Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)
Creamy elote-inspired pasta salad with charred corn, chicken, and crunchy tortilla topping.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz rotini or penne pasta
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, grilled, canned and drained, or thawed frozen)
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
07 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
→ Dressing
08 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
09 - 1/3 cup sour cream
10 - 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
13 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
16 - 2 oz Cotija cheese, crumbled (feta may be substituted)
→ Crispy Topping
17 - 1 cup corn tortilla chips, crushed
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
02 - Heat a large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels in an even layer and sauté without oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and golden spots appear. Remove from heat and let cool.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooked chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, charred corn, diced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro until evenly distributed.
04 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and crumbled Cotija cheese until smooth and well blended.
05 - Add the cooled pasta to the chicken and vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss until every component is thoroughly coated with the creamy elote-style dressing.
06 - Just before serving, sprinkle the crushed tortilla chips over the salad for a crispy finish. Garnish with additional crumbled Cotija, fresh cilantro, and an extra squeeze of lime if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Top Tips:
01 -
- That smoky charred corn combined with lime and Cotija tastes like summer on a plate, and it comes together in under an hour.
- The crunchy tortilla chip topping is the kind of detail that makes people go back for seconds before they even finish their first bowl.
02 -
- Do not add the crushed tortilla chips until the very last minute or they will go soggy and you will lose that addictive crunch everyone keeps coming back for.
- The dressing thickens considerably in the fridge, so stir in a splash of lime juice or a spoonful of water before serving leftovers to loosen it back up.
03 -
- Pat frozen corn completely dry with a paper towel before charring or it will steam instead of blister and you will miss that essential smoky flavor.
- Taste the dressing on its own before mixing it in and adjust salt and lime juice because once it is folded into the pasta, fixing the seasoning becomes much harder.