Elote Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable)
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 rotini or penne pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Elote Style Corn
07 - 2 cups corn kernels, fresh grilled or canned and drained
08 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
→ Creamy 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 tablespoons fresh lime juice
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Crispy Topping & Garnish
19 - 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
20 - 1/2 teaspoon chili-lime seasoning such as Tajín
21 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
22 - Lime wedges
23 - Additional fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese for garnish
# How-To:
01 - Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, add the corn kernels, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and lightly charred. Sprinkle with chili powder, toss to coat, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Toss the diced cooked chicken 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 pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the cooked pasta, seasoned chicken, charred corn, and half of the crushed tortilla chips to the dressing. 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 jalapeño, extra cilantro, and a 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.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The smoky, tangy, creamy dressing coats every single noodle and tastes like street corn in bite after bite.
- Crushed tortilla chips on top give you that irresistible crunch without any deep frying.
02 -
- If you add the tortilla chips too early they will go soft, so always reserve the final crunch for the very last minute before serving.
- Charring the corn in a dry patch of the skillet before adding butter gives you deeper smokiness without burning the butter.
03 -
- Crush the tortilla chips by hand inside their bag so you get a mix of textures from sandy dust to chunky shards without making a mess.
- Letting the dressed salad sit for just fifteen minutes before serving gives the pasta time to absorb the flavors without losing the crunch of the topping.