If you're as obsessed with the creamy, zesty flavor of Mexican Street Corn as I am, you are going to love this high-protein twist! I've taken those spectacular flavors - charred corn, tangy lime, and a velvety 'Elote' sauce and turned them into a Healthy Street Corn Chicken Skillet. It's a spectacular one-pan win that brings the food-truck experience to your dinner table in 30 minutes.
Mexican Street Corn is popular during Cinco de Mayo and throughout the summer. This was inspired by my Healthy Grilled Mexican Street Corn, and pairs well with my Easy Spanish Rice (with brown rice), with Spanish Churros Recipe (with Creamy Dulce de Leche Dip) for dessert!
Recipe Overview: Healthy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet
- Ready In: 30 Minutes
- Serves: 4 servings
- Calories: 330 kcal (approximately)
- Main Ingredients: Chicken breast, frozen corn, light sour cream, light feta cheese, lime.
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, High-protein, Weight Watchers Friendly.
- Weight Watchers Points: 4-5 WW points (depending on brands used).
- Difficulty: Easy.
- Why You'll Love It: This is the ultimate "Lazy Way" dinner! It uses simple pantry and freezer staples to create a gourmet, bistro-style meal in a single pan with almost zero cleanup.
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- Recipe Overview: Healthy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet
- Summarize and Save this Content on:
- 🥘Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Mexican Street Corn Chicken
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🥗 What to Serve with this Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet
- 🌡️Storage
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- ❔Recipe FAQs
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- More Mexican-inspired Recipes
- Healthy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet
Love easy and healthy one-pan chicken dinners? Then you'll want to give my Healthy Marry Me Chicken and my Healthy Sheet Pan White Pizza Chicken a try too!
🥘Ingredient Notes
You'll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- Chicken Breasts: I recommend "butterflying" them or slicing them into thin cutlets if you want them to cook faster. This ensures they sear quickly and provide more surface area for that delicious zesty sauce. However, as you can see, I didn't do this for the photos because I wanted a thicker, heartier piece of chicken.
- Frozen Corn: My favorite shortcut! Make sure to thaw it and pat it bone-dry before adding it to the pan. This is the secret to getting those beautiful charred "Elote" edges.
- The "Lighter Crema" Sauce: I use a blend of light sour cream and a touch of light mayo to get that rich, authentic mouthfeel for a fraction of the calories/points.
- Lime Juice & Zest: Fresh is best! The zest provides the aromatic oils that make the whole dish smell spectacular.
- Light Feta: While traditional Elote uses Cotija, light feta is an excellent low-point substitute that provides that same salty, crumbly finish.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- The Dairy Base:
- Greek Yogurt: If you are out of sour cream, plain non-fat Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute. It adds a bit more tang and an extra protein boost.
- Dairy-Free: Use a plant-based unsweetened almond or soy yogurt and a vegan mayonnaise. Substitute the feta with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or a dairy-free feta alternative.
- Corn Options:
- Canned Corn: If you don't have frozen, a well-drained can of corn works perfectly. Just make sure to rinse it first, then pat it dry before charring to get that smoky finish.
- Fresh Corn: During the summer months, you can use fresh corn cut straight off the cob for an even more authentic texture.
- Spice Level:
- Milder: Omit the red pepper flakes and use a "mild" chili powder.
- Extra Kick: Add a finely diced fresh jalapeño to the pan during the garlic sauté step, or double the amount of chili powder.
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Mexican Street Corn Chicken
- Step 1: Mix rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Step 2: Rub the chicken pieces on both sides with the rub mixture. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet (cast iron is best!). Brown the chicken on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side. Then turn it down to medium-low.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, while the chicken is cooking, in a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, light mayo, minced garlic, lime juice, and lime zest.
- Step 4: Cover and continue to cook chicken until cooked through (internal temperature will be 165 degrees F/74 degrees C). *If your chicken breasts are thicker, it may take a little longer.
- Step 5: Remove chicken to a plate and cover. Turn the heat back up to medium-high, and in the same pan, add the dry corn. Let it sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, until it turns golden-brown and "charred," then stir.
- Step 6: Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Step 7: Remove pan from heat and pour the sauce over the corn, stirring gently. Turn the heat to LOW.
- Step 8: Nestle the chicken back into the pan, spooning some of the corn mixture over the top.
- Step 9: Garnish with feta, red onion, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Serve hot with lime wedges and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Expert Recipe Tips
- The "No-Curdle" Rule: Remove the pan from the heat to add the sour cream mixture and never let the sauce boil once you've added the sour cream mixture. Turn your burner off before stirring it in to keep the sauce velvety and smooth. Then do not turn it above LOW.
- The Searing Secret: Don't wash the pan after browning the chicken! Those brown bits (the fond) are packed with savory flavor that will infuse the corn as it chars.
- Spice Control: If you prefer a milder dish, omit the red pepper flakes and use a "tamed" chili powder. If you want a kick, add a dash of your favorite hot sauce to the sauce!
🥗 What to Serve with this Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet
You can serve this Mexican Corn Chicken over a bed of rice or quinoa. If you're looking for low-carb, try serving it over arugula, as shown in the photo below.
Terri's "The Lazy Way" Serving Ideas:
- The Taco Flip: Instead of serving it as a skillet meal, chop the chicken into smaller pieces and use the corn and sauce mixture as a loaded taco filling. YUM!
- The Picnic Salad: This recipe is delicious cold! Toss the leftovers with a cup of cooked pasta or quinoa for a High-Protein Mexican Pasta Salad the next day.
- Low-Carb Bowl: Serve the entire skillet over a big bed of shredded cabbage or kale. The warmth of the sauce wilts the greens just enough to create a satisfying, low-point meal.
🌡️Storage
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. If the sauce is too thick, add a teaspoon of water or lime juice to bring back that creamy consistency.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the cream-based sauce and fresh veggies can change texture when thawed.
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes 4 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 5 WW points. You can bring the points down further by using fat-free sour cream, feta cheese, and parmesan cheese.
❔Recipe FAQs
If you want to be more authentic, use Cotija cheese. If you want a milder flavor, shredded Monterey Jack or even a light Parmesan works beautifully.
Yes! This is excellent served cold. Simply chop the cooked chicken and toss everything together as a high-protein pasta salad or grain bowl.
The secret is high heat and no movement. Let the corn sit in the hot pan for at least 2 minutes without stirring so it has a chance to blister.
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Whether you're looking for a fresh alternative to taco night or a high-protein meal that actually feels like a treat, this Healthy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet is a guaranteed winner. It brings the bold, sun-drenched flavors of the Southwest to your table in a fraction of the time. Give it a try tonight and see why this "The Lazy Way" win is about to become a permanent fixture on your spring menu!
And if you can't get enough Mexican Street Corn, give my Healthy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad a try as well!
More Mexican-inspired Recipes
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Healthy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Rub:
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- dash salt and pepper
- 2 cups frozen corn defrosted and patted dry.
Sauce:
- ½ cup light sour cream
- ¼ cup low-fat mayonnais e * I use Hellman's ½ the fat
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from one lime
- 1 teaspoon lime zest (from one whole lime)
Topping:
- ⅓ cup light feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup red onion
- ½ teaspoon Crushed red pepper
Garnish (optional)
- 4 Lime wedges
- 1.5 tablespoon light Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Mix the rub ingredients together1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, dash salt and pepper
- Rub the chicken pieces on both sides with the rub mixture.1 lb boneless chicken breast
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for 3-5 minutes per side. Turn the element to medium-low and continue to cook through until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F/74 degrees C. *If your chicken is thicker, you'll need to turn it down to low and cook it longer.1 teaspoon olive oil
- Whisk the sauce together while the chicken cooks.½ cup light sour cream, ¼ cup low-fat mayonnais, 1 teaspoon garlic minced, ¼ teaspoon chili powder , ⅛ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from one lime, 1 teaspoon lime zest
- Remove the chicken to a plate and cover.
- In the same (unwashed!) pan, add the dry corn. Spread it out and let it sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until the bottom starts to turn golden-brown and "charred."2 cups frozen corn
- Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Combine: Turn the heat down to LOW. Pour the creamy sauce over the charred corn and stir gently to combine.
- Nestle: Place the seared chicken breasts back into the pan, nestling them into the creamy corn mixture. Let it sit for 1 minute just to warm the sauce through (do not let it boil, or the yogurt may curdle!).
- The Finish: Remove from heat. Sprinkle with the crumbled cheese, red onion cilantro, and some crushed red peppers.⅓ cup light feta cheese crumbled, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ¼ cup red onion, ½ teaspoon Crushed red pepper
- Serve hot with lime wedges and parmesan cheese, if desired.4 Lime wedges, 1.5 tablespoon light Parmesan cheese
Notes
- The "No-Curdle" Rule: Remove the pan from the heat to add the sour cream mixture and never let the sauce boil once you've added the sour cream mixture. Turn your burner off before stirring it in to keep the sauce velvety and smooth. Then do not turn it above LOW.
- The Searing Secret: Don't wash the pan after browning the chicken! Those brown bits (the fond) are packed with savory flavor that will infuse the corn as it chars.
- Spice Control: If you prefer a milder dish, omit the red pepper flakes and use a "tamed" chili powder. If you want a kick, add a dash of your favorite hot sauce to the sauce!
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