If you’ve been hanging around my corner of the internet for a while, you already know one thing to be absolutely true: I am completely, utterly obsessed with Mexican street corn. There is just something about that sweet, smoky, tangy, and salty combination of elote flavors that makes my taste buds sing. I’ve already brought you street corn pasta salad, street corn potato salad, and even an elote chicken rice bake—so honestly, it was only a matter of time before a chicken salad version joined the family!
While I haven’t always been the biggest fan of traditional, heavy, mayo-drenched chicken salads, this version has completely changed the game for me. It has quickly become my absolute favorite effortless meal prep for the week. It is vibrant, packed with crunch, and delivers a serious flavor punch that keeps well in the fridge so you can grab it and go whenever hunger strikes.
We are keeping this recipe incredibly light and high-protein by using nonfat plain Greek yogurt as our creamy base, with just a single tablespoon of real mayo for that classic richness. We level it up with chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and fresh lime juice and zest to create a dressing that is smoky, citrusy, and deeply satisfying. Tossed with tender shredded chicken, juicy sweet corn, sharp red onion, fresh cilantro, spicy jalapeno, and plenty of salty crumbled cotija cheese, it is an absolute dream. Eat it on toasted bread, scoop it into lettuce wraps, or do what I do and devour it straight out of the bowl with crunchy tortilla chips!
How to Make Street Corn Chicken Salad
The beauty of this recipe is how incredibly simple it is to throw together with minimal actual cooking. You’ll start by poaching your chicken breasts—just pop them into a pot, cover them with an inch of water, and bring it to a boil until they are fully cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Now for my favorite kitchen hack: skip the tedious fork-shredding! Throw your warm chicken straight into your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn it on low, and watch it perfectly shred the chicken into medium-fine pieces in a matter of seconds. Let that cool down completely while you prep your fresh mix-ins: cook your corn, dice the red onion, and rough-chop the cilantro.
For the jalapeño element, I love using the canned pickled variety because they aren’t overly spicy but offer an incredible, tangy depth of flavor. If you prefer to use fresh jalapeños, just make sure to remove the seeds and adjust the amount to fit your personal spice tolerance!
Finally, whisk together your Greek yogurt dressing ingredients in a separate bowl until smooth. Dump your cooled chicken and all your vibrant mix-ins into a large bowl, pour that gorgeous dressing over the top, and toss until everything is beautifully coated. Top it with an extra sprinkle of cotija cheese and fresh cilantro, and you are ready to dig in!
Tips and Best Practices
- Let the chicken and corn cool completely: Make sure your shredded chicken and cooked corn have cooled down to room temperature before tossing them with the dressing. If they are still hot, they will melt the Greek yogurt base, making your chicken salad watery.
- The ultimate shredding hack: Seriously, do not sleep on the stand mixer trick. It creates a beautiful, uniform texture that holds onto the dressing perfectly without any arm fatigue. You can use a hand mixer on low-medium speed as well.
- Let it marinate: While you can absolutely eat this immediately, letting it sit in the fridge for an hour or two allows the chicken to really absorb that smoky, citrusy dressing. The flavors are even better on day two!
- Adjust the heat: The canned pickled jalapeños keep this mild-to-medium and highly flavorful. If you love a serious kick, feel free to toss in an extra tablespoon or swap them for fresh, finely diced jalapeños.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Can I use rotisserie chicken? Absolutely! To make this recipe even faster, you can skip the poaching step entirely and swap in 4 cups of pre-cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken. It works beautifully in this recipe.
What is a good substitute for cotija cheese? Cotija is a traditional, dry, salty Mexican cheese that gives elote its signature bite. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, crumbled feta cheese makes a good substitute because it mimics that same salty, tangy profile. I find feta to be saltier, so I would do a ratio of about 2/3 to 1 cup of Cotija cheese.
How long does this keep in the fridge? Because of the fresh Greek yogurt and lime juice, this salad holds up amazingly well for meal prep. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.
What is the best way to serve this? This chicken salad is incredibly versatile! It makes a fantastic sandwich on toasted bread, a light and refreshing lunch in lettuce wraps, or a phenomenal dip served alongside crunchy tortilla chips or crackers. Because of the street corn vibe, lime tortilla chips are my absolute favorite pairing!
More Mexican Street Corn Recipes to Try!
If you are just as obsessed with elote flavors as I am, you definitely need to check out these other lightened-up, flavor-packed variations on the blog:
- Light Mexican Street Corn
- Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
- Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Elote Chicken Rice Bake
Street Corn Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Stand Mixer optional, to shred chicken
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 lime Juice and zest
- 1 tbsp agave nectar
- 1 tbsp mayo
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups chicken breast poached and shredded
- 2 cups sweet corn cooked and cooled
- 3/4 cup red onion diced
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled, plus extra for topping
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro rough chopped, plus extra for topping
- 1/4 cup canned pickled jalapeños diced
Instructions
- Place your chicken breasts into a large pot and pour in enough water to cover the chicken by about one inch. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and cook the chicken thoroughly until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and transfer it directly into the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to quickly shred the chicken into a medium-fine consistency. Set aside to cool completely.
- Cook your corn and let it cool down completely. You can use frozen corn (just cook and cool it) or corn on the cob.
- Wash your fresh produce, finely dicing the red onion, rough-chopping the fresh cilantro, and dicing the pickled jalapeños.
- In a medium bowl, combine the nonfat plain Greek yogurt, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, fresh lime juice and zest, agave nectar, mayo, salt, and pepper. Whisk together vigorously until the dressing is completely smooth and uniform.
- Add the cooled shredded chicken, cooled corn, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, and diced pickled jalapeños into a large mixing bowl. Pour the creamy, smoky lime dressing generously over the chicken salad base components.
- Use a large spoon or spatula to stir and toss everything together until the ingredients are fully integrated and evenly coated in the dressing.
- Garnish the top of the salad with an extra sprinkle of crumbled cotija cheese and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately, or cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for an easy, cold meal prep option throughout the week.
