Mexican Street Corn Casserole (with Chicken!)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Jun 24, 2024 (last updated Nov 5, 2025) 
Mexican street corn casserole, but make it simple! Inspired by the flavors of Mexican street corn (aka elote) I’ve created this fresh, filling main dish casserole studded with sweet corn (fresh or frozen), a light & creamy sauce; and punctuated with protein-packed chicken. And, with just 5-minutes of prep, and 30-minutes of cook time, it’s so easy and so darn good!
5 star review
“This was delicious. Loved the tang from the feta and used meat from a rotisserie chicken so it came together so easily. Will definitely add to my regular rotation. Thanks!”
– Lindsay
Mexican Street Corn All Wrapped Up In A Hearty Casserole
I love sweet summer corn, but there’s just something about this particular casserole that takes sweet corn and really allows it to shine. It’s truly a fiesta of flavors in your mouth – fresh, bright, creamy, salty, sweet, and ever so spicy – not to mention it’s a stunner on the table, at a cookout, BBQ, potluck and beyond.
For this recipe, I wanted a fresher take on a traditional corn casserole, so I leaned on the flavors of Mexican street corn (just like my street corn pasta salad), then swapped out some of the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt or sour cream, adding a boost of protein without sacrificing any flavor.
I also wanted this casserole to be a hearty main dish, like my family-favorite creamy spinach artichoke casserole, so I added pre-cooked chicken to give it a boost of protein and make it a true dump-and-bake meal.
It just takes 5 minutes to mix all the ingredients together (no chopping or sautéing involved!), then simply add to a baking dish, top with additional cheese and chili powder, and pop into the oven.
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Mexican Street Corn Casserole
Elote Turned Casserole
Elote literally means “corn cob” in Spanish. In some parts of Mexico, elotes are sold as street food served warm covered in sour cream, mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime juice; all of which I used as inspiration for this easy corn casserole!
Make It Ahead – You’ll Thank Yourself Later
This fresh corn casserole recipe is a great dish to make ahead for easy weeknight meals. Once baked, it will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the unbaked casserole, although I only recommend freezing if you’re using fresh corn. To freeze the unbaked casserole, simply assemble the entire dish cover with plastic wrap, and stick it in the freezer. To bake from frozen, take off the plastic wrap, cover the dish with foil, and bake as directed, but add on an additional 10 minutes of baking time.
Mexican Street Corn Casserole (with Chicken!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups corn, fresh or frozen-defrosted, see notes
- 3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
- 8 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled and divided, see notes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
To Add at the End
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon chili powder, garlic powder, and salt until smooth.
- Add the corn, chicken, and ⅔ cup of the crumbled cotija, stirring to combine.
- Spray a 9×13 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Add the chicken corn mixture, spreading into an even layer.
- Sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup cotija and ½ teaspoon chili powder.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until browned and bubbling. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then squeeze over the fresh lime juice, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.
Notes
- Low Fat Dairy: I tested this recipe with low fat and fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt for this recipe, and the sauce separated. So sub at your own risk.
- Cotija Cheese: If you can’t find Cotija cheese, crumbled feta cheese can be substituted as well as ricotta salata. Note: feta is a lot tangier than cotija, so the final dish will be on the tangy side.
- Corn: If using frozen corn, make sure it’s defrosted first and very well drained so it doesn’t add extra water to the mix.
When using fresh corn, do I cook it first and then cut it off the cob, or just shuck it, wash it, cut off the cob raw and add to the recipe?
Angela, no need to cook the corn first, just shuck it, wash it, cut if off the cob and add it raw. I hope you enjoy!
Delicious! Such a great combo. Flavor was perfect.
Yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit for you — thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review! 🙂
Can I add black beans and jalapenos ??
Hi Tammy, I haven’t tested this one with beans and jalepenos so I can say for sure, but I image it will work. If you give it a shot let me know how it turns out!
This was delicious. Loved the tang from the feta and used meat from a rotisserie chicken so it came together so easily. Will definitely add to my regular rotation. Thanks!
Lindsay, yay, so happy this one was a hit and that you used rotisserie chicken to make it even easier. So smart! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
There isn’t a reference to roasting the corn but the photos clearly show charred roasted corn. Is it alright to use the raw kernels?
Phyllis, sorry for the confusion — I used charred frozen corn kernels from Trader Joe’s in the photos, which does give the recipe that grilled corn flavor, but it works just as well with regular raw kernels! I hope you enjoy. 🙂
Yuuuuuuuummm!! Another favorite because of how quick and easy it was and also delicious. I substituted ground turkey for the chicken to mix it up a bit and use a different protein. It was so good and such a quick weekday meal. It had a lot of flavor and tasted just like street corn. Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Jodi, so happy to hear this one was a hit and I love that you swapped in ground turkey for the chicken — so smart! Thanks for sharing that tip and for leaving a reivew!
Husband-“That one definitely needs to go in the recipe book.” I cooked my chicken breast strips ahead of time. Seasoned them with a taco seasoning packet. Used Greek yogurt and feta since my store didn’t have cotija. Came out amazing! There is barely any left! Also, I didn’t have a ceramic 9×13, just a Pyrex. Cooked it uncovered just a bit longer. So good! Thank you!
Celeste, yay, making it to the recipe book is a huge win! Great tip to cook the chicken breast strips head of time. Thanks so much for leaving a reivew!
Since you cooked the chicken ahead of time, how long did you put it in the oven for and covered or uncovered?
Shana, do you mean how long to cook the chicken ahead before adding to the casserole?
No, like how long to cook the casserole for if the chicken is already cooked? Thanks!
Hi Shana, the recipe calls for cooked chicken, so you can just follow the instructions and bake for 30 minutes covered, and 10 minutes uncovered. I hope that helps!
This recipe was delicious! I must admit that I used the recipe more like a base for a full meal deal by adding a can of black beans, roasted and diced poblano peppers, and zucchini from my garden. It. Was. Delicious., My husband even used it in a breakfast burrito the next morning! It’s creamy and flavorful.
AJ, wow, your additions sound incredible and I love that your husband used this one as the base for a breakfast burrito. Yum! Thanks so much for sharing your tips!
Super easy. Great flavor. My husband had seconds (maybe thirds). So good.
Christie, yay, happy to hear you and hubby enjoyed this one! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!
Added tajin,Traders Joes chili lime powder, salsa, black beans, siracha to recipe. Came out really delicious. Using the leftovers for burritos tomorrow Son and his girlfriend especially loved it
Lori, what great add-ins, and love that you’re using the leftovers for burritos. Thanks for sharing your tips and for leaving a reivew!
This was fantastic. I added about 3/4 cup of cooked celery. The lime juice and cilantro really set it off.
Dave, I would never have thought to add cooked celery to this casserole – what a great idea. Thanks for sharing your tips and for leaving a review!
Yum! Made tonight for the family. We loved it. I served it over Spanish rice. Toppings were cilantro, avocado and lime juice. Flavor was delicious.
Thanks Robyn!
Ohhhh, those serving suggestions sound divine, Nicole! Thanks so much for sharing your notes and for leaving a review!
I had 4 cups of shredded chicken to use so I put into chat gpt to adjust measurements for 4 cups of chicken vs 3 cups. I added some cumin and smoked paprika to the spices, I used feta cheese and queso cheeses because that’s what I had on hand. Also added dried cilantro and chili powder on top before baking. This was really good! My husband and I wanted more spice so we added some hot sauce on it and it was perfect!
Kristi, great, tips, thanks for sharing! Happy to hear this dinner recipe was enjoyed by all, and appreciate you leaving a review!