Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad takes all the best ingredients from elote and turns it into a protein rich chicken salad, perfect for enjoying on its own, as part of a lettuce wrap, or on a croissant.

Elotes chicken salad with lime and cilantro on top.

Elote is one of my husband's favorite dishes, so I’m always finding new ways to incorporate these flavors into my recipes.

I have done Elote Bowls and Elote Pasta Salad so I thought I would try elote chicken salad and let me tell you it was a total hit!

This chicken salad features a mayonnaise base with lime juice, chili powder, and charred corn, along with tender chicken pieces. It’s truly so flavorful and a fun twist on regular chicken salad.

We are big chicken salad fans in our house! So after this one, check out these other chicken salad recipes!

Unique chicken salad recipes

Ingredients

Chicken tenderloins: When making chicken salad I prefer to use chicken tenderloins because the result is very tender. You can use chicken breast or thighs if you prefer.
Mayonnaise: This is a classic part of both elote and many chicken salads and helps to hold everything together.
Sour cream: Rather than using straight mayo, I add half sour cream for a lighter dressing. You can also use greek yogurt or mexican crema.
Corn: I used canned corn and charred it in a skillet. If you want to skip this step, you can buy frozen fire roasted corn .
Avocado: I like this for added creaminess and healthy fat. It makes this chicken salad a little more interesting! For another chicken salad with Avocado try this Avocado Chicken Salad.
Green onion: Green onion adds a milder onion flavor, perfect for eating raw.
Cilantro: This compliments all of the mexican flavors nicely, but if you aren't a fan, you can leave it out.
Jalapeño: We love spice, so a bit of minced jalapeno is a must in this dish. If you are sensitive to heat, you can use green bell pepper.
Lime: Use both the juice and the zest.
Cotija Cheese: This is a main component of elote as well. If you can't find it, you can use parmesan or finely crumbled feta.
Spices: A blend of chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder.

How to Make Elote Chicken Salad

Raw chicken with seasonings for elotes chicken salad.

Step 1. Cut chicken tenderloins into bite sized pieces.

Place into a bowl and coat with spices (only ½ tsp. of the chili powder) and set to the side.

Step 2. Heat ½ tbsp. oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for around 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken will cook quickly since it is small. Set on a plate to the side and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Step 3. To the same skillet, add remaining oil and pour in corn kernels. Sauté for five minutes, allowing to brown slightly.

Step 4. To a large mixing bowl add mayo, sour cream, lime juice, zest, and ½ tsp. chili powder. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bowl of ingredients for elotes chicken salad.

Step 5. Add chicken, corn, green onion, minced jalapeño, cilantro, avocado, and cotija cheese.

Chicken and salad dressing in bowl to make elotes chicken salad.

Step 6. Stir to combine.

Storage

Store any leftovers in a covered dish in the fridge for up to four days. Make sure to give it a good mix before serving.

Did you enjoy this Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad? I would love for you to let me know by leaving a comment and star rating. I can't wait to hear from you!

Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad

Unique chicken salad recipes

Ingredients

How to Make Elote Chicken Salad

Storage