Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl (Print Version)
Grilled spiced chicken over rice with charred corn and creamy cotija lime sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp chili powder
04 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Corn Mixture
09 - 2 cups corn kernels, fresh, canned, or thawed frozen
10 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1/4 tsp chili powder
→ Rice Base
12 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
→ Street Corn Sauce & Toppings
13 - 3 tbsp mayonnaise
14 - 3 tbsp sour cream
15 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
16 - 1/2 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
17 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - 1 jalapeño, finely diced
19 - Salt and pepper, to taste
20 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Toss the chicken with olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side until fully cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
02 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and dust with chili powder. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly charred and fragrant. Pull from heat and set aside.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste until smooth and well combined.
04 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Arrange sliced chicken and sautéed corn over the rice. Scatter crumbled cheese, chopped cilantro, and diced jalapeño on top. Drizzle generously with the street corn sauce.
05 - Garnish each bowl with lime wedges and serve immediately while warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It takes every addictive element of street corn and piles it onto a bowl you can eat with a fork without making a mess
- The creamy tangy sauce does something magical when it hits warm rice and charred corn at the same time
02 -
- Dry your corn thoroughly if using frozen kernels because excess water will steam instead of char and you will end up with mush instead of those sweet caramelized bits
- The sauce tastes markedly better if you make it first and let it sit while you cook everything else, giving the lime and seasonings time to meld
03 -
- If you have 30 minutes, let the chicken marinate in the spice rub in the fridge before cooking because that rest time deepens the flavor noticeably
- Warm your rice bowls in the oven for a few minutes before assembling because cold rice will drag down the temperature of everything else on top