Description
This Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet packs all the zesty, creamy flavor of elote into a fast, one-pan dinner. Tender, spiced chicken cooks with sweet corn and onions, then gets tossed in a tangy cilantro-lime mayo with salty cotija and buttery avocado. It’s bright, bold, and on the table in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 avocado, diced (for garnish)
- Optional: extra cotija, cilantro, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced chicken to the skillet. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through (no longer pink in the center).
- Add the corn, diced red onion, and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is heated through and the onions are softened and translucent.
- While the chicken and corn cook, stir together the mayonnaise, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, and lime juice in a small bowl until well combined.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low. Pour the mayo-cotija mixture over the chicken and corn, stirring until everything is evenly coated and creamy.
- Cook for another 2–3 minutes, just until heated through and the flavors are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice if desired.
- Remove from heat. Top with diced avocado and, if you like, extra cotija and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use fresh corn when in season for extra sweetness and crunch; simply cut kernels off the cob.
- If using frozen corn, no need to thaw add it straight to the skillet and cook until hot.
- For a lighter version, swap part or all of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt; adjust lime and salt to taste.
- This skillet is best served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently over low heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Skillet Meal
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pan
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 420 kcal (approximate)
- Sugar: 5 g (approximate)
- Sodium: 650 mg (approximate; varies with cheese and added salt)
- Fat: 30 g (approximate)
- Saturated Fat: 7 g (approximate)
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g (approximate)
- Trans Fat: 0 g (approximate)
- Carbohydrates: 18 g (approximate)
- Fiber: 4 g (approximate)
- Protein: 25 g (approximate)
- Cholesterol: 85 mg (approximate)
Keywords: Mexican street corn chicken skillet, elote chicken skillet, one-pan chicken dinner, easy weeknight meal, skillet corn and chicken, creamy cilantro lime chicken