seasoning in a large zip lock bag. Put the chicken tenders in the flour mixture, close the top of the bag and shake so that the chicken tenders are fully coated with the flour mixture. Remove the tenders and put on a wire rack for 10 minutes to set up. Add the canola oil to a large frying pan and heat to medium-high heat. Test the oil by dropping in a few pinches of flour in the oil to see if it sizzles. When the oil is ready, put the chicken tenders in to fry. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until the tenders are light golden brown and cooked through. When done, remove the chicken tenders from the oil and put on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Lightly season with kosher salt.
• Heat a sauté pan to medium heat and rub a little canola oil around the pan. Put one tortilla at a time in the pan and heat for about 30 seconds on each side, or until the tortilla has a little color. Put aside and keep warm.
• Heat the mashed potatoes up by following the directions on the package. Keep warm.
• To make the tacos, spread a nice helping of mashed potatoes on top of the warm tortilla and then put one chicken tender on top. Drizzle the bacon gravy on top. Top with the salsa and serve.
• **If your chicken tenders are slightly larger than normal, cut the chicken tenders in half lengthways. Tenders on the taco should be just a little fatter than your index finger.
• Makes 8 tacos or serves 4.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Roll in flour. Deep fry in large skillet until juices run clear and crust is golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

LIGHTER CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Mix the oil with the cumin and paprika on a large plate. Sit the chicken on the plate and rub the spiced oil all over it. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt, then cover and set aside while you prepare the salsa.
• Heat the grill to high for 10 mins. Meanwhile, line a large baking tray with foil and lay the tomatoes (cut-side up) on it, along with the pepper and red onion. Brush the oil over the onion, and season the tomatoes and onion with pepper. Grill for 12-15 mins, turning the tomatoes and onion halfway through, until well charred. Remove (leaving the grill on) and set aside to cool - put the pepper in a bowl and cover with cling film so that it's easier to skin later.
• For the guacamole, put the avocado in a bowl and briefly mash with a fork, leaving some chunky pieces for texture. Gently mix in the lime juice, spring onions, coriander and chilli flakes. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt.
• Re-line the baking tray with foil and lay the chicken on it, plump-side up. Grill for about 10 mins until cooked - there is no need to turn it. Meanwhile, scoop out and discard as much of the seeds and juice from the tomatoes as you can (so the salsa isn't too wet), leaving the pulp and charred skin. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin. Chop the tomatoes and onion, and dice the pepper. Combine in a bowl with the lime juice, cumin, chilli flakes, some pepper and a pinch of salt.
• When the chicken is cooked, remove from the grill, cover loosely with foil and set aside for 5 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut the chicken into chunky slices and spoon over the juices. When ready to serve, lay the taco shells on a baking sheet and warm through for 2-3 mins. Serve the chicken, taco shells, yogurt, lettuce, coriander and lime wedges in separate bowls, so that everyone can build their own tacos.