Crisp Chicken Tacos (Tacos de Pollo)

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken meat shredded packed cooked (see Notes)
• 16  corn tortillas (5 to 6 in.)
• 1 cup cilantro leaves fresh coarsely chopped
• 0.5 lb jack cheese shredded
• 8 servings kosher salt 
• 8 servings tomato-cucumber salsa 
• 2 cups vegetable oil divided
• 8 servings wooden toothpicks 
• 8 servings wooden toothpicks 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• oven
• plastic wrap
• toothpicks
• kitchen towels
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 20
2. In a bowl, mix chicken with cheese and season to taste with salt.
3. Pour 3 tbsp. oil into a medium frying pan over high heat. When hot, add tortillas, 1 at a time, heating just enough to soften but not crisp, about 10 seconds per side. As heated, stack on paper towels, cover with a kitchen towel, and keep warm in oven.
4. Add more oil to pan as needed.
5. Mix cilantro with chicken filling. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, distribute about 1/4 cup packed chicken filling down center. Fold tortilla in half over filling and thread 1 toothpick through top edges to seal. If assembling ahead, arrange filled tacos on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and chill up to 4 hours.
6. Pour at least 1/2 in. oil into same pan and set on high heat. When hot, add 4 to 6 tacos (depending on pan size; do not overcrowd). Tacos should sizzle when they hit oil. Turn as needed until shells are crisp and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Lift tacos from pan with a slotted spoon, draining oil back into pan.
7. Lay tacos in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and keep warm in oven. Fry remaining tacos the same way, adding more oil as needed. When all tacos are cooked, pull out and discard toothpicks.
8. Serve with salsa on the side.