Remember when I said, I just don’t think you can have enough street corn inspired recipes? Well, this Street Corn Chicken Salad is proof of that once again.
Tender bites of chicken and fresh corn are coated with a creamy, spicy sauce of mayonnaise, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese to make this flavorful chicken salad.
Fill a sandwich or tortilla wrap, eat it with crackers, dip some tortilla chips, add a scoop to a tossed salad, or just grab a fork.
However you serve this, it’s the chicken salad you’re going to remember for a long time. Just be warned, once you taste this, you might find yourself headed back to the kitchen throughout the day, for just one for bite, and one more bite after that.
Street Corn Chicken Salad
I ask you again, can a street corn loving person ever have enough recipes that involve street corn? Clearly, I don’t think so.
Yes, the corn is raw in this recipe. You do not need to cook it. If you have never tasted raw sweet corn you are in for a treat.
Just this week, I added this chicken salad to a tossed salad, ate it with crackers, snacked on it with a fork, and made a sandwich too. I couldn’t stop eating it – and as a result, I’ve made it three times!
I’m going to be seriously sad when fresh corn is no longer available everywhere.
Can I make this with canned or frozen corn?
Sure, it will work. But I will tell you now, it will not be the same. I made it that way to test it, and it’s tasty. However, it’s honestly not the same as with fresh raw corn.
That juicy, crunchy fresh corn adds so much to the salad. If you can’t resist trying it right now, and you can’t find fresh corn, go for it. But remember this again when corn is everywhere in abundance.
What kind of chicken should I use?
I typically use whatever chicken is leftover in the fridge, grilled chicken thighs and Last Minute Chicken are two that we often make.
However, a rotisserie chicken is also my go-to when I know I’ll be making chicken salad. It’s easy enough to just add one to the grocery list.
Feel free to make this with canned chicken as well, if that’s more your style. Whichever chicken you use, just be sure to chop it into small pieces, about 1/2-inch in size.
Street Corn Chicken Salad Ingredients
- chopped cooked chicken, white or dark meat
- fresh corn
- mayonnaise
- Cholula hot sauce
- fresh lime juice
- sugar
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- red chili powder
- black pepper
- red or green onion
- cotija cheese
- fresh cilantro
Street Corn Chicken Salad Recipe
- Combine the chicken, corn, onion, cotija, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Pour over the chicken mixture and stir to coat.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. This will keep nicely for up to 3 days.
More Street Corn Recipes
Elote Dip is made with roasted corn in a creamy sauce of spicy mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese. I’ve served this as both a snack with chips and as a side dish and our guests almost always ask for the recipe.
Street Corn Coleslaw is a brand new recipe, but it’s on our favorites list already. We serve it with Carnitas, Filthy Burgers, grilled chicken thighs, pretty much anything goes.
Mexican Street Corn with Squash and Kielbasa brings all of the street corn flavors we love to this simple skillet meal. Kielbasa sausage is sauteed with sweet onions, fresh corn, and summer squash before being tossed with a creamy street corn style sauce.
Fresh corn and tender potatoes are tossed in a creamy spicy sauce to create the Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad. It and this pasta have been a popular recipes all summer long.
Street Corn Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 2 ears of corn kernels removed
- 1 tablespoon red or green onion finely chopped or sliced
- 1 tablespoon cotija cheese crumbled or sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped small
Dressing Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ½-1 tablespoon Cholula hot sauce adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1 medium lime
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼-½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- ⅙ teaspoon ground red chili powder
Instructions
- Combine the chicken, corn, onion, cotija, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl. Stir together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Pour over the chicken mixture and stir to coat.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. This will keep nicely for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Marti says
Can’t wait to try…you don’t cook your corn? I’ll have to try that for sure. I always cooked it.
Mary Younkin says
You don’t need to cook it at all. You’re going to love it raw. Enjoy!
Linda S says
This was excellent! So fresh ! My husband had 3 servings and I’m taking some to work for lunch tomorrow Will definitely make regularly!
Mary Younkin says
Yay! I’m so glad that you like it, Linda!