Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout
Love the flavors of Mexican street corn but don’t want to leave home? This easy, better-than-takeout Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad is here to save your weeknight dinner. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to getting that perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors right at home. Keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Crispy Egg Cheese Toasts and Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers.
Why This Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout Is Pure Comfort
- Bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors
- Easy to make and perfect for meal prep
- Better than takeout and healthier too
What You'll Need for Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Grilled chicken breast
- Frozen corn kernels
- Rotini pasta
- Red bell pepper
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Lime juice
- Optional: Crumbled feta cheese
- Optional: Tortilla strips
- Optional: Fresh avocado
đź“ť Ingredient Notes
- Grilled chicken breast: You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time.
đź›’ Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Stainless Steel Pasta Pot — Evenly cooks pasta perfectly every time. → See on Amazon
- Cast Iron Skillet — Gives that perfect sear on the chicken and corn. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout
- Cook pasta: Cook rotini pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Grill chicken: Grill chicken breast until cooked through. Let it rest, then dice.
- Sauté corn: Sauté frozen corn kernels in a skillet until heated through and slightly charred.
- Mix dressing: In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, diced chicken, sautéed corn, diced red bell pepper, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, and dressing. Toss to combine.
- Serve: Serve immediately, topped with crumbled feta cheese, tortilla strips, and fresh avocado. Enjoy!
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcook the pasta. It should have a slight bite to it. If it's too soft, it will absorb too much dressing and become soggy.
- Pro tip: For a spicier salad, add some diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dressing.
- Pro tip: To make this salad ahead, prepare the dressing and cook the pasta and chicken separately. Mix everything together just before serving to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much dressing.
Storing & Reheating Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the dressing and cook the pasta and chicken ahead of time. Mix everything together just before serving.
Freezing Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout
Not recommended for freezing.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Not necessary. This salad is best served cold or at room temperature. Microwave: Not recommended. The pasta may become soggy.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, substitute black beans or chickpeas for the chicken.
- Best substitution: No cilantro? No problem! You can substitute it with fresh parsley.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your salad is too dry, add a little more mayonnaise or sour cream to the dressing. If it's too wet, add more cooked pasta or chicken.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality cutting board — Makes prep work a breeze and ensures even cuts. → Check price on Amazon
Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Grilled chicken breast
- Frozen corn kernels
- Rotini pasta
- Red bell pepper
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Lime
Seasonings
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Lime juice
Optional Toppings
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Tortilla strips
- Fresh avocado
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook rotini pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Grill chicken: Grill chicken breast until cooked through. Let it rest, then dice.
- Sauté corn: Sauté frozen corn kernels in a skillet until heated through and slightly charred.
- Mix dressing: In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, diced chicken, sautéed corn, diced red bell pepper, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, and dressing. Toss to combine.
- Serve: Serve immediately, topped with crumbled feta cheese, tortilla strips, and fresh avocado. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, substitute black beans or chickpeas for the chicken.
- Best substitution: No cilantro? No problem! You can substitute it with fresh parsley.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your salad is too dry, add a little more mayonnaise or sour cream to the dressing. If it's too wet, add more cooked pasta or chicken.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended for freezing.
- Oven reheat: Not necessary. This salad is best served cold or at room temperature.
- Microwave reheat: Not recommended. The pasta may become soggy.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the dressing and cook the pasta and chicken ahead of time. Mix everything together just before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 450
- Protein: 25g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbs: 45g
- Fiber: 5g
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Cholesterol: 70mg
- Sat. Fat: 4g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the dressing and cook the pasta and chicken ahead of time. Mix everything together just before serving to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much dressing.
Overcooking the pasta and letting it sit in the dressing for too long can make it soggy. To prevent this, cook the pasta al dente and mix everything together just before serving.
While you can cook the chicken in the air fryer, the corn and pasta need to be cooked on the stove. The air fryer is not the best tool for this recipe.
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free. Just make sure to use gluten-free pasta if necessary.
Yes, you can use canned corn instead of frozen. Just make sure to drain and rinse it before using.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad – Better Than Takeout and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
