High Protein Chicken Street Corn (Printer-friendly)
Grilled chicken and charred corn tossed with avocado, cotija, and creamy lime dressing for a protein-packed meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Salad
08 - 4 ears fresh corn (or 3 cups frozen/thawed corn kernels)
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
11 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
12 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
13 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
14 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta)
→ Dressing
15 - 3 tbsp Greek yogurt (or light sour cream)
16 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
17 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
18 - 1 tsp honey
19 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
20 - 1/4 tsp salt
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil, then rub evenly with smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
03 - Grill the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
04 - Grill the corn ears (in husks or wrapped in foil) for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating occasionally, until lightly charred. Cut the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife. If using frozen corn, char the kernels in a hot skillet for 3 to 4 minutes instead.
05 - In a large bowl, combine the grilled corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, jalapeño, diced avocado, and crumbled cotija cheese.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, honey, chili powder, and salt until smooth and well blended.
07 - Add the sliced chicken to the salad bowl, drizzle the dressing over the top, and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Greek yogurt dressing delivers that creamy street corn richness with a fraction of the guilt, and the protein from the chicken means you will not be hungry an hour later.
- Everything cooks on one grill or pan, so cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy for a meal that looks this vibrant on a plate.
02 -
- If you are saving leftovers, store the avocado separately and dice it fresh when you are ready to eat, because brown mushy avocado will ruin the texture of an otherwise perfect next day lunch.
- The dressing thickens as it chills in the fridge, so stir in a splash of lime juice or water when reheating leftovers to loosen it back to the right consistency.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest the full five minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto your cutting board and leaving the meat dry.
- Do not move the corn around too much while it chars, because letting it sit undisturbed on the hot grate or in the skillet is what creates those deep smoky spots that make this salad taste like it came from a street cart.