These Chicken Tender Tacos with Cilantro Lime Elote are packed with crunchy chicken tenders, cheesy goodness, and a fresh, zesty corn topping — easy, irresistible, and perfect for any night of the week!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about family dinners, it’s that the simplest nights often turn into the sweetest memories. These Crispy Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Elote were born out of a craving for something that felt like it had restaurant quality. Juicy, spiced chicken tucked into soft tortillas, paired with a creamy, zesty corn topping that tastes like summer on a plate.
Whether it’s a Tuesday night or a backyard get-together, these tacos bring big flavor without the fuss!
INGREDIENTS FOR THESE CRISPY CHICKEN TACOS WITH CILANTRO LIME ELOTE
For the Crispy Chicken you’ll need chicken breasts, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and vegetable oil for frying – I’m a big fan of avocado oil!
For the Cilantro Lime Sauce you’ll need garlic cloves, fresh lime, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese, cilantro, salt, and pepper
For the Elote you’ll need a can of corn and Tajin
For the Tacos, you’ll need Chihuahua cheese or any Mexican blend and flour or corn tortillas
HOW TO MAKE THESE CRISPY CHICKEN TACOS
Make the Cilantro Lime Sauce:
In a blender or food processor, combine the fresh cilantro leaves, lime juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Pause to scrape down the sides if needed to make sure everything gets evenly incorporated.
Taste the dressing and adjust as needed — add a little extra lime juice if you love more tang, or a pinch more salt and pepper to balance it out. Once you’re happy with the flavor, transfer the dressing to a jar or container and set aside.
Prepare the Chicken:
Clean up your chicken breasts and pat them dry with paper towels. Slice into strips and season both sides with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
Set Up the Breading Station:
In one shallow dish, whisk the eggs.
In a second shallow dish, mix together the panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Bread the Chicken:
Dip each chicken strip first into the beaten eggs, then into the panko mixture, pressing gently to help the coating stick. Set the breaded chicken strips on a plate or baking sheet.
Fry the Chicken:
Heat about ¼ inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C).
Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully add the chicken tenders to the skillet. Fry for 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked.
Transfer the crispy tenders to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Make the Cilantro Lime Elote:
In a mixing bowl, combine the drained corn with a few spoonfuls of the cilantro lime sauce, Cotija cheese, and a sprinkle of Tajin. Mix until well combined.
Assemble the Tacos:
Sprinkle a little Chihuahua cheese onto each tortilla, then add a crispy chicken strip.
Top with a generous spoonful of the Cilantro Lime Elote, drizzle more cilantro lime sauce over the top, and serve immediately.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes! If you’d rather skip the frying, you can bake the breaded chicken strips at 400°F (200°C) for about 18–20 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won’t be quite as crispy as frying, but they’ll still be delicious — and it’s a great hands-off option for busy nights.
Definitely. The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just store it in a sealed jar or container in the fridge. It actually gets even more flavorful as it sits!
I love using small flour tortillas because they’re soft and sturdy enough to hold all that crispy goodness. But if your family prefers corn tortillas, go for it — just warm them up a bit before assembling to prevent tearing.
Chicken Tender Tacos with Cilantro Lime Elote
Ingredients
For the Crispy Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Cilantro Lime Sauce
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice from one lime
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup Mayonaisse
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the Elote
- 1 15oz. can of corn drained
- 1/3 cup red onion finely diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Tacos
- 1 cup Chihuahua cheese
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, add the fresh cilantro leaves, lime juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed until smooth and well combined. If needed, scrape down the sides of the blender or food processor to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Taste the dressing and adjust the flavors as desired. Add more lime juice for tanginess, or salt and pepper for seasoning.
- Once you’re satisfied with the taste, transfer the dressing to a jar or container.
- Clean up your chicken breast and pat dry.
- Next, cut the chicken into strips and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Combine panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish.
- In another shallow dish, whisk the eggs.
- Dip each chicken strip into the beaten eggs, then coat it in panko mixture, pressing to adhere.
- Place the breaded tenders on a plate or baking sheet.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). You want enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet by about 1/4 inch.
- Carefully add the breaded chicken tenders to the hot oil in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the cooked tenders to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine drained corn with diced red onion, 1/2 cup of cilantro lime sauce, and Tajin. Mix well to combine.
- To assemble the tacos, sprinkle some Chihuahua cheese onto each tortilla followed by a strip of crispy chicken.
- Evenly distribute the Cilantro Lime Elote between the tortillas followed by a drizzle of the remaining cilantro lime sauce and enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious and approved by my husband and toddler! I am not a big cook and the directions were easy to follow. The cilantro lime sauce and the Elote have so much flavor and made enough for left overs!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nellie! Thanks for sharing!