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Street Corn Chicken Tacos

Street corn chicken tacos with juicy grilled chicken, charred corn kernels, and a creamy cotija-lime topping. Fast skillet-and-grill method makes flavorful taco filling with warm tortillas and crunchy cabbage.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts Salt and pepper to taste are used for seasoning.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Season to taste.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper Season to taste.
Street corn mixture
  • 2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed (or frozen corn) Use 2 cups frozen corn if preferred.
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.25 cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Also used as a topping.
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
Taco assembly
  • 4 Warm flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped Use extra for topping if desired.
  • 2 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and cook the chicken
  1. Season the boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Make sure both sides are evenly coated.
  2. Grill or pan-fry over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through, flipping once. The outside should be browned with clear juices.
  3. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. This keeps the strips juicy before slicing.
  4. Slice the chicken into strips. Arrange for easy taco assembly.
Make the charred street corn topping
  1. In a skillet, melt the butter and sauté the minced garlic for 30 seconds. Stir until fragrant but not browned.
  2. Add the corn kernels and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to char. The kernels should look blistered in spots.
  3. Stir in the cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Mix until creamy and evenly speckled.
Assemble the tacos
  1. Warm the flour tortillas. Heat just until flexible and lightly steamy.
  2. Fill each tortilla with sliced chicken and the corn mixture. Spoon the creamy corn over the chicken so it clings.
  3. Top with shredded cabbage, fresh cilantro, and serve with lime wedges. Add a squeeze of lime for brightness.

Notes

Pro tip: for the most “street corn” flavor, cook the corn until you see browned/charred spots before stirring in cotija and lime juice. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm chicken and corn gently in a skillet or microwave (add a splash of lime juice if it tightens). Freezing is not recommended because the tortillas and cotija mixture can lose texture. For a dairy-light option, swap cotija for a similar crumbled feta or omit cotija and add extra lime and cilantro.