Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable version)
Smoky charred corn and chicken tossed in creamy cotija-lime dressing with crispy tortilla crunch.
# What you'll need:
→ Chicken & Pasta
01 - 3 cups cooked rotini or penne pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Elote Style Corn
07 - 2 cups corn kernels, fresh, grilled, or canned and drained
08 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
→ Creamy Dressing
10 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
11 - 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
12 - 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese, plus extra for garnish
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Crispy Topping
19 - 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
20 - 1/2 teaspoon chili-lime seasoning such as Tajín
→ Garnish
21 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
22 - Lime wedges
23 - Additional fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese
# Directions:
01 - Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and corn kernels, sautéing for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and lightly charred. Sprinkle with chili powder, stir to coat evenly, then transfer to a plate and let cool completely.
02 - In a bowl, toss the diced cooked chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, crumbled cotija cheese, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, hot sauce, chopped cilantro, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the cooked pasta, seasoned chicken, and charred corn to the dressing. Fold in half of the crushed tortilla chips and toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter or bowl. Top with the remaining crushed tortilla chips, additional crumbled cotija cheese, sliced jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and a light dusting of chili-lime seasoning if desired.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with lime wedges on the side just before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The charred corn and creamy lime dressing hit every single flavor note at once, smoky, tangy, rich, and bright.
- It feeds a crowd beautifully and tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for an hour.
- Crushed tortilla chips on top give you that elote street food crunch without needing a grill.
02 -
- Add the crushed chips right before serving or they will go soft and you will lose the whole crispy contrast that makes this special.
- Charring the corn in a dry patch of the skillet before adding butter gives you deeper flavor than cooking it all in fat from the start.
03 -
- Grill the corn whole on the cob before cutting off kernels and you get a smokier deeper char than any skillet can provide.
- Let the dressing sit for ten minutes before tossing it with the pasta so the garlic and lime have time to wake up.