Recipes

Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos

Photo by Angie Moser

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yields

16 tacos, 8 servings

    ingredients
    Chicken Tacos
  • Chile de Arbol Sauce (recipe follows)
  • Pickled Jalapeño Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 pounds chicken tenders
  • ½ head iceberg lettuce
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
  • 16 6-inch flour tortillas
  • Chile de Arbol Sauce
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons ground chile de arbol
  • ¼ cup lard
  • ½ teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • Pickled Jalapeño Mayonnaise
  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • ½ cup pickled jalapeños, drained
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar from pickled jalapeños
steps

Chicken Tacos

  1. Make sauce and mayonnaise according to recipes that follow.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together milk and egg to make an egg wash. Add chicken tenders and let soak while preparing remaining ingredients.
  3. Shred lettuce; cover and refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine flour, cayenne, oregano, garlic, onion, white pepper, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a deep-fat fryer or electric skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a pan with paper towels and set aside.
  5. Remove 4 or 5 pieces of chicken from milk mixture and drop into bowl. Dredge until coated. Shake off excess and drop into hot oil. Fry on both sides, turning once, until crispy and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes per batch. Let drain on paper towel-lined pan and set in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  6. In a large saucepan, warm Chile de Arbol Sauce over medium heat. Drop chicken pieces into sauce, tossing to coat.
  7. Heat tortillas on a hot skillet on both sides, about 1 minute, until warm but not crispy. Top each with chicken, a dollop of mayonnaise, and a handful of lettuce. Fold and serve. 

Chile de Arbol Sauce

  1. In a small saucepan, combine stock, chile de arbol, lard, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir. Add salt to taste and remove from heat.
  2. Let cool, pour into a container, cover, and refrigerate.
    Yield: 1¼ cups

Pickled Jalapeño Mayonnaise

  1. Place mayonnaise, jalapeños, and vinegar in a food processor. Purée until blended.
  2. Remove to a container, cover, and refrigerate.
    Yield: 2¼ cups
  • from Chef Eddie Hernandez, co-owner of Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta, GA

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