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Street Corn Chicken Tacos

Street corn chicken tacos with juicy spiced chicken and charred corn in a creamy chili-lime dressing, finished with cotija and a tajin-dusted edge. Warm tortillas are heaped high for that classic elote-style Tex-Mex taco bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
resting 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
Tortillas
  • 8 corn or flour tortillas small
Corn kernels
  • 2 cup corn kernels
Mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 2 tbsp Mexican crema or sour cream
Lime juice
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
Chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
Cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese crumbled
Tajin, cilantro, and lime wedges
  • 1 Tajin for serving
  • 1 fresh cilantro for serving
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and rest the spiced chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken thighs with taco seasoning. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through to 165°F. You should see browned edges and juices that run clear.
  3. Remove the chicken to a plate and rest for 5 minutes. After resting, slice or shred the chicken for easy filling.
Char the corn and make elote-style dressing
  1. Add corn kernels to a dry cast iron skillet over high heat and char for 4-5 minutes until blistered. Set the corn aside.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, lime juice, and chili powder until smooth. Fold in the charred corn until the kernels are glossy and coated.
Warm tortillas and assemble tacos
  1. Warm the corn or flour tortillas in a dry skillet or over an open flame. The surface should feel flexible and steamy.
  2. Fill each tortilla with sliced chicken and a generous spoonful of the street corn mixture. Pack the filling so it overflows slightly.
  3. Top with crumbled cotija and a dusting of tajin, then add fresh cilantro. Finish with a squeeze of lime for brightness.

Notes

For best texture, slice or shred the chicken right after the 5-minute rest so it stays juicy. Store leftovers in separate containers (tacos assembled are best fresh); refrigerate up to 3 days for chicken and corn mixture, and warm tortillas just before serving. Freeze chicken and street corn mixture up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge and rewarm on the stove. For a lighter option, use light Mexican crema or Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise plus crema.