Description
A bold, creamy, and satisfying pasta salad inspired by Mexican street corn (elote). Packed with grilled chicken, charred corn, Cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a smoky chipotle-lime dressing, it’s perfect for meal prep, potlucks, or summer dinners.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
8 oz rotini pasta
2 cups grilled chicken, chopped
1½ cups corn kernels (grilled, frozen, or canned)
½ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta)
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, diced (optional; add before serving)
For the Chipotle-Lime Dressing:
⅓ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 tsp chipotle in adobo or hot sauce for heat
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.
Grill or sauté corn until lightly charred. If using canned, drain well.
In a small bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy.
In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, corn, red onion, and cilantro.
Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine.
Fold in Cotija cheese and diced avocado (if using).
Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Garnish with extra cheese, chili powder, and cilantro before serving.
Notes
To make vegetarian, swap chicken for black beans.
Keeps in the fridge up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Add avocado just before serving to avoid browning.
Great for meal prep—divide into containers and store dressing separately for best texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossed, No-bake
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Calories: 318 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 218 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg