Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsLocal TacoCommonwealth Taco Recipe

Commonwealth Taco Recipe

Inspired by Local Taco
Time1h 30m
Serves4

Fried chicken, brown sugar bourbon glaze, crispy fried poblano pepper & onion strings, pico, ancho aioli, cotija cheese, flour tortilla

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Ingredients

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Fried Chicken

Brown Sugar Bourbon Glaze

Crispy Fried Poblano Peppers and Onion Strings

Pico de Gallo

Ancho Aioli

Method

Fried Chicken

  1. 1

    Marinate the Chicken

    In a bowl, combine buttermilk, salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Add the chicken thighs and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.

  2. 2

    Prepare the Coating

    In a separate bowl, mix the all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off, then dredge in the flour mixture. Set aside.

  3. 3

    Fry the Chicken

    In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Brown Sugar Bourbon Glaze

  1. 4

    Make the Glaze

    In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, bourbon, soy sauce, minced garlic, and apple cider vinegar. Stir until the mixture comes to a simmer, then reduce the heat and let it thicken for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

  2. 5

    Coat the Chicken

    Once the chicken is fried, brush or drizzle the brown sugar bourbon glaze over the chicken to coat evenly.

Crispy Fried Poblano Peppers and Onion Strings

  1. 6

    Prepare the Vegetables

    Slice the poblano peppers in half and remove seeds. Soak the sliced poblanos and onion in buttermilk for about 30 minutes.

  2. 7

    Coat the Vegetables

    In a bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Remove the peppers and onion from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off, then dredge in the flour mixture.

  3. 8

    Fry the Vegetables

    In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry the coated poblano peppers and onion slices until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Pico de Gallo

  1. 9

    Mix the Ingredients

    In a bowl, combine diced tomatoes, onion, minced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Toss to mix well and season with salt to taste.

  2. 10

    Set Aside

    Allow the pico de gallo to sit for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Ancho Aioli

  1. 11

    Combine Ingredients

    In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, ancho chili powder, minced garlic, and lime juice. Stir until smooth and well combined.

  2. 12

    Chill

    Refrigerate the aioli for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Assembly

  1. 13

    Assemble the Tacos

    Warm the flour tortillas in a skillet or microwave. Place a piece of fried chicken on each tortilla, top with pico de gallo, crispy fried poblano peppers and onion strings, a drizzle of ancho aioli, and finish with crumbled cotija cheese.

  2. 14

    Serve

    Serve the tacos immediately with lime wedges on the side.

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