Shrimp Rice Bowl (Mexican Street Corn)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Jun 1, 2026 
With fluffy cilantro lime rice, juicy chili-spiced shrimp, a creamy slaw, and a Mexican street corn topping, this shrimp rice bowl delivers all the bold flavors of a restaurant bowl in 30-minutes!
My Favorite Spiced Shrimp and Street Corn Rice Bowl
I’ll be honest, shrimp hasn’t always been on my regular weeknight rotation. It somehow felt fancier than it actually is, like something that required more attention than I had on a busy weeknight, if ya know what I mean. But, it turns out shrimp is genuinely the fastest protein you can put on a weeknight table, and once you stop overcooking it, it’s also one of the best!
Beyond shrimp, the street corn topping is what truly makes this bowl. Frozen corn (or fresh works too), mayo, lime, chili powder, and cotija makes the street corn topping, with just 5-minutes to toss together, and no grill required. Then there’s the easy slaw, which adds even more color and veg and tons of flavor for very little effort. And don’t forget the cilantro lime rice! It’s so easy, truly worth making this recipe just for the rice. The finished bowl has real contrast, with the creamy slaw, juicy spiced shrimp, sweet corn, and bright cilantro lime rice.
This one has landed firmly in my weeknight rotation because it breaks the chicken rut without requiring any new skills, and it delivers a bowl that tastes genuinely fresh and exciting without feeling heavy. One of the pickier members of my family went back for more street corn before the bowls were even assembled, which pretty much says it all. Now that’s what I call a dinner win! And for more easy shrimp dinners, my honey garlic shrimp works beautifully with any cooking method, or my one-pan shrimp orzo skillet gets dinner on the table in under 30-minutes!
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Shrimp Rice Bowls!
Robyn’s Testing Tips for Shrimp Bowls
- I tested patting the shrimp dry before seasoning and it makes a real difference, as wet shrimp steams instead of sears and you lose all the good caramelized color on the outside.
- I’ve tried both cotija and feta here, and cotija is lovely if you can find it as it’s saltier, crumblier, and it pulls the street corn flavor together in a way feta doesn’t quite match.
- I tested assembling the bowls immediately vs. letting the slaw sit for 5 minutes after dressing, and the 5-minute rest really allows the flavors to combine well.
Shrimp Rice Bowl (Mexican Street Corn)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- 2 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons chili powder, divided
- ¼ cup cotija cheese (or feta), crumbled, plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 cups bagged coleslaw mix (about ½ a 9-ounce bag)
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed (about 16-20)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- lime wedges, for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Combine the rice, chicken broth, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and stir in 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and 2 tablespoons of the cilantro. Cover to keep warm.
- Make the Street Corn Topping: While the rice cooks, in a medium bowl, stir together the corn, 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, ¼ teaspoon of the chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt until well coated. Add the cotija and 2 tablespoons of cilantro, stirring to combine. Set aside.
- Make the Slaw: While the rice cooks, in a medium bowl, add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper, whisking until smooth. Add the coleslaw mix and stir until evenly coated. Set aside while you make the shrimp.
- Season the Shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Add to a bowl with 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, tossing to coat evenly.
- Cook the Shrimp: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until pink and just cooked through. Note: Watch for a gentle C-shape curl, that's the sweet spot! A tight O means overcooked.
- Assemble: Divide the cilantro lime rice among four bowls. Top each with the slaw, shrimp, and the street corn topping. Finish with extra cotija or feta and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- Shrimp: Don’t move the shrimp around once it hits the pan. Let it sit for the full 2-3 minutes per side so it develops color, stirring constantly gives you pale, rubbery shrimp.
- Rice: If you want to skip a step you can use any cooked rice for this recipe. Or, swap in my oven baked cilantro lime rice for a hands-off version that works perfectly in these bowls.
