If you love street corn, this bowl is about to become your new obsession. The Elote Chicken Bowl takes everything you love about Mexican street corn, that creamy, tangy, smoky, cheesy goodness, and turns it into a full, satisfying meal. Grilled lime-marinated chicken sits on a bed of fluffy jasmine rice, topped with a generous scoop of elote-style street corn made with mayo, cotija, cilantro, and chili powder. Finish it off with creamy avocado slices and a squeeze of fresh lime and you've got a bowl that tastes like summer no matter what time of year you're making it. It's bright, bold, and packed with flavor and it comes together faster than you'd think.
Ingredients
This bowl is built on simple, fresh ingredients that do a lot of heavy lifting. Here's what you'll need:
- Chicken breasts
- Lime juice
- Tajin Seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Jasmine rice
- Corn on the cob
- Mayonnaise or greek yogurt
- Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Avocado
- Lime wedges
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Coat your chicken breasts in the marinade, making sure every surface is covered. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes - if you have time, up to 2 hours in the fridge is even better for deeper flavor.
Step 2: Grill the chicken. Heat your grill (or grill pan) over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken breasts until fully cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F - about 6-7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3: Cook the rice. While the chicken marinates or grills, cook your jasmine rice according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork when done and keep warm.
Step 4: Char the corn. Grill or roast your corn on the cob until you get a nice char on the outside - this is where all the flavor comes from, so don't rush it. Once cooled slightly, cut the kernels off the cob.
Step 5: Make the street corn topping. In a mixing bowl, combine the corn kernels, mayonnaise or greek yogurt, a squeeze of lime juice, crumbled cotija, chopped cilantro, and a pinch of chili powder. Stir everything together until the corn is well coated. Taste and adjust lime juice, salt, or chili powder as needed. This elote mixture is the star of the bowl - don't be shy with the cotija.
Step 6: Assemble the bowls. Start with a base of fluffy jasmine rice, then layer on the grilled chicken slices, and spoon a generous heap of the street corn mixture on top. Add avocado slices, a handful of extra cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Squeeze that lime over everything right before eating.
Substitutions
- Chicken breasts → Chicken thighs: Thighs are juicier and a bit more forgiving on the grill - a great swap if you prefer dark meat.
- Jasmine rice → Cilantro lime rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice: Any of these work as a base. Cilantro lime rice doubles down on the flavor; cauliflower rice keeps it lighter.
- Mayonnaise → Mexican crema or sour cream: Both are traditional in elote and give you a slightly tangier, less rich finish.
- Cotija → Feta: Cotija can be hard to find depending on where you shop - feta is a solid substitute with a similar salty, crumbly texture.
- Fresh corn on the cob → Frozen or canned corn: In a pinch, frozen or canned corn works fine. Just char it in a dry cast iron skillet over high heat to get some of that smokiness back.
- Avocado → Guacamole: A scoop of guac on top is never a bad idea.
Variations
Giving the visitor ideas on how they can change this recipe to better suit their dinner guests, or their cultural cuisine, is a great way to increase the chances they make the recipe
- Spicy elote bowl: Add a drizzle of hot sauce or a finely diced jalapeño into the street corn mixture for a kick of heat.
- Shrimp elote bowl: Swap the chicken for shrimp seasoned with the same marinade - cook for just 2-3 minutes per side and this bowl comes together in under 20 minutes.
- Elote chicken burrito bowl: Add black beans, pico de gallo, and shredded lettuce to turn this into a fully loaded burrito bowl situation.
- Meal prep version: Grill the chicken and make the elote topping ahead of time. Store separately in the fridge and assemble bowls throughout the week - everything keeps well for up to 4 days.
- Indoor version: No grill? Use a cast iron grill pan for the chicken and char the corn in a hot dry skillet or under the broiler.
Equipment
- Grill or grill pan: for the chicken and corn; a cast iron grill pan works great indoors
- Medium saucepan: for cooking the jasmine rice
- Mixing bowl: for the marinade and the elote topping
- Tongs: for flipping the chicken and handling the hot corn
- Sharp knife and cutting board: for slicing the chicken and cutting corn off the cob
- Meat thermometer: to make sure your chicken hits 165°F without overcooking
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Elote Chicken Bowl
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Marinate the chicken: Whisk together 3 tablespoons lime juice, 1 ½ teaspoon Tajin seasoning,1 teaspoons garlic powder, and 1 pinch salt and pepper. Coat 2 pounds chicken breasts fully in the marinade and let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours in the fridge.
- Cook the rice: Cook 1 ½ cups white rice according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.
- Grill the chicken: Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 6-14 minutes per side until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the corn: Cut the kernals off the cob. Then cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides. Let cool slightly.
- Make the elote topping: In a bowl, combine the corn kernels, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or greek yogurt, 1 tablespoons lime juice (for elote topping), ½ cups cotija cheese, crumbled, ⅓ cups fresh cilantro, chopped, and ½ teaspoon chili powder (for elote topping). Stir until the corn is well coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the rice between bowls. Top with sliced chicken and a generous scoop of the elote mixture. Add 2 avocado, sliced and garnish with extra cilantro and 2 lime wedges, for serving on the side. Squeeze lime over everything before eating.
