Street Corn Chicken and Rice Bowls
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For bold flavor in an easy meal, put street corn chicken and rice bowls at the top of the list. We use Tajín for delicious chili-lime flavor that wakes up juicy chicken breasts and blackened corn. Paired with tangy Cotija cheese, creamy avocado, zippy lime, fresh cilantro, and fluffy rice, the result is a dinner that’s easy to make, customize, and devour.
I love everything about these street corn-inspired chicken bowls, perhaps most of all the fact that they give me a reason to enjoy the flavors of this chipotle street corn dip more often. In this recipe, a couple shortcuts ensure you still have amazing chipotle-inspired flavor in a weeknight-friendly package.
For a family-friendly dinner, I set everything out buffet-style for everyone to build their own bowl. It’s a quick dinner complete with protein and veggies that feels fun and different. Bonus: leftovers are fantastic for my lunch the next day!
Why You’ll Love Street Corn Chicken Bowls
- Bold, earthy flavors from simple seasonings
- Easy to customize for the whole family
- Lean protein and colorful veggies together in one tasty package
- 30 minutes to make; one pan for simple assembly and less washing up
- Great for dinner and/or an intentional lunch you can feel excited to eat
Tajín: about and alternatives.
Tajín is a popular Mexican seasoning blend made from mild chili peppers, dehydrated lime, and sea salt. It’s best when you want to add a little zing, rather than concentrated heat. Tajín is widely available across the US—look in either the spice or Latin foods aisle.
As an alternative, Trader Joe’s also sells its own chili-lime seasoning blend, which has more lime, more salt, and less heat. You can also mimic the flavor yourself. In this recipe, I would season the chicken with chili powder and cumin, and add extra lime juice to the corn; full instructions are in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes
Street Corn Bowls, Step-by-Step
Cooking all of this in one pan not only simplifies life for the cook and clean-up crew, it also allows the rendered seasoning from the chicken to add flavor to the corn.
To start, season and pan-fry the chicken breasts. If they are thinly-sliced, they should just take a few minutes per side. Remove to a plate when cooked through.
Add an extra drizzle of olive oil to the skillet if needed, then sizzle the garlic and jalapeño until fragrant. Quickly add the corn and a bit more seasoning, then let this sizzle untouched for a few minutes to blacken some pieces on the bottom.
Shopping Tip
If you shop at Trader Joe’s, they sell packages of frozen fire-roasted corn that are already beautifully blackened and charred. They’re my go-to for any recipe like this!
When the corn is tender, stir in Greek yogurt, Cotija, lime juice, and freshly-minced cilantro. Turn off the heat and get ready to eat!
These bowls are delicious and filling with just a bed of rice, the sliced chicken breasts, plenty of corn, and creamy avocado for a final pop of color and satisfaction.
If you’re craving a creamy sauce on top, add the same chili-lime crema used in our favorite chickpea tacos with sunset slaw. So good!
More Mexican-Inspired Dinner Ideas
- Sheet Pan Chipotle Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
- Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos
Street Corn Chicken and Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Corn:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon plus 1 and ½ teaspoons Tajín divided
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and diced, optional
- 2-3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup crumbled Cotija cheese plus more for serving
- 2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
- juice of ½ lime reserve other half for serving as wedges
For Serving:
- rice, avocado
- extra Cotija, lime, and cilantro from the recipe
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast lengthwise through the middle, so you have four thinner cutlets. Season each on both sides with a light sprinkle of kosher salt, black pepper, and Tajín. (Aim to use about 1 Tablespoon Tajín across all four cutlets.)2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt and black pepper, 1 Tablespoon plus 1 and ½ teaspoons Tajín
- Warm 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cast-iron if you have it. When hot and shimmering, add the chicken. Cook until golden and 165°F in the middle of the thickest part. Remove to a plate and set aside.extra-virgin olive oil
- Now, to make the street corn in the same skillet, add another drizzle of olive oil if it looks dry. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño if using.2 cloves garlic, 1 small jalapeño
- After 30-60 seconds minute, add the corn and remaining 1 and ½ teaspoons Tajín. Stir well, then let it cook for about 3 minutes untouched to let the corn blacken a little.2-3 cups corn kernels
- After that, start to stir occasionally to prevent sticking and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- As the corn cooks, dice or slice the cooked chicken, be sure your rice is ready to go, and cut your avocado.rice, avocado
- Once the corn is tender, stir in the Greek yogurt, Cotija, cilantro and juice of one half lime. Turn off the heat, then sample and season with more lime or salt to taste.¼ cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup crumbled Cotija cheese, 2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, juice of ½ lime
- To assemble, start with a base of rice (or greens if you prefer). Top with chicken, a big scoop of corn, then other toppings as desired.extra Cotija, lime, and cilantro
Notes
- Tajín: This is a a popular Mexican seasoning blend made from mild chili peppers, dehydrated lime, and sea salt. It’s widely available in the US—look in the spice or Latin foods aisle.
- Alternative 1: Trader Joe’s sells its own chili-lime seasoning blend, which compared to Tajín has more lime, more salt, and less heat. If using the TJ’s blend, be judicious in the salt you add separately until you taste the whole thing.
- Alternative 2: You can also mimic the flavor of Tajín yourself. In this recipe, I would season the chicken with kosher salt + black pepper + 1 teaspoon chili powder + 1 teaspoon ground cumin + ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika (those amounts are a rough total across all 4 cutlets—you can also just do a little sprinkle to taste). Instead of Tajín for the corn, add 1 teaspoon adobo sauce if you have it, or ½ teaspoon chili powder, plus extra lime juice. Don’t stress this too much—you can always add more pinches of salt, chili powder, etc., until it tastes right to you. The seasoning from the chicken goes a long way to season the corn, since it’s all hanging out in the same skillet.
- Corn: If using frozen corn, I just toss it into the skillet straight from frozen. Trader Joe’s sells pre-blackened frozen corn, which is a nice touch here.
- Greek Yogurt: You can substitute the same amount of sour cream. If you don’t have either on hand, just add a little extra Cotija. The corn will be a bit less creamy, but still very delicious. (This is actually what I did the day I took the photographs in this post.)
- Optional Sauce: If you’re craving a creamy sauce on top, add the same chili-lime crema used in our favorite chickpea tacos with sunset slaw. So good!
- Storage: Tuck leftovers or meal prep servings into tightly-lidded containers in the fridge; they keep well for at least 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Warm rice, chicken, and corn all together in the microwave; using 50% power helps it heat evenly without drying out the chicken. Add freshly-cut avocado, cilantro, and a lime wedge if you can.
