Mexican Street Corn Chopped Salad

This Mexican street corn chopped salad features all the classic components from the traditional salad including charred sweet corn and a creamy fresh lime dressing as well as juicy grilled chicken and crisp lettuce.

Time to start those salad engines! We’ve got the perfect winner lined up for all your Cinco de Mayo needs and let me tell ya, it is a doozy.

The gist of it: Mexican street corn meets a big ol’ loaded chopped salad and your new favorite lunch salad is born.

This is definitely one of those salads that doesn’t get lost in the background! We’ve got smoky charred corn, juicy grilled chicken cubes, crisp romaine, the most incredible creamy fresh lime dressing, and a generous dose of salty cotija cheese on top.

In addition, since this is a chopped-style salad we get to have some fun with prep since all the salad components get chopped together on a big cutting board.

You can even prep nearly all of the components ahead of time for easy assembly whenever the craving hits. Everyone loves a good low-maintenance salad that can be throw together at the drop of a hat.

This Street Corn Salad features…

• Smoky charred sweet corn and grilled chicken
• Crisp romaine lettuce and salty cotija cheese
• A creamy, flavorful lime chili dressing

Making the Street Corn Salad

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Sour cream
• Mayonnaise
• Lime
• Garlic
• Chili powder
• Sweet corn
• Chicken thighs
• Vegetable oil
• Jalapeno
• Cilantro
• Romaine lettuce
• Cotija cheese

Stovetop Instructions

Don’t have a grill? You can still make this recipe! Follow these instructions for cooking the poblano and corn on the stovetop.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet (or brush over a large cast iron grill pan) Working in batches, once pan is hot, add chicken and corn and pan sear several minutes until chicken registers 165F and corn is charred.

Tips for Perfect Street Corn Salad

1. Use fresh lime in dressing – fresh lime juice and zest adds an unmatchable flavor to the dressing.
2. Grill corn and chicken until slightly charred – cook the chicken until it reaches 165F and the corn is bright yellow and charred all over. Be aware, the corn may finish cooking before the chicken.
3. Chop all ingredients together – for traditional chopped salad, assemble all the salad ingredients on a large cutting board and use a chef’s knife to chop all the ingredients together.
4. Serve salad immediately after dressing – wait to dress the salad until just before serving so all the ingredients stay fresh.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this recipe.

• Adjust heat level – skip the jalapeno for a more mild salad. Alternatively, for a spicier salad try using a hotter pepper such as serrano or habanero.
• Use a different green – try a spring greens mix in place of the romaine lettuce.
• Make it vegetarian – skip the chicken for a vegetarian-friendly salad.
• Add more vegetables – try adding sweet pepper or cucumber to salad.
• Use a different cheese – if you can’t find cotija, try using feta or grated Parmesan in its place.

Make Ahead Instructions

Follow these instructions for time-saving make ahead tips.

• Grill corn and chicken – these components may be grilled and stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Make dressing – the dressing stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days.
• Assembly – once ready to assemble salad, chop all the components and toss with dressing.

All the flavors in this street corn salad just work together flawlessly! The sweet corn and chicken adds an incredible smoky element that plays so well with the crispy lettuce, flavorful cotija, and all that creamy lime dressing.

We love serving this salad alongside any Mexican meal such as tacos or enchiladas, but let’s be honest: it’s a star all on its own.

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Watch this salad made step-by-step on Google web stories.

Try these other loaded salads next!

• Charred Poblano Corn Salad
• Chicken Quinoa Cobb Salad
• Asian Salmon Salad