Looking for a delicious and easy-to-make dish that's perfect for any occasion? Look no further than this Grilled Mexican Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad recipe! Packed with flavor and sure to please any crowd, this dish is a must-try for anyone who loves Mexican-inspired cuisine. So why wait? Get cooking today and enjoy the delicious flavors of this amazing dish!
Making Mexican Chicken Salad
We hope that your Labor Day was an enjoyable one. We spent the weekend relaxing, fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking, four wheeling and enjoying the last few slivers of summer. I love summer but am also ready for some pumpkin recipes too! Fall is definetely coming soon!
This recipe screams summer but it is also good to enjoy with some of the fall corn coming up from your garden. NOTHING has grown in my garden this year except for one small little squash. My neighbors plant started to grow on my side of the yard and then started to grow a pumpkin and THAT has grown better than my garden. Gardening is NOT my thing.
This is the perfect meal on it's own, but you can also enjoy it with some carne guisada, mexican sno cones, or mexican chocolate brownies.
Ingredients
Before you start cooking, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients for this delicious Grilled Mexican Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad. You'll need:
- 6 ears of corn, husked and grilled or 4 cups frozen corn, placed on baking sheet and broiled and stirred for several minutes until browned or browned/charred slightly
- ⅔ cup cream (or non dairy plain creamer or heavy whipping cream)
- 5 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ red onion (apx ½ cup), minced
- ½ cilantro bunched, chopped
- 8 ounces pasta, cooked and drained (we used Banza high protein but you can use whatever pasta you would like. We recommend bowtie, elbow, or rigatoni)
- 2 avocados, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup black beans, drained
- 3 chicken breasts, grilled, cooked and chopped into pieces
Once you have everything you need, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and get ready to start cooking!
Cook the pasta and grill the chicken and corn
To start making this Grilled Mexican Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, grill the chicken and corn on the preheated grill. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Grill for 6-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Brush the corn with olive oil and grill for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly charred. Once the chicken and corn are cooked, let them cool for a few minutes before cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces and cutting the corn off the cob.
Make the dressing and assemble the salad
To make the dressing for this Grilled Mexican Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad, whisk together the sour cream, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, spices and salt in a small bowl. Once the pasta, chicken, and corn are all cooked and cooled, combine them in a large bowl. Add diced red onion, chopped cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese to the bowl and toss everything together. Finally, pour the dressing over the salad and toss again to coat everything evenly. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Top with avocados, cilantro and additional cheese if desired.
Serve and enjoy!
Now that your Grilled Mexican Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad is ready, it's time to serve and enjoy! This dish is perfect for a summer barbecue, potluck, or any occasion where you want to impress your guests with a delicious and flavorful salad. Serve it as a side dish or a main course, and don't forget to garnish with extra cilantro, avocado and cotija cheese for added flavor.
It's also the perfect meal to use up some of your garden cilantro, avocado, corn and onion that's been growing over the summer!
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