Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad (w/ Chicken)
A fresh, flavor-packed twist on pasta salad featuring juicy chicken, sweet corn (fresh or frozen), a creamy (yogurt + mayo) lime dressing, and just the right amount of char. It’s summer in a bowl, ready in 20 minutes!
5 star review
“This made an amazing summer lunch meal prep, but it would also be great as an alternative to boring, basic pasta salads to take to picnics & gatherings! Love the flavors and healthier ingredient list. ”
– Kendra
When Cold Pasta Salad Wants to Be a Little More Fun
Okaaaaaay, I need to warn you, this isn’t your average pasta salad. Because I created this Mexican street corn salad to be creamy, zippy, herby, a little smoky, and somehow still light. For this one I was inspired by the flavors of street corn (or elote) as I was with my always-the-hit-of-the-party Mexican street corn chicken casserole. For this pasta salad version we’re going with cotija (or feta), lime, chili, cilantro. I also wanted this version to be weeknight-simple with a short list of pantry staples and store-bought shortcuts. And you know what? I think I’ve accomplished all of the above.
In this creamy yet light pasta salad, you get the satisfying bite of pasta, the smoky sweetness of corn, the freshness of herbs, and tender shredded chicken to round it out into a full meal. Toasting the corn in a skillet gives it a lovely char, too, and an extra-special chewy bite that I think you’re going to really enjoy. I also personally love that it’s just as good warm as it is straight from the fridge (ditto for my Mediterranean pasta salad), which means it’s ideal for dinner or to share with friends.
It also brings big flavor without turning on the oven or dirtying a million dishes. It’s make-ahead friendly, endlessly customizable, and has that “wait, this is healthy?” kind of energy. And by leaning on cooked chicken, quick-cooking pasta, and a no-fuss dressing, dinner’s done before you know it!
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Street Corn Pasta Salad
Tips for Success
- Char the Corn: In testing this recipe, I used a hot skillet to get the char and to turn the corn into chewy, sweet little nuggets of deliciousness. Trust me on this one, it adds so much flavor with just a tiny bit more effort.
- Shortcut the Protein: You know I love using rotisserie chicken here, as it’s one of the easiest ways to make this a barely-any-cooking kinda dinner, however I also tested it with my cilantro lime chicken and it was banging. So definitely consider that, too.
- Maximum Flavor: Please, don’t skip the fresh lime! When I was testing this dish, it made all the difference in adding brightness and cutting the richness of the dressing.
- Creamy Texture: For salads like this, I always recommend adding the pasta and corn with dressing while the pasta is still warm, so it soaks in all that creamy flavor.
Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad (w/ Chicken!)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces short pasta, such as ditalini, elbow macaroni, or bowtie pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 lime, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon mild chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups cooked chicken, such as from a rotisserie chicken, ¼-inch dice
- ¼ cup red onion, minced
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ½ heaping cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
- Tajin to top (optional)
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain (do not rinse) and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the corn and cook, undisturbed, until lightly charred in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Stir and cook 2-3 more minutes, stirring once or twice.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt.
- Add the warm pasta, charred corn, chicken, and red onion to the bowl. Toss until well coated. Fold in cilantro and cotija or feta. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Top with Tajin, if using.
Notes
- Fresh or frozen corn both work great here. When I use frozen corn, I like to defrost it first to make the charring faster. And I pat it with a paper towel if it’s wet, so the corn doesn’t pop in the hot oil.
This made an amazing summer lunch meal prep, but it would also be great as an alternative to boring, basic pasta salads to take to picnics & gatherings! Love the flavors and healthier ingredient list.
Kendra, I agree with you on all of the above! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!
Delicious! I made it with salmon because I had some in the fridge. The dressing is very tasty. And it was easy to put together.
Ellen, what a great idea to make this corn salad recipe with salmon! So happy to hear you enjoyed – thanks for sharing your tips and for leaving a reivew!
This recipe is DELISH! Seriously, make it. I opted to make it as a side, and omitted the chicken. It was so good. I also did about half the onion that it called for (simply because I didn’t want it to overpower) and it was perfect. Will absolutely be making it again. Great leftover – and my kids loved it, too!
Via, wonderful to hear this corn pasta salad was a hit, and great idea to skip the chicken and serve as a side. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!