My Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls is a real game changer. My family loves mexican food so I thought I would combine some of my favorite and most popular recipes into a whole new meal that everyone loves. It’s vibrant, it’s filling, and it’s just plain delicious.
If you want another fun street corn meal, try my elote salad recipe. It is perfect for a hot summer night.
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Why this Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl Recipe is a Keeper
This chicken and rice bowl allows you to recreate the delicious flavors of street corn and Mexican-inspired cuisine in your own kitchen. My guys love the way the lime and cilantro brighten everything up, and I love that they’re actually eating something with vegetables. It’s a win-win, and they’re always begging me to make it again.
- Flavor Explosion: It combines the sweet char of street corn, the savory spice of chicken, and the tangy creaminess of the sauce, creating a truly irresistible taste.
- Versatility: It’s highly adaptable, allowing you to customize the ingredients and flavors to your liking, making it suitable for various dietary needs and preferences.
- Fresh and Vibrant: The use of fresh ingredients like corn, lime, and cilantro adds a burst of freshness and vibrancy to the dish.
- Crowd-Pleasing Appeal: It’s a visually appealing and flavorful dish that’s sure to be a hit with family and friends.
How do I keep the corn from getting mushy?
- Don’t Overcook: The biggest culprit for mushy corn is overcooking. Corn cooks relatively quickly.
- High Heat, Short Time: When sautéing or stir-frying, use high heat and cook for a short time to maintain the corn’s texture.
- Drain Well: If using canned or frozen corn, drain it thoroughly before cooking.
Pro Tip for Mexican Street Corn Bowl: Marinate the Chicken
For a juicy chicken, do not skip this step. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking to retain its juices.
Ingredient Notes and Variation Suggestions for Chicken Corn Salad
This elote bowl is one of my favorite go to meals because you can use ingredients that you have on hand or highlight ones that your family enjoys to make it the perfect easy meal.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Boneless Chicken Thighs: Use these for a tender, juicy and flavorful protein.
- VARIATION: Feel free to use boneless chicken breast for the bowls.
- Lime Rice: The zing of this rice really elevates the chicken bowl.
- VARIATION: You can use quinoa, couscous or rice cauliflower fo rhte base.
- VARIATIONS: Protein: Roasted chickpeas (vegetarian), tofu, shrimp or even pork for your protein for your elote bowl.
Special Equipment Needed for the Corn Salad
- Grill: You can use an indoor grill pan or grill outside to get that charred flavor.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl
Imagine grilled chicken meeting creamy, sweet street corn and zesty cilantro-lime rice – that’s this Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl. It’s like a taste of Mexican street food, but made easy for weeknights or meal prep. Every bite is a burst of fresh flavors, and the best part? You can totally make it your own.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Make the Marinade: Assemble the ingredients for the marinade and place the chicken in a zip top bag.
- Cook the Rice: Prepare your cilantro-lime rice and follow the directions to make the street corn salad.
- Grill the Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade. Grill or cook your marinated chicken.
- Assemble the Chicken and Corn Bowls: Layer the rice, chicken, and street corn salad in a large bowls. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl
This dinner bowl is ideal for meal prep. Here are just a few ways to prepare it in advance.
- Cook the chicken: Marinate the tender chicken and grill in advance.
- 2. Cook Rice for Street Corn Mixture: Cook your cilantro-lime rice ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- 3. Street Corn Salad:The sweet corn salad can be made up to a day in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors often meld together nicely overnight!
- Prepare Street Corn Toppings: If you’re using any toppings like crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, or lime wedges, you can prepare these ahead of time and store them in separate small bowls or containers. Assemble the bowls when you are ready.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers Chicken Rice Bowls
This easy street corn chicken rice bowl is a one bowl masterpiece. The leftovers are as good as the original bowl.
- Storing: Store the leftover bowls in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Separate Components (Optional): If you anticipate the sauce making the rice too soft, you can store the fluffy rice, seasoned chicken, and street corn salad separately. Time: They’ll keep well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating The Vibrant Street Bowl: This is the quickest method. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through.
- Using Leftovers: Use chicken and corn bowls leftovers for burritos, quesadillas or in top of green salads.
Common Questions on How to Customize your Bowl
Of course, you can cook in a skillet on the stove top or use a grill pan. You can cook the corn and Cook the chicken this way. You can premake the rice and reheat the rice in the microwave when you are ready to assemble.
Yes, you can absolutely use frozen corn for your Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls! In fact, it’s a very convenient and often just as delicious option. Fresh corn or canned Corn also work for the grilled corn. You can even use corn on the cob and cut the corn kernels off for the bowls.
There are several ways to add a kick to your recipe for rice bowls with chicken. Add Chili Powder or Cayenne Peppers or try Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
Expert Tips to Build Your Bowl
This recipe is perfect for a party. You have the spiced chicken, the fiber for the corn and cilantro and the rice makes a fabulous base. Just supply a toppings bar for your guests to pick and chose.
- Char the Corn: Grilling or roasting the corn adds a smoky sweetness that’s essential for street corn flavor.
- Season Generously: Don’t be shy with the spices! Season the chicken, corn, and rice well.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Use fresh lime juice for the sauce; it makes a big difference.
- Control the Heat: Add the chili powder or cayenne pepper gradually to adjust the spice level to your liking.
- Balance the Flavors: The key to a great bowl is balancing the sweet, spicy, and creamy elements.
- Serve this recipe with: I love to have a theme night so with these bowls I will serve, Mexican Black Beans, Mexican 5 Layer Dip and Copycat Disney Churro Bites.
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Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl
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Equipment
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Ingredients
Chicken
- ½ cup Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Lime juice
- 2 teaspoons Chili powder
- 2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne
- 2 pounds Chicken Thighs, Boneless, skinless
Street Corn Salad
- 15 ounces Corn, Canned, drained
- 14 ounces Black beans, rinsed and drained
- ⅓ cup Red onion, minced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Sour cream
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Chili powder
Bowl
- 4 cups cilantro lime rice, can use store bought
- Toppings: Guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cheese
Instructions
Chicken
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, All Purpose Seasoning, garlic powder, cumin and cayenne. Stir to combine.
- Transfer to a ziptop bag and add chicken. Remove excess air from the bag and seal.
- Smoosh the chicken around so it’s completely coated.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the excess marinade.
- Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. You can also bake in a 350 degree F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
Street Corn Salad
- While the chicken in marinating, combine all of the elote salad ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Bowl
- Layer 1 cup of cilantro lime rice in the bottom of a bowl.
- Slice chicken into bite sized pieces and arrange on top of the rice.
- Top with desired amount of street corn salad.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Christina’s Notes
- Char the Corn: Grilling or roasting the corn adds a smoky sweetness that’s essential for street corn flavor.
- Season Generously: Don’t be shy with the spices! Season the chicken, corn, and rice well.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Use fresh lime juice for the sauce; it makes a big difference.
- Control the Heat: Add the chili powder or cayenne pepper gradually to adjust the spice level to your liking.
- Balance the Flavors: The key to a great bowl is balancing the sweet, spicy, and creamy elements.
- Serve this recipe with: I love to have a theme night so with these bowls I will serve, Mexican Black Beans, Mexican 5 Layer Dip and Copycat Disney Churro Bites.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
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This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.