From the Tacos, New Mexico Style from the June 2017.
Chicken-Guacamole Fresh-Fried Tacos
Makes about 1 dozen tacos
In case the name trips you up, it’s the tacos that are fried, not the chicken. I recommend you use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for the filling here.
Filling
- 3 tablespoons half-and-half
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups finely shredded cooked chicken
- Pinch of ground cumin
- Salt, optional
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro, optional
Guacamole and tacos
- 1 large ripe avocado (preferably Hass variety), chunked
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1/2 to 1 fresh jalapeño or serrano chile, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
- 18 to 24 corn tortillas
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Norteño Salsa, or other salsa, optional
For filling
- Combine the filling ingredients in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, cook down until no liquid remains but chicken mixture is still moist. Keep warm, or make up to 1 day ahead, refrigerate, then reheat before using.
For guacamole
- Mash avocado roughly in a small bowl, leaving some chunks. Stir in remaining ingredients. Use within about 30 minutes.
For tacos
- Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a skillet until the oil just ripples. With tongs, dunk a tortilla into the oil long enough for it to go limp, a matter of seconds. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and blot them, if you wish, with paper towels.
- Fill a tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of filling, fold in half, and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Raise the temperature of the oil to 350º. Fry the tacos, in batches, until lightly browned and crisp. Drain well.
- Remove toothpicks and garnish the tacos right away with cheese so it melts a bit. Then add some guacamole to each and serve immediately, passing the salsa.