Mexican Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls

These Mexican street corn chicken rice bowls layer smoky grilled chicken and charred esquites-style corn over rice. Every bowl packs 45g of protein and comes together in 35 minutes. It's my go-to weeknight dinner, and it makes great meal prep.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Serving bowls

Ingredients

The Bowls:

2 cups cooked rice, brown or white
1 cup romaine hearts, thinly sliced
2 large jalapeños, grilled (instructions below) or raw
Lime wedges, for serving
Fresh cilantro, for serving

The Chicken:

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
½ tablespoon chili powder
½ tablespoon ground cumin
½ tablespoon smoked paprika
½ tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper, to taste

The Street Corn:

3 - 4 ears fresh corn, OR 3 cups frozen fire-roasted corn
⅓ cup crumbled cotija cheese
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Lime juice, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Season the chicken: Add the chicken to a bowl with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
Cook the chicken: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5–7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until golden brown and cooked through to 165°F. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
Grill the corn and jalapeños: Grill the corn or char it in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until tender and lightly charred, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the jalapeños whole at the same time if you want them charred, turning until blistered in spots. Let everything cool completely, then cut the kernels off the cob and slice the jalapeños. (SEE NOTES FOR FROZEN CORN INSTRUCTIONS)
Make the street corn: Add the grilled corn kernels to a bowl with the cotija, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, a squeeze of lime juice, and cayenne. Stir until combined. Taste and add more lime juice, cayenne, salt, or pepper as needed.
Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked rice and romaine between bowls. Top with sliced chicken, street corn, jalapeño, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Corn: 3 to 4 ears of fresh corn yields about 3 cups of kernels. Frozen fire-roasted corn works too and cuts the total time to about 25 minutes.

Using frozen corn: Cook frozen fire-roasted corn according to package directions, then let it cool completely before mixing. This cuts the total time to about 25 minutes.

Charred jalapeños are optional. Blister them whole in the skillet with the corn, then slice. They come out milder and smokier than raw.

Let the corn cool before mixing. Hot kernels thin out the yogurt and mayo and the topping turns watery. Give it 5 to 10 minutes off the heat.

Rice: I use frozen microwavable rice to keep this at 35 minutes. If cooking from dry, add about 20 minutes.

Air fryer option: Cook the chicken at 380°F for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping halfway, until it reaches 165°F.

Storage: Keeps 4 days in an airtight container. Store the romaine, cilantro, and lime wedges separately and add them fresh.

Substitutions: Queso fresco or feta both work in place of cotija. Sour cream can replace the Greek yogurt, though you'll lose a few grams of protein.

Nutrition is an estimate calculated with chicken breast and full-fat mayonnaise. Adjust if you use different ingredients.

Nutrition

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

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