Elote Street Corn Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Creamy charred corn pasta with chicken, cotija cheese, smoky lime dressing and crunchy tortilla topping.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz rotini or penne pasta
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, grilled, canned and drained, or thawed frozen)
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
07 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
→ Dressing
08 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
09 - 1/3 cup sour cream
10 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 - 2 oz Cotija cheese, crumbled (feta may be substituted)
→ Crispy Topping
17 - 1 cup corn tortilla chips, crushed
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini or penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
02 - Heat a dry large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté without oil for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly charred and caramelized spots appear. Remove from heat and let cool.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, charred corn, diced jalapeño (if using), and chopped cilantro. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and crumbled Cotija cheese until smooth and well blended.
05 - Add the cooled pasta to the chicken and vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over the top and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated with the creamy elote-style dressing.
06 - Just before serving, sprinkle crushed corn tortilla chips over the salad for a crispy finish. Garnish with additional crumbled Cotija, fresh cilantro, and an extra squeeze of lime if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That smoky, tangy, creamy elote flavor you crave, but in a format that actually feeds a crowd.
- The crushed tortilla chip topping adds a crunch that makes people go back for seconds before finishing their first plate.
02 -
- If you dress the salad and then refrigerate it overnight, the pasta will absorb much of the liquid and you will need to stir in an extra spoonful of sour cream or a splash of lime juice to loosen it back up.
- Adding the tortilla chips too early is the fastest way to ruin the texture, because they go soggy within thirty minutes and there is no recovering from that.
03 -
- Charring the corn in a smoking hot cast iron skillet without any oil gives you those deep, caramelized spots that make people think you grilled it outside.
- Dressing the pasta while it is still slightly warm helps it absorb more flavor than if you wait until it is completely cold.