- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
- Salt and pepper
- Juice of 2 limes, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (1/3 palmful)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
- About 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large or 2 medium ears of corn
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped, divided
- 1 can vegetarian spicy or traditional refried beans
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups heirloom or ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 Fresno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (a handful), finely chopped
- 3/4 pound easy-melting cheese, such as Monterey Jack, cheddar or Mexican cheeses such as Asadero or Chihuahua
- 2 cups lightly crushed thin crispy tortilla chips, such as Xochitl brand
- 1 small can pickled sliced jalapeño rings, such as La Morena brand, drained
Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing each piece across but not all the way through. Pound the breast meat as thin as possible, 1/8-1/4-inch thick. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Combine the juice of 1 lime in a shallow dish with 1 teaspoon cumin, the oregano, two cloves finely chopped garlic and about 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Turn the chicken to coat it in the marinade. Do not let the chicken set for longer than 10-15 minutes in the marinade because of the acid content.
Heat a griddle over two burners or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 3 minutes on each side to brown at the edges.
Meanwhile, in one small pan heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat, add the chopped yellow onion and the remaining garlic, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper, salt and 1 chopped jalapeño pepper. Sauté to soft, then transfer to a food processor and add the refried beans and 1 cup water. Puree, return the mixture to the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken back up a bit and for the flavors to combine.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over high heat. Scrape the corn from cob and add to the pan. Char the corn to brown at the edges, 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the corn to a mixing bowl and let cool.
To the corn, add the chopped tomatoes, red onion, the remaining chopped fresh jalapeño, the chopped Fresno, cilantro, the juice of the remaining lime and salt, to taste.
Top the chicken with the warm refried bean dip, a handful of shredded cheese, a handful of tortilla pieces, lots of pico de gallo salsa with corn and some pickled jalapeño peppers.