Chicken Tacos Avocado Ranch (Print Version)
Juicy chicken packed into crispy tortillas, topped with cool avocado ranch and plenty of greens to make your meal super satisfying.
# Ingredients:
→ Brine
01 -
0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
02 -
0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
03 -
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
04 -
1 teaspoon fine salt
05 -
240 ml buttermilk
06 -
900 g chicken breast tenderloins
→ Breading
07 -
Vegetable oil for deep frying
08 -
60 ml buttermilk
09 -
0.25 teaspoon onion powder
10 -
0.25 teaspoon garlic powder
11 -
0.25 teaspoon dried oregano
12 -
0.5 tablespoon baking powder
13 -
190 g plain flour
14 -
1 teaspoon fine salt
15 -
1 tablespoon chili powder
16 -
1 tablespoon ground cumin
17 -
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
18 -
0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Avocado Buttermilk Ranch
19 -
Kosher salt, to taste
20 -
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
21 -
0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
22 -
0.25 cup chopped fresh chives
23 -
1 Haas avocado, peeled and pitted
24 -
2 garlic cloves, minced
25 -
0.25 cup chopped fresh dill
26 -
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
27 -
300 ml buttermilk
→ To Serve
28 -
0.33 cup chopped fresh cilantro
29 -
1 cup chopped lettuce
30 -
24 corn tortillas, toasted and doubled up
# Steps:
01 -
Toss the chicken pieces with buttermilk, both paprikas, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne in a roomy bowl. Make sure everything gets coated well. Cover up and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or, even better, overnight. This will soften them up and let the flavors soak in.
02 -
Grab a second bowl and mix chili powder, cumin, flour, baking powder, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir in some buttermilk with a fork until it gets lumpy and crumbly so you'll get a crispy coating.
03 -
Lay out a baking sheet with foil. Take chicken pieces out of the brine batch by batch and press them right into the crumbly breading—coat every side really well. Lay them on the foil and let them hang out a bit so the crust holds up while frying.
04 -
Smash up the avocado in a bowl until it's nice and smooth. Add buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, chopped chives, parsley, dill, minced garlic, and both salts and peppers. Whisk the lot hard 'til it turns silky and creamy. Let it chill aside for now.
05 -
Get a tray ready with a stack of paper towels. Heat a deep pot with oil about 2.5 cm up its sides—go for high heat 'til it starts shimmering. Gently drop chicken in with tongs, a few at a time so you don't crowd them. Fry each side about 3 minutes; flip when golden. Drain them on your towel-lined tray and keep going in batches till they’re all crispy.
06 -
Tuck those crispy chicken strips into the doubled up, toasted tortillas. Pile on chopped lettuce, toss over cilantro, and finish with a big spoonful of that avocado ranch you made.
# Notes:
01 -
Let the chicken rest in the breading for a bit before it hits the oil. That way, you'll get the crunchiest finish.
02 -
If you make the avocado buttermilk ranch ahead, it'll taste extra good since the flavors get friendly over time.