Get ready to impress your guests with homemade Chili’s Roasted Street Corn! Corn on the cob is seasoned, roasted, and coated with mayo and cotija cheese resulting in a tasty side dish that’s sure to be a hit. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or simply looking for a unique twist on classic corn on the cob, this easy Chili’s Mexican Street Corn copycat recipe is for you.
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What makes Chili’s Roasted Street Corn so good?
Fresh corn on the cob is excellent on its own, but Chili’s found a way to take it to the next with its Roasted Street Corn recipe. What is Roasted Street Corn, you may be asking? Great question.
The Chili’s version draws inspiration from the thousands of Mexican street stalls selling roasted corn on the cob, known as elote, smothered in seasoned butter and then brushed with a zesty sour cream mayo sauce with a hint of chili powder. Topped with Cotija cheese and plenty of chopped cilantro, it makes a wonderfully flavorful snack that is perfect for eating on-the-go or munching on the sofa!
Why should you make Roasted Street Corn at home?
Anyone can make this recipe, and when corn is in season, everyone should, since it’s one of the tastiest ways to eat it. You can pair elote with a wide variety of dishes, and the recipe is easily adapted for cooking on the grill.
Are you looking for a way to get your kids more involved in cooking? This Chili’s corn on the cob copycat recipe is so simple to make; it is the perfect introduction.
Roasted Street Corn Ingredients
For roasted corn, you’ll need:
Fresh corn on the cob
Unsalted butter
Smoked paprika
Chili powder
The fresher the corn, the better. Check out the three tips below on how to choose the best ears of corn.
For the sauce, you’ll need:
Mayonnaise
Sour cream
Smoked paprika
Fresh lime juice
To finish the Chili’s Street Corn recipe, you’ll need:
Fresh cilantro
Roasted corn
Sauce from above
Cotija cheese
If you can’t find Cotija, feta cheese is a good substitute.
Three tips for picking out the best fresh corn
Buying good-tasting corn on the cob at the store can seem hit-or-miss. But there are several tricks for getting the freshest and tastiest corn:
Go for the corn with the brightest green husks that are tightly wrapped around the cob and are slightly moist.
Avoid any corn where you can see dark silk strands poking out from under the husks.
Good corn will feel heavy for its size because the juice inside the cob hasn’t dried out. Light corn equals old corn.
How to make Chilis Roasted Street Corn
To prep and cook the ears of corn:
Shuck and remove the silk from the ears of corn. Many people find microwaving whole corn for four minutes per ear is the easiest method and gives the best results.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut aluminum foil into squares. Each side needs to be slightly longer than the length of the corn. Lay the aluminum foil squares out on your work surface, and place one ear of corn on top of each.
Melt the unsalted butter and whisk in the smoked paprika and chili powder.
Brush the ears of corn all over with the seasoned butter.
Wrap the corn cobs tightly in the aluminum foil and place them on a baking tray.
Put the baking tray in the oven and roast until the corn starts to brown, about 30 minutes. You can save time by making the sauce below while the corn is in the oven.
To make the sauce for Chilis Roasted Street Corn:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, smoked paprika, and the lime juice.
Cover and place in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld.
To assemble the street corn:
Finely chop the cilantro and set aside.
Carefully unwrap the hot roasted corn.
Liberally brush the mayonnaise mixture on all sides of the corn. Then sprinkle the chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese over the top.
Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
What to serve it with
This Roasted Street Corn recipe goes with just about any South-of-the-border-inspired dish. Try making the ones below or add your favorite to the comments:
Tacos. What’s more classic than tacos? Go with beef hard shell tacos, like these Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos, or a chicken soft shell version.
Guacamole and chips. Good guacamole can turn a plain tortilla chip into a wonderful snack. This guacamole from Chipotle, loaded with red onions, garlic, and citrus juice, is the real deal.
Margarita. This frozen margarita, inspired by the ones they make at Rio Bravo, may not be traditional, but it’s sure delicious.
What is the best way to store it?
Let the corn cool to room temperature before wrapping each cob separately in plastic. Place the wrapped corn cobs in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to three days.
How to reheat street corn
A good way to reheat the corn is in a preheated oven set to 350°F. Remove the plastic from the corn and wrap it in aluminum foil like you did when you first cooked the corn. Place the aluminum foil-wrapped corn on a baking dish and place in the preheated oven. Warm the corn for 10 to 15 minutes. Add more sauce to the corn and serve.
In a pinch, you can reheat the Street Corn in the microwave. Take off the plastic and wrap each ear of corn in a damp paper towel. Heat one ear of corn at a time for one minute and thirty seconds. Brush on more sauce and serve.
More Chili’s copycat recipes
Favorite corn recipes
Check out more of my easy recipes for side dishes and the best copycat Chili’s recipes on CopyKat!
Chili’s Roasted Street Corn
You can make delicious Mexican street corn like Chili’s with this easy copycat recipe.
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Course: Side DishCuisine: MexicanKeyword: Chilis Recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutesCook Time: 35 minutes minutesTotal Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 185kcal
Ingredients4 ears corn shucked and silks removed4 tablespoons butter melted1/4 teaspoon paprika plus an extra pinch for the mayonnaise1/4 teaspoon chili powder2 tablespoons mayonnaise2 tablespoons sour cream2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice2 tablespoons cotija cheese2 tablespoons minced cilantro
InstructionsPreheat the oven to 425°F.In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, paprika, and chili powder.Place 4 pieces of aluminum foil on the countertop, large enough to wrap each ear of corn. Place an ear of corn on each piece of foil and spoon 2 to 3 teaspoons of seasoned butter over each ear of corn. Wrap the corn with the foil.Place the wrapped corn on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until the corn has browned slightly.While the corn is cooking, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and a tiny pinch of paprika in a small bowl. Mix well.Remove the corn from the foil and spread the mayonnaise over the corn. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and cilantro.
NutritionCalories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 556IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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