Street Corn Chicken Bowl (Printable)
Grilled chicken and charred street corn over rice with creamy yogurt sauce and fresh veggies.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grilled Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz each)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp chili powder
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - ½ tsp garlic powder
06 - ½ tsp ground cumin
07 - ½ tsp kosher salt
08 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tbsp)
→ Street Corn
10 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen, thawed)
11 - 1 tsp olive oil
12 - ¼ tsp chili powder
13 - Pinch of kosher salt
→ Bowl Base
14 - 2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa
15 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
16 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
17 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
18 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
19 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Creamy Street Corn Sauce
20 - ⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
21 - 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
22 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
23 - 1 clove garlic, minced
24 - ¼ tsp chili powder
25 - 2 tbsp crumbled cotija cheese (or feta cheese)
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken breasts for 6–7 minutes per side until fully cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F) and juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
03 - Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels, chili powder, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the corn is lightly charred and tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, and crumbled cotija cheese until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste with additional salt or lime juice as needed.
05 - Divide the cooked brown rice or quinoa among 4 serving bowls. Arrange sliced chicken, charred street corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, diced red onion, and chopped cilantro over the base in each bowl.
06 - Drizzle the creamy street corn sauce generously over each assembled bowl. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and additional crumbled cotija cheese on the side if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce uses Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream, so you get all the street corn flavor without the food coma afterward.
- Everything cooks in under thirty minutes, which means this bowl beats takeout on both speed and taste.
02 -
- Do not skip the chicken resting step because slicing too early sends all those flavorful juices straight onto your cutting board instead of into your bowl.
- Pat frozen corn completely dry with a paper towel before charring or it will steam instead of getting those gorgeous brown spots.
03 -
- Slice the chicken on a slight diagonal and fan the pieces across the bowl because presentation actually does make it taste better.
- Doubling the sauce recipe takes almost no extra effort and gives you a brilliant dip for tortilla chips the next day.