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Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl

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A vibrant, flavorful, and easy-to-make chicken rice bowl inspired by street corn flavors. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Main ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (My go-to for flavor and tenderness.)
  • 2 cups sweet corn kernels (Fresh or frozen.)
  • 4 cups cooked Jasmine rice (Make sure your rice is ready to go.)
  • 0.25 cup red onion (diced, for crisp bite and color.)
  • 0.25 cup cotija cheese (crumbled, salty and crumbly.)
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro (chopped.)
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (high-heat oil for searing.)
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice (Freshly squeezed is best.)
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise (creamy base for sauce.)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder (for warm, smoky spice.)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt (to taste.)
  • black pepper (to taste.)
  • 1 lime lime wedges (cut into wedges, for serving.)
  • 0.25 cup sour cream (adds tang and creaminess to sauce.)

Instructions

  1. Prep the chicken: Grab a large skillet and heat your avocado oil over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating up, season your chicken thighs generously with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. Make sure they’re coated well!
  2. Sear the chicken: Carefully place the seasoned chicken thighs into the hot skillet. Let them sear for about 4-5 minutes on each side. You’re looking for that beautiful golden-brown crust and for them to be cooked all the way through – no pink inside! Once they’re done, take them out of the skillet and set them on a plate to rest.
  3. Char the corn and onion: Now, toss your corn kernels and diced red onion right into that same skillet. No need to clean it – those little bits of chicken flavor are pure gold! Cook them for about 5-7 minutes, stirring every so often. You want the corn to get a little bit charred and the onion to soften up. This is where that “street corn” flavor really starts to build.
  4. Whip up the sauce: While the corn and onion are doing their thing, let’s make the magic sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, and sour cream. Keep whisking until it’s smooth and creamy. It’s going to be so good!
  5. Shred or dice the chicken: Once your chicken has rested for a few minutes, you can either shred it with two forks or dice it into bite-sized pieces. Your preference!
  6. Assemble your bowls: Time to build these beauties! Divide your cooked Jasmine rice among four bowls. Next, top the rice with your shredded or diced chicken. Spoon on that delicious sautéed corn and onion mixture, and then sprinkle generously with the crumbled cotija cheese.
  7. Sauce it up: Drizzle that amazing lime-mayonnaise sauce all over everything in each bowl. Don’t be shy – you want that creamy goodness in every bite!
  8. Garnish and serve: Finish it off with a generous sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with those lime wedges on the side. A little extra squeeze of lime just before you dig in takes it to another level!

Notes

This recipe is fast, easy, and crowd-pleasing. Components can be prepped ahead. For substitutions, chicken breast, shrimp, or black beans can be used for protein. Feta cheese can replace cotija. Add cayenne pepper or jalapeños for more spice. Bell peppers or black beans can be added to veggies. Greek yogurt can be used instead of mayo for the sauce.

Find it online: https://speedydishes.com/easy-street-corn-chicken-rice-bowl/