Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
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This Mexican Potato Salad combines tender potatoes with colorful vegetables, sweet corn, jalapeños, and a creamy, zesty dressing for a side dish that’s packed with flavor. I love it for summer bbqs, taco nights, and summer potlucks.
One of the things I love most about this salad recipe is how easy it is to make ahead. The flavors blend together beautifully as it chills, making it a great time-saving side dish for busy hosts.
Serve it alongside grilled chicken, burgers, tacos, or your favorite Mexican-inspired meals for a welcome addition to any menu.
This street corn potato salad comes together in about 40 minutes and requires very little cooking. Just mix, chill, and serve. It is creamy, smoky, a little spicy, and hearty. It is the kind of salad that makes everyone at the table ask for the recipe.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Highlights
Ingredients
- Roasted Corn – This is what gives the salad that smoky depth. Canned fire-roasted corn is easy to find and works perfectly or you can pan roast your own. Just drain and rinse it well before adding it to the bowl.
- Cotija cheese – Cotija is a crumbly, salty Mexican cheese that is classic in Mexican street corn recipes. You can find it near the specialty cheeses at most grocery stores.
- Sour Cream – Mixed with mayonnaise, the sour cream makes the dressing creamy and tangy without being too heavy.
- Jalapeño – You can use canned, chopped peppers. If. using fresh, remove the seeds for mild heat or leave a few in if you like things spicier. Either way, it adds a nice little kick that balances the creamy dressing.
There are so many fun ways to build a salad like this. If you love easy [corn salad recipes], you are going to find yourself coming back to this one again and again.
How to Make Street Corn Salad
Step 1. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, fire-roasted corn, red onion, and jalapeño.
Step 2. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and salt. Toss everything together until the chicken and corn are well coated in the spices.
Step 3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and lime juice. Add a pinch of salt and taste as you go.
Step 1 – In a medium bowl, add the salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, mayonnaise, sour cream and lime juice.
Step 2 – Char the corn in a skillet over medium heat.
Step 3 – In a large bowl add the corn, cotija cheese, potatoes, cilantro, alapeños and dressing.
Step 4. Pour the dressing over the potato and corn mixture and fold everything together until evenly combined. Sprinkle with Tajin.
Step 5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time is important – it lets all the flavors come together. Garnish with extra cotija, a handful of fresh cilantro, and crushed tortilla chips for crunch. Serve with some Jalapeño Cornbread and enjoy!
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Tips for the Best Street Corn Chicken Salad
Do not skip the chill time. Thirty minutes in the fridge makes a real difference. The spices bloom and the dressing soaks into everything, making the flavor so much better.
Taste and adjust before you serve. Give it a taste after chilling and see if it needs more lime juice, salt, or chili powder. Every batch is a little different depending on your corn and chicken.
I do the same thing with my Taco Salad, always taste and adjust right before it hits the table. That little step makes such a big difference.
FAQs
Can I use fresh or frozen corn instead of canned? Yes! Fresh grilled corn is amazing in this recipe and adds even more of that smoky flavor. Frozen corn works too – just thaw it and pat it dry before adding it to the bowl.
What can I use instead of cotija cheese? Crumbled feta is the closest substitute and works really well. You can also use queso fresco if you can find it.
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, this is actually a great make-ahead recipe. Make it the night before and store it in the fridge. Just wait to add the toppings until right before serving.
Is this recipe spicy? It has a mild kick from the jalapeño, but it is not overly spicy. You can skip the peppers if you like.
How to Store Street Corn Salad
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This mexican street corn salad does not freeze well because of the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt in the dressing, so plan to enjoy it within a few days.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love
Meta Description Options
- This street corn salad is creamy, smoky, and ready in 40 minutes. Shredded chicken, fire-roasted corn, cotija, and a tangy lime dressing in every bite.
- Make this street corn chicken salad for your next lunch or cookout. Bold spices, creamy lime dressing, and cotija cheese make it totally irresistible.
- This easy street corn salad with chicken is packed with smoky flavor, fresh cilantro, and a creamy lime dressing. Ready in 40 minutes with no cooking required.
Mexican Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs baby potatoes halved
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Juice of 1 lime
- 4 cups corn fresh, frozen, or canned drained
- 1 cup cotija cheese
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- Hot sauce or Tajín for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and boil the potatoes until they are just fork tender. You do not want the potatoes to break when stabbing. Drain and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, char the corn in a skillet over medium to high heat for 5-7 minutes. Let cool.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, mayonnaise, sour cream and lime juice. Stir until completely mixed together. Set aside.
- To a large bowl add the potatoes, corn, cotija cheese, cilantro and the dressing. Toss around until coated.
- Top with extra cotija, cilantro and Tajín before serving.
Notes
Let the potatoes cool slightly before mixing so the dressing stays creamy and doesn’t get oily.
Charring the corn adds the best smoky street corn flavor, so don’t skip that step.
Fresh lime juice makes a huge difference in flavor compared to bottled juice.
Add diced jalapeños for extra heat and crunch.
Cotija cheese can be swapped with feta cheese if needed.
This potato salad tastes even better after chilling in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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