Description
Crazy Good Street Corn Chicken Tacos are a vibrant, flavor-packed main course featuring juicy sazon-marinated chicken thighs, charred street corn salsa, and a zesty jalapeño lime cashew sauce. All nestled in warm corn tortillas, these tacos deliver a delicious medley of textures and bold, fresh flavors reminiscent of your favorite street food.
Ingredients
For the Sazon Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (only if you like a little heat)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Grilled Corn:
- 2 ears corn, washed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
For the Salsa:
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup finely diced cilantro
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 lime, juiced
- Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
For the Jalapeño Lime Cashew Sauce:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup water, plus more to thin if necessary
- 1 medium jalapeno, seeded
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Serving:
- 8 soft corn tortillas
- Extra thinly sliced jalapenos
- Extra cilantro
Instructions
- Soak the Cashews: Place the raw cashews in 2 cups of warm water for at least 2 hours. For a shortcut, bring the cashews and water to a boil, then turn off the heat and let them soak for 30 minutes before draining.
- Make the Jalapeño Lime Cashew Sauce: Add drained cashews, fresh water, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, salt, onion powder, and black pepper to a blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Thin with 1-2 tablespoons more water if needed, then set aside.
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs, olive oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or up to 24 hours in the fridge for deeper flavor.
- Season the Corn: Drizzle the ears of corn with olive oil, then rub with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to ensure even coating.
- Grill the Chicken and Corn: Preheat your grill to 400°F. Place both the corn and chicken directly on the grill. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes until charred and cooked through. Grill the chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side, until fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm, and then chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare the Corn Salsa: When corn is cool enough to handle, cut it off the cob and place in a medium bowl. Add diced avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Toss well to combine and set aside.
- Warm Tortillas and Assemble Tacos: Warm or char the tortillas if desired. Spread a spoonful of jalapeño lime cashew sauce on each tortilla, top with chopped chicken, street corn salsa, extra jalapeños, and a final drizzle of sauce. Garnish with extra cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- To bake the chicken instead of grilling, preheat oven to 350°F and bake marinated chicken thighs for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Meal prep tip: Both the cashew sauce and chicken marinade can be made ahead for convenience.
- Use a grill pan indoors if you don’t have an outdoor grill.
- For extra ease, swap fresh corn for thawed frozen corn and char quickly in a skillet.
- Use flour tortillas if you don’t have corn, or serve as a taco bowl over rice or greens.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 840mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 90mg