Elote Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable Version)
Smoky elote corn, tender chicken and creamy cotija dressing tossed with pasta and crispy tortilla topping.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Pasta
01 - 3 cups cooked pasta (rotini or penne)
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
→ Elote Style Corn
07 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, grilled, or canned and drained)
08 - 1 tbsp butter
09 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
→ Dressing
10 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
11 - 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
12 - 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus extra for garnish)
13 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 tsp hot sauce
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1/4 tsp salt
18 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Crispy Topping
19 - 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
20 - 1/2 tsp chili-lime seasoning (such as Tajín)
→ Garnish
21 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
22 - Lime wedges
23 - Additional fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and corn kernels; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and slightly charred. Sprinkle with chili powder, stir to coat evenly, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.
02 - Toss the cooked diced chicken breast with olive oil, smoked paprika, 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, lime juice, minced garlic, hot sauce, chopped cilantro, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the cooked pasta, seasoned chicken, and charred corn to the dressing along with half of the crushed tortilla chips. Toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Top with the remaining crushed tortilla chips, additional crumbled cotija cheese, sliced jalapeños, extra cilantro, and a light dusting of chili-lime seasoning.
06 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The dressing is basically deconstructed elote sauce and it clings to every spiral of pasta like it was meant to be there.
- Crushed tortilla chips on top give you that street corn crunch without needing to fire up a grill.
- It travels beautifully for potlucks and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for an hour.
- Rotisserie chicken shortcut means you can have the whole thing done in about forty minutes.
02 -
- Do not skip charring the corn, that step is where the smoky sweetness comes from and without it the salad tastes flat.
- Add the tortilla chip topping right before serving or they go soft and you lose the contrast that makes this special.
- The dressing thickens in the fridge so if you make it ahead, stir in a splash of lime juice or a spoonful of crema to loosen it before serving.
03 -
- Crumble the cotija while it is cold straight from the fridge because it softens and smears at room temperature.
- Taste the dressing before you add the pasta and adjust salt and lime, once the pasta is in there is no going back.