Elote Chicken Bowls
These elote chicken bowls are loaded with juicy seasoned chicken, creamy Mexican street corn, cilantro lime rice, and finished with a drizzle of smoky, rich chipotle sauce. Layers and layers of bold, irresistible flavor!
Jump to Recipe
I’ve been testing this recipe in many different ways the last 2 summers and it seemed I’ve always come to the conclusion that the recipe is good but it’s missing something and I just couldn’t put my finger on it until now. The creamy elote corn mixture was simply not creamy enough to compensate for the whole dish, leaving the dish feeling a little dry or missing a little extra sauce. This is where the smoky chipotle sauce comes in and it is everything! I highly recommend not leaving this sauce out. If there’s any kind of shortcut you want to take, skip the cilantro lime rice and stick to simple rice. All the components work beautifully together with layers and layers of bold flavor here.
Ingredient Notes
There are 5 parts to these elote chicken bowls:
Chicken – boneless chicken thighs serve as the protein-packed foundation of these bowls. Feel free to use chicken breasts.
Cilantro lime rice – provides a fresh, citrusy base that goes well with Mexican inspired ingredients.
Elote corn – this mixture combines sweet corn, poblano pepper, mayo, lime juice, and cotija cheese to create the classic flavors of Mexican street corn.
Chipotle sauce – chipotle peppers in adobo add a deep smoky heat to this sauce. A little honey brings out the sweetness in this sauce.
Toppings – such as avocado, pickled onions, jalapeños, extra cotija and cilantro add the last layer to these bowls.
Tips for Success
- Marinate the chicken for several hours or overnight for the most flavorful and tender results.
- Rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking to help achieve fluffy, separate grains.
- Fire-roasted frozen corn adds extra smoky flavor and works especially well in the elote mixture.
- Allow the chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing to retain its juices.
- Taste and adjust the chipotle sauce before serving, adding more lime juice, honey, or water as needed.
- Prep the rice, corn mixture, and sauce ahead of time for an easy weeknight assembly.
- Warm all components (chicken, rice, corn) before serving for the best bowl ever.
Variations (so many things we can change up!!)
- Swap the chicken for grilled shrimp or steak for a different protein option.
- Use brown rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa instead of white rice for a nutritional boost.
- Add black beans or pinto beans for extra fiber/protein.
- Increase the heat with additional chipotle peppers or fresh serrano peppers.
- Turn the bowl into tacos, burritos, or lettuce wraps using the same flavorful fillings.
- Skip the rice base, use shredded romaine lettuce for a lighter lunch option.
If you make these Elote Chicken Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I’d love to hear what you think about it, or better yet, see what you’re cooking! Tag me, @fettysfoodblog with your creation.
Elote Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Elote Corn
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 bag (16 oz) frozen fire roasted or regular corn, defrosted
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (or Tajin)
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt, to taste
Smoky Chipotle Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2–3 tablespoons water, to thin
Additional Toppings:
- avocado, pickled onions, sliced jalapeño, extra cilantro/cotija
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken in a large bowl along with olive oil, lime juice, and the spices. Toss together and marinate for 30 minutes or overnight. While chicken is marinating, make the cilantro lime rice, elote corn, and smoky chipotle sauce.
- Make the cilantro lime rice: Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. In a medium pot add the rice, water, oil, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in lime juice and cilantro. Set aside.
- Make the elote corn: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add butter, corn kernels, and poblano pepper. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is hot. Season with salt, to taste. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside. Stir in mayo, sour cream, chili powder (or Tajin), lime juice, cotija, and cilantro. Season with salt, to taste. Set aside.
- Blend the smoky chipotle sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. This step can be done by hand simply by finely chopping the chipotle pepper and garlic, then whisk the remaining ingredients together in a bowl. Thin out with water until preferred consistency is achieved.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken 5-7 minutes per side, until slightly charred and internal temp is 165F. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- Build the bowl: Start with rice, layer with chicken, elote corn, and any additional toppings (avocado, pickled onions, jalapeños, extra cilantro/cotija). Finish with a big drizzle of chipotle sauce and serve immediately.
