Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl (Printable)
Grilled chicken, smoky street corn, and fluffy rice topped with zesty crema and cotija cheese in this vibrant Mexican-inspired bowl.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp chili powder
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Rice
10 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
11 - 2 cups water
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Street Corn
13 - 2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
16 - 1/4 tsp chili powder
17 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Crema
18 - 1/2 cup sour cream
19 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
20 - 1 tbsp lime juice
21 - 1 tsp hot sauce optional
22 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Toppings
23 - 1/3 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
24 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
25 - 1 small jalapeño thinly sliced optional
26 - Lime wedges
# Steps:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - Combine olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice in a bowl. Add chicken breasts and coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes.
03 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill chicken for 5–7 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
04 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté for 3–5 minutes until slightly charred. Stir in smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt. Remove from heat.
05 - Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, hot sauce if using, and salt until smooth.
06 - Divide rice among four bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, street corn, crema, crumbled cheese, cilantro, jalapeño slices if desired, and a lime wedge.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan except the rice, meaning minimal cleanup maximum flavor payoff
- The street corn mixture is dangerously good on its own, I may have eaten it straight from the skillet before
02 -
- Don't skip the resting time for the chicken, those 5 minutes redistribute the juices and keep it from drying out when you slice it
- The corn needs to actually char in the pan, those browned spots are where all the sweet smoky flavor lives
03 -
- If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to even thickness so they cook at the same rate
- Double the street corn portion because youll want extra for snacking or breakfast tacos the next day