Fried Chicken Tacos From Turnip Greens And Tortillas Recipes

FRIED CHICKEN TACOS FROM TURNIP GREENS AND TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Seasoned Flour Coating:.
• In a container, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour with 4 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Makes 2 cups.
• NOTE: Texture is as important as flavor in my dishes-especially when it comes to tacos. My coating mixtures can be mixed and matched with various meats and vegetables before frying or sautéing, adding both flavor and crunch. They keep for 3 months tightly covered and are great to have on hand when you are short on ideas for dinner. Use as directed in the recipes that call for them, or swap them out. Then add gravy, a ribbon of flavored mayonnaise, or a drizzle of a simple sauce, and you have created your own masterpiece!
• Jalapeño-Lime Mayonnaise:.
• Makes 2 1/4 cups.
• Blending mayonnaise with hot chiles is a great way to soften the chiles' flavor. Here are three variations on this pairing with distinctive results. I specify a blender for one and a food processor for the others, depending on how much texture I want. If I am going to squeeze the mayo through a bottle, then I want it as smooth as possible, but if I am going to spread it or spoon it on, I might want some little pieces. This is up to you.
• Place the mayonnaise, lime juice, jalapeño, and salt in a blender and puree. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Taco Recipe:.
• Place three medium bowls on your work surface. In the first bowl, whisk together the egg with the milk. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. You can do this the night before.
• Place the seasoned flour in the second bowl. In the third bowl, toss the lettuce with the tomatoes.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or deep, heavy pot over high heat until it is 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• Remove a few pieces of chicken from the milk, dredge in the flour, and shake off the excess. Gently place in the hot oil. Cook until light brown, crispy, and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining chicken. Allow the oil to return to 350 degrees F between batches.
• Set a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and heat on both sides for a minute or two, until a few dark spots appear. Remove to a plate. Place 2 chicken tenders in the center of the tortilla, top with 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise and some of the lettuce and tomato, and fold. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
• Buy the book here:.
• https://www.amazon.com/Turnip-Greens-Tortillas-Mexican-Southern/dp/0544618823.

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.