Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable)
Smoky elote-style corn and chicken tossed in creamy lime dressing with crispy tortilla topping.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Pasta Base
01 - 3 cups cooked rotini or penne pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced into ½-inch pieces
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
06 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Elote-Style Charred Corn
07 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, grilled, or canned and drained)
08 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
09 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
→ Creamy Elote Dressing
10 - ½ cup mayonnaise
11 - ¼ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
12 - ¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus extra for garnish)
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Cholula or Valentina)
16 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Crispy Topping
19 - 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
20 - ½ teaspoon chili-lime seasoning (such as Tajín)
→ Garnish
21 - 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced into rounds
22 - Lime wedges for serving
23 - Additional fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese
# Directions:
01 - Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, add the corn kernels, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kernels are golden with lightly charred spots. Sprinkle with chili powder, toss to coat, then remove from the skillet and let cool to room temperature.
02 - In a mixing 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, salt, and pepper until the dressing is 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. Toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual plates. Top with the remaining crushed tortilla chips, extra crumbled cotija cheese, sliced jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and a light dusting of chili-lime seasoning if desired.
06 - Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Garnish with lime wedges just before presenting.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That charred corn hits differently when you let the butter do its work, and the smoky sweetness carries the whole dish.
- It comes together fast enough for a weeknight but looks impressive enough to bring to a potluck.
- The creamy tangy dressing soaks into the pasta and tastes even better after a short rest in the fridge.
02 -
- If you add the tortilla chips too early they will go soft and you will lose that satisfying crunch that makes the dish special.
- Letting the dressed salad rest in the fridge for even thirty minutes changes the flavor dramatically because the pasta absorbs the dressing and the cotija melts slightly into it.
03 -
- Cook your pasta one minute less than the package says because it will continue to soften as it absorbs the dressing and nobody likes mushy pasta salad.
- Use two skillets if you have them and char the corn in batches rather than crowding the pan, because crowded corn steams instead of charring and that char is everything.