Copycat Chilis Roasted Street Corn Recipe

Chilis roasted street corn has a unique flavor, covering the goodness of grilled corn sweetness with a creamy tangy sauce made with mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, chili powder and fresh cilantro leaves. The perfect combination of this tangy coating over grilled and juicy kernels makes it a perfect side dish or snack for any gathering.

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What is Chili’s street corn?

Chili’s street corn is a popular Mexican dish made with boiled or grilled corn on the cob and then topped with creamy, and tangy sauce made with a mix of mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, chili spice mix and lime. Cilantro is added to add some freshness in the sauce. And then this prepared sauce is perfectly coated on these grilled or baked kernels and served with extra chili flakes. 

Chili’s street corn recipe originated in Mexico, and is a most favorite side dish of Mexicans. Whether you serve it as a side dish with your favorite dinner, or enjoy it as a snack. This chili’s street corn is perfect for any occasion. 

On my side, I love to enjoy these spicy and tangy chilis street corn with quick and easy New York Fried Chicken which paired best with Turkey Pot Pie with Cream of Chicken Soup and to end your dinner with this delicious Libby’s Pumpkin Cheesecake or this quick and easy  Watergate Salad which only takes 5 minutes to make and serve!!

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What Is Street Corn From Chilis?

Chili’s Grill & Bar is a popular American Family restaurant chain, which is famous for its delicious appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and other mouthwatering dishes. 

Chilis Street corn is also a famous side dish presented at Chili’s. It comes with an ear of grilled corn, topped with delicious creamy and tangy sauce with a combo of sour cream and mayonnaise, flavored with lime juice, cotija cheese and chili’s special spice mix, making it a most special moment of your life when you enjoy the tangy, sweet and sour tastes at once.

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Why you’ll Love Chilis Street Corn??

✔️ If you’re fan of Mexican cuisine, this is a must try side recipe for you.

✔️ It is easy to make at home

✔️ It is beginner’s friendly

✔️ You need simple ingredients and easy to follow recipe steps to make this easy-peasy Chilis street corn

✔️ You can enjoy the chilis signature side dish at home without going there.

✔️ It can be the star side dish or snack for any gathering.

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Chilis Roasted Street Corn

Making chilis roasted street corn at home is surprisingly easy. Corn is the main ingredient of the recipe, which is grilled or roasted. Or if you’ve no griller, you can bake the corn ear in oven or even you can boil the ears of corn for 5 to 10 minutes to make the kernels soft and juicy.

Then in a bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, cotija cheese and a spice mix to make the sauce creamy, spicy and tangy. This sauce is slathered over grilled corn, coated with cotija cheese and topped with extra chilis.

The recipe has great versatility. You can customize it with your own likings. If you like more spiciness, you can add cayenne pepper to the toppings. For extra smoky touch, you can add smoked paprika pepper or add more lime juice for a tangy flavor. Moreover, you can use parmesan cheese if it’s hard to find cotija cheese.

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What does it taste like?

So if you’re fan of Mexican food, and ever tasted this chilis roasted street corn. You must be the fan of its sweet and savory flavor. Classic chili’s roasted street corn is made with grilled ear of corns slathered with perfectly creamy and tangy topping.

But if you’re making chilis street corn at home, you can customize it with your preferences. You can adjust the spiciness, add or omit any ingredient or add some extra smoky flavor adding smoked pepper in topping.

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How to Husk the Corns?

If you’re using fresh corns, it’s important to husk and wash them thoroughly before using. For this, follow some simple steps:

1. Start by pulling back the outer husks (green leaves) of the corn.
2. Peel off the husks one by one, exposing the corn kernels.
3. Remove any loose or excess silk (fine thread) as you go.
4. Once you’ve exposed the corn kernels, break the stalk off at the base.
5. Rub the corn gently to remove any remaining silk.
6. You can also use a soft brush to help remove stubborn silky threads.

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Chilis Roasted Street Corn Ingredients

So its time to gather the simple ingredients for chilis street corn recipe.

Corn ears: This is the main ingredient of the recipe. Be sure to use fresh and soft corn ears, and to get a soft and juicy texture you can boil the corn ears for 5 minutes before grilling.

Butter: Melted butter is used to brush the corn ears before grilling. This adds a rich buttery flavor to the corn ears locking its juicy and crunchy texture.

Cilantro: Chopped fresh cilantro adds the freshness and crunchy flavor to the dipping sauce.

Chipotle Powder: To add smoky flavor to the chilis roasted street corn, use a mix of chipotle powder with smoked paprika.

Chili Powder: Chili powder is added to add a spicy flavor in the sauce. You can also make a spice mix of chili powder, smoked paprika and chili powder with some salt to sprinkle over corn ears to add an extra spicy flavor.

Cotija Queso: Cotija cheese is crumbly, salty cheese used in various Mexican dishes. It is added to make the sauce rich, creamy and cheesy. You can replace it with parmesan cheese if you’ve no cotija queso.

Minced Garlic: To enhance the flavor of your creamy dip, add some minced garlic to the dip.

Sour Cream: Sour cream is added to make the dip creamy and tangy. It is added to make the dip rich and smooth.

Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise add the delicious creamy and fatty element to the dip, it also balance the spiciness of the sauce.

Garlic Salt: If you’ve run out of garlic salt, you can go with kosher salt or table salt.

Lime juice & lime zest: Lime juice is added for a tangy kick to the dip. To add more freshness you can add lime zest too.

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How to Make Chilis Roasted Street Corn?

Step 1:

Make a spice mix by mixing smoked paprika, chili powder and chipotle powder and set aside.

Step 2:

Wash the corn ears thoroughly and husk if needed. Brush the melted butter over corn ears thoroughly.

Step 3:

Take a large bowl, and add sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, a teaspoon of spice mix, minced garlic, garlic salt, lime zest and lime juice. Mix everything well, then add 2 teaspoons of crumbled cotija cheese. Mix all the ingredients well to make a smooth sauce, and set aside.

Step 4:

Grill the buttered corn ears thoroughly until they become soft inside and crunchy light brown outside. Don’t let them burn, it can ruin the taste. You can also simply boil them in buttered water, or bake them in oven if you’ve no griller.

Step 5:

Brush the mayo dipping over grilled corn ears. Roll the corn ears into crumbled, salty cotija cheese and then sprinkle the chili paprika spice mix. Garnish it with fresh cilantro leaves and serve.

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Chilis Roasted Street Corn Nutrition

The recipe goes for 6 servings per size of corn ears used in the recipe. And here is an estimated nutrition facts for a serving of chilis roasted street corn. It can vary with the brand of ingredients you’re using. Moreover, serving size can also vary according to size of corn ear you serve!!

Chili’s street corn calories: 300kcal

• Total Fat: About 25-30g
  • Saturated Fat: 10-12g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 40-50mg
• Sodium: 600-700mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 20-25g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2-3g
  • Total Sugars: 4-5g
• Protein: 4-6g

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Pro Tips for Chilis Street Corn Recipe:

Be sure to get fresh corn ears to make perfect juicy and crispy chilis street corn.

For vegetarian option, swap cotija cheese with crumbled feta or queso fresco.

If you want dairy-free version, use vegan mayonnaise or sour cream alternatives for this.

Sprinkle some crushed tortilla chips over corn ears before adding cheese and spice mix to add some crunch in chilis roasted street corn.

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Recipe Swaps:

See how simple is to make this traditional Mexican side dish which has a great versatility. You can customize the recipe according to your likings and taste preferences. Here are some easy recipe swaps you can make easily:

Grilling:

Although the traditional Mexican Chilis roasted street corn recipe calls for grilling the corn ears. But if you’ve no griller. No worry!!

You can boil the corn ears in water for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they become soft. Just add the melted butter directly to the water, or if you’re using oven brush the butter as told above and bake them directly to make them soft and crunchy.

Spices:

You can also adjust the spiciness of the recipe easily. If you like extra spiciness, you can add more chili or cayenne powder to the spice mix. For a smoky flavor, add smoked paprika or you can skip it if you don’t like the smokiness.

Mayonnaise:

Mayonnaise is used as a creamy and fatty ingredient, but if you don’t like mayo in chilis street corn dipping, you can replace it with fresh cream.

Cotija Queso:

Cotija queso is a traditional Mexican cheese has a featured crumbly and salty taste, and is used in many Mexican dishes. But if you don’t like its taste, or have no cotija in hand, you can replace it with parmesan cheese.

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Chilis Roasted Street Corn Delicious Variations

Spicy Street Corn:

If you enjoy spicy food, add some chopped jalapenos or a little hot sauce to the sauce mixture. This will give your street corn that extra kick.

Cheesy Street Corn:

For cheese lovers, sprinkle some shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese on top of the sautéed corn. Let it melt a bit under the grill or broiler for a gooey and cheesy twist.

Herb-Infused Street Corn:

Experiment with different herbs like chopped fresh parsley, basil, or cilantro to enhance the flavor of your street corn. Mix them into sauces or sprinkle them on top as a garnish.

Citrusy Street Corn:

Squeeze some extra lemon juice over grilled corn before adding the sauce. This will give it a refreshing citrus flavor that pairs well with other flavors.

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What to Serve with Chilis Roasted Street Corn?

Chilis street corn is a great side dish for grilled chicken or fried chicken. It also pairs well with Turkey Pot Pie with Cream of Chicken Soup and also can be served alongside other Mexican-inspired dishes like tamales, enchiladas and burritos.

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How to Store the Leftovers?

Although the chilis roasted street corn is best to enjoy fresh right after grilling. However, if you’ve still some leftover chilis roasted street corns, you can store them in an air-tight container.

It can be stayed in refrigerator for up to 3 days in air tight container. When you want to enjoy these street corns again, you can simply reheat them in oven or in microwave.

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Your Queries Got Answered!!

Can I use frozen corn for a chilis street corn recipe?

The recipe calls for fresh corn to get the perfect juicy and crunchy texture of chilis street corn, but if it’s hard to find fresh one, you can use frozen corn ears for this too. If you’re using frozen or canned corn, be sure to drain and dry them completely before using.

Can I substitute cotija cheese with another type of cheese?

Cotija cheese is a hard, crumbly and salty Mexican cheese which is used in many Mexican dishes and adds a unique salty flavor. In chilis street corn recipe, cotija cheese is an important ingredient which adds a salty cheesy  flavor to the recipe. However, if you can’t find cotija queso, you can substitute it with another hard cheese like Feta cheese or ricotta salata. Remember, it will change the taste of the recipe, but it will still be delicious..

Can you skip the chili powder in the chilis street corn recipe?

Absolutely! Chilis street corn is a traditional Mexican dish, having a great versatility. Customize the recipe according to your likings. If you don’t like the spicy flavor, you can completely skip the chili powder in the dipping sauce. The recipe will still be delicious without spicy flavors. 

Is this dish vegan?

No, chilis street corn recipe is not vegan, as it is using cotija cheese. To make the dish vegan, you can swap cotija cheese with crumbled feta or queso fresco. 

Can chilis street corn be served cold?

Yes! You can serve chilis street corn cold. For this, simply make the chilis street corn according to the recipe, and let them cold before serving.

Can I make chilis street corn without grilling?

If you don’t have a grill, you can still enjoy chilis roasted street corn at home. For this, simply boil the corn ear in water until tender, and follow the remaining steps as well. You can add melted butter directly to the water while boiling. You can also bake the corn ears in the oven for the recipe.

Can pregnant women eat this?

Chili’s Roasted Street Corn is generally safe for pregnant women but in limited quantities, although it is better to consult your doctor before consuming. Additionally, if you are concerned about any potential side effects, you can reduce the chili powder in the mayo dip.

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To Sum Up!

Chilis roasted street corn, also called elote is a famous Mexican dish made with grilled corn slathered with sour cream and mayo sauce topped with cotija cheese and spice mix.

The recipe is easy to make and you can enjoy it at home with all the flavors of Mexico. You can enjoy it as a unique side dish with your favorite dinner or serve it as a delicious snack.

Foodie Note: If you like this quick and easy chilies roasted street corn, or foodie like me, don’t forget to make and share this delicious Mexican Elote, also share it with your friends or those, who’re looking for something classic and traditional to make in these holidays.

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