This Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad is a bold, creamy, high protein recipe inspired by the flavors of elote, or Mexican street corn. Tender shredded chicken is tossed with charred corn, crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro, and green onion in a zesty lime and chili dressing made with Greek yogurt, mayo, and sour cream.
It is a satisfying and flavorful meal that works great served in a wrap, on toast, in lettuce cups, or with tortilla chips. It is also one of the best meal prep lunches you will make all summer! For another high protein chicken salad, try this buffalo chicken salad.
Lunch Meal Prep
Great for Potlucks
Quick Look: Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 50 minutes
- 🌽 Servings: 4 servings
- ⚡️ Calories: 381 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: On the stove
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: Chicken breasts, corn, cotija cheese, and a zesty lime dressing
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Easy; can be made ahead of time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big flavor and high protein – Enjoy the popular mexican street corn dish, but with an added serving of protein!
- Delicious sauce – The zesty lime dressing is addictive! If you have any leftover, it can be used as a dipping sauce or dressing for many other dishes. It is very versatile!
- Great for making ahead – This salad gets even better after a couple of hours in the fridge as the flavors come together. It is one of the best meal prep lunches because it stays fresh for up to 4 days! Make on Monday and enjoy throughout the week.
For another fun summer dish that uses corn, try this hot honey grilled corn pasta salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this delicious Mexican street corn chicken salad. For a full list of ingredients, see the full recipe.
- Boneless skinless chicken breast – The chicken is gently poached in broth until tender and then shredded. Poaching keeps the chicken moist and juicy without drying it out. You can also use rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Corn kernels – Fresh corn kernels are charred in a dry cast iron skillet until they are golden and slightly smoky. This is what gives the salad that authentic elote flavor. Frozen corn kernels work great too and are a convenient year-round option.
- Lime zest – Lime zest adds a bright, concentrated citrus flavor that you do not get from just the juice. Zest the lime before juicing it.
- Lime juice – Fresh lime juice is key here. It adds the tangy citrus flavor that is the backbone of elote-style dressing. Bottled lime juice will not give you the same bright flavor.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Greek yogurt is the base of the dressing and adds creaminess and a boost of protein. It keeps the salad lighter than using all mayo while still giving you that rich, creamy texture.
- Mayonnaise – A small amount of mayo adds richness and smoothness to the dressing. Together with the Greek yogurt and sour cream it creates the perfect elote-style sauce.
- Sour cream – Sour cream adds a tangy, creamy element that rounds out the dressing. It is a classic ingredient in traditional elote sauce.
- Chili powder – Chili powder gives the dressing its warm, slightly smoky heat that is essential to the elote flavor profile. Add more or less depending on your spice preference.
- Ground cumin – Cumin adds a deep, earthy warmth to the dressing that pairs perfectly with the corn and lime.
- Garlic powder – Adds a savory depth to the dressing without overpowering the other flavors.
- Onion powder – Works alongside the garlic powder to add a mild savory base to the dressing.
- Smoked paprika – Smoked paprika adds a subtle smoky flavor that echoes the charred corn and adds complexity to the dressing.
- Cotija cheese – Cotija is a crumbly, salty Mexican cheese that is the classic topping for elote. It adds a savory, slightly tangy flavor. If you cannot find cotija, crumbled feta is a great substitute.
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro adds brightness and that classic Mexican-inspired flavor. If you do not like cilantro, fresh parsley works as a substitute.
- Green onion – Thinly sliced green onion adds a mild, fresh crunch without overpowering the other flavors.
Want another delicious summer side dish? Try this pepperoni and pepperoncini pasta salad.
How to make This Mexican Street Corn Salad
Step 1: Place chicken breasts in a sauce pan to be poached. The chicken should be poached in chicken broth or salted water for the best flavor and the liquid should fully cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover. Always check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F before removing from heat.
Step 2: While the chicken is cooling, pour corn into a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat so that the kernels char a bit. A dry cast iron skillet on medium heat gives the best char on the corn kernels. Do not add oil. Spread the corn in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for a minute before tossing so each kernel gets a chance to brown. The slight char is what gives the salad that authentic elote smokiness.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
Step 4: Shred the cooked chicken breast with 2 forks and pour into the mixing bowl on top of the sauce. Add the corn kernels, cotija cheese, cilantro and green onion to the bowl.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad 🌽
- Use a dry cast iron skillet to char the corn. No oil needed. A hot, dry pan is what creates that golden, slightly smoky char on the kernels that makes this salad taste like real elote.
- Do not skip the lime zest. Lime zest adds a bright, concentrated citrus flavor that juice alone cannot give you. It makes the dressing taste fresher and more vibrant.
- Let the chicken cool before shredding. Give the poached chicken 10-15 minutes to rest after cooking. It shreds much more easily when it is slightly cooled and the texture will be better.
- Make it ahead. This salad gets even better after a couple of hours in the fridge as the flavors come together. It is one of the best meal prep lunches because it stays fresh for up to 4 days.
For another flavorful summer chicken salad, try this dill pickle chicken salad.
Recipe FAQs
What is elote?
Elote is a popular Mexican street food made with grilled corn on the cob that is coated in a creamy sauce of mayo, sour cream, lime juice, and chili powder, then sprinkled with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. This chicken salad is inspired by those same bold flavors.
What can I substitute for cotija cheese?
Crumbled feta cheese is the best substitute for cotija. It has a similar salty, crumbly texture. Queso fresco also works well.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes! Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for this recipe. Just shred the meat and use it in place of the poached chicken. It saves a lot of time and still tastes delicious.
How do I serve Mexican street corn chicken salad?
It is delicious served in a wrap, on toasted bread, in lettuce cups, scooped onto tostadas, or with tortilla chips. It also works great on top of a bed of romaine lettuce for a heartier salad.
Storage
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this chicken salad is good for up to four days.
Other delicious recipes with corn
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 cups corn kernels
- Zest from 1 lime
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onion
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a sauce pan with chicken broth or water mixed with bullion. The liquid should cover the chicken completely. If you don’t have broth, salted water will also work. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot and simmer for 16-18 minutes.
- Check that the chicken has cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165F before removing from heat. Allow the chicken to cool for 10-15 minutes before continuing.
- While the chicken is cooling, pour corn into a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat so that the kernels char a bit. Toss frequently so that each kernel browns evenly.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
- Shred the cooked chicken breast with 2 forks and pour into the mixing bowl on top of the sauce. Add the corn kernels, cotija cheese, cilantro and green onion to the bowl.
- Mix it all together and serve immediately or place in the fridge for a couple hours to serve chilled.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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