Street Corn Chicken Bowl

At a glance

What stands out: This street corn chicken bowl combines the sweet and smoky deliciousness of charred corn with juicy spiced chicken, rice, cotija cheese, and your favorite toppings, all finished with a creamy lime-infused sauce.

How long it takes: 30 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet, mixing bowls
Servings: 4

Street Corn, But Make It Dinner

We love street corn. Like, truly love it. But it’s messy. And it’s not exactly a “throw together a speedy dinner on a Tuesday” kind of thing.

So this street corn chicken bowl is how we fix that. You still get all those flavors (smoky, creamy, a little tangy, a little salty!), but in a bowl that’s way easier to eat and packs some protein. (Our Mexican street corn pasta salad is another “less messy” iteration of elote that’s reliable for summer BBQs!)

And because it’s a bowl set-up, everyone can build their own, which always makes dinner a win at our house.

What makes ours special:

• (Almost) one pan recipe: Use pre-cooked or a microwave pouch of rice and this whole recipe cooks up in a single skillet! (And hey, if you cook your own rice, it’s not that much work to clean one more pot.)
• Reliable for meal prep: The thing we love about meal bowls is that they’re made of different components that you can prep in advance, and then put together your meal right before serving. (Try our salmon bowl recipe and BBQ chicken bowl, too!)
• Customizable for everyone: If your kids love ground turkey tacos and other recipes where they can top and customize their own servings, they’re going to love these street corn chicken bowls!

Having a party?

If you’re a fan of elote, be sure to serve our Mexican street corn dip at your next get-together, along with a big bowl of warm tortilla chips. It’s a step up from plain salsa, and goes evenly with cold beer on game day.

Get the recipe

What goes in

Let’s discuss each component of these street corn bowls.

• Street corn sauce: Mayo and sour cream (or Greek yogurt) form the creamy base, with lime juice, chili powder, and salt to add flavor. Thin with milk if needed.
• Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are seasoned with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper, then flash-fried in olive oil.
• Corn: You can use fresh corn cut off the cob or frozen. It’s cooked in olive oil with a little bit of kosher salt to bring out a standby flavor.
• For serving: Add layers of flavor to your bowl with cooked rice (white, brown, or cilantro lime rice), crumbled cotija cheese, avocado, and cilantro, plus optional garnishes like lime wedges, pico de gallo, and/or hot sauce.

How it comes together

Cook the rice. If you need to cook rice to serve with the meal, get that started first. Follow the instructions on the package, or try our Instant Pot white rice.

Make the sauce. Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste and add milk if you need to for a drizzle-able consistency. Pop the bowl in the fridge while you work on the rest of the recipe. (You can make this ahead if you like.) Put it in a zip-top back for straightforward drizzling later!

Season the chicken. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then place it in a bowl and toss it with the seasonings.

Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer and let it get a good sear for 4 minutes, or until it’s crisp and golden on the bottom. Stir and cook for 5 to 6 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate or bowl.

Cook the corn. Add oil to the pan and once it’s shimmering, add the corn and salt. Cook until charred in spots.

Assemble. Divide the cooked rice into shallow bowls and top with the chicken and corn. Drizzle with sauce, then add the cotija cheese, sliced avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Ways to change it

• Make it spicier. Add a drizzle of hot sauce to finish, or add cayenne or chipotle powder to the chicken.
• Add beans. Black or pinto beans are a great addition for extra fiber and protein.
• Swap the grain. Instead of rice, you can use Instant Pot quinoa or cauliflower rice.
• Make it a main course salad. Serve the meat, corn, and other toppings on a bed of crisp lettuce, and skip the rice.
• Take a shortcut. Pre-cooked packets of grains, canned corn, frozen charred corn, or rotisserie chicken will all shave prep time off this recipe. You can top the bowl with a purchased southwest-style ranch dressing, if you don’t want to make your own sauce.

Keeping leftovers

Assembled bowls: Once assembled, the bowls will last for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Remove the avocado before storing because it will get discolored.

Components: Use divided, stacked, or separate containers to store wet, dry, hot, and cold ingredients separately. The sauce will last 4 to 5 days, while the chicken and corn will last up to 4 days.

Reheating: Warm the rice, chicken, and corn in the microwave, then add the sauce, cheese, avocado, and fresh garnishes after reheating.

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For Street Corn Sauce (see note)

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ lime)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• milk to thin as desired (about 1 tablespoon)

For Chicken

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Corn

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups corn kernels (fresh cut from cob or frozen, no need to thaw)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For Serving

• 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, or cilantro-lime)
• ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1 avocado (sliced)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• optional garnishes, such as lime wedges, pico de gallo, and/or hot sauce

Method

1. If you’re cooking rice, get that started first.
2. To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl or measuring cup. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add milk to thin, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. You can make the sauce up to 4 days ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container.
3. Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces, about ½ to ¾ inch. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook without moving for 4 minutes, until the bottom is crisp and golden.
5. Stir, and continue cooking for 5 to 6 minutes more, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and golden on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
6. In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and salt, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred in spots. Set aside.
7. To assemble the bowls, divide rice between 4 shallow bowls. Top with chicken and charred corn. Drizzle with sauce, and sprinkle with cotija cheese, sliced avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro.
8. Add garnishes, such as lime wedges, pico de gallo, or hot sauce, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Extra sauce: If you feel like you’ll want this extra saucy, you might want to double the sauce. It’s great on everything if you have some left over!

Rich additions: If you like, black beans can be added to the bowl, for extra fiber and protein. Pickled onions are another reliable garnish idea.

Possible shortcuts: Use store-bought rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked grilled chicken strips. Use pre-cooked microwaveable rice packets (e.g. brown rice, jasmine, or quinoa blend). Use canned corn (drained and rinsed) and skip sautéing.

Meal prep/Make ahead tips : Chicken: Bake and slice as directed. Let it cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Corn: Cook and season the corn, then let it cool. Store separately in its own container (or together with the chicken if you’re layering). Roasted or sautéed corn holds up best in the fridge.

Rice: Cook and cool completely before storing. For best texture, use slightly undercooked rice (it softens when reheated). Optional: Stir in lime juice, chopped cilantro, or a splash of oil for flavor and moisture.

Sauce: Whisk together the sauce and store in a small airtight container or portion into mini sauce containers. Keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Stir before using.

Storage: Use divided containers for individual portions if you want to keep wet/dry ingredients separate until serving, or use stacked containers (e.g. rice + chicken + corn in one, sauce + cheese in another).

Reheat: Microwave chicken, corn, and rice covered for 1 to 2 minutes or until warm. Add sauce, cotija, avocado, lime juice, and hot sauce after reheating.