fried chicken tacos... 30 minutes

the goods:

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil

1 and 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

2 cans (4 ounces each) diced green chiles

16 small corn tortillas

1 and 1/2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese

sour cream

hot sauce

2 cups thin;y sliced romaine lettuce

4 roma tomatoes, diced

Mix together the chili powder, cumin, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a  large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and chiles and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken has lost it's color. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken and saute until chicken is cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. In a separate skillet, heat 1 cup of the canola oil over medium-high heat. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken into a tortilla. Grasp the tortilla closed between tongs, then lay it in the hot oil, holding down the top half of the tortilla so that it remains closed. Cook until golden brown, 30 to 45 seconds, then flip the tacos and fry the other side and cook until browned and crispy. Remove from the pan, allowing excess oil to drip out of one end. Immediately wrap each taco in a paper towel and gently shake it to remove any excess oil. While the tacos are still hot, gently tuck some shredded cheese inside. Top tacos with sour cream, hot sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes as desired. (You may never use a store-bough taco shell again.)