Healthy Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls
These Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls are full of bold flavors with tender chicken, creamy street corn and cilantro-lime rice. All topped with a smoky dressing! Perfect if you're looking for a balanced meal you can prep ahead for busy nights.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (1 Tbsp for marinading + 2 Tbsp for cooking)
- 1½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups corn cooked
- ½ a red bell pepper chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 small jalapeno chopped
- ¼ cup red onion chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 lime zest & juice of
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1-3 Tbsp water as needed to thin it out
- 1 cup jasmine rice uncooked
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 Tbsp lime juice (1 lime)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt (more to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- romaine lettuce or mixed greens
- diced avocado
- cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Cut the chicken into cubes. Add 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and the seasonings. Give it a toss until the chicken is coated. Set aside to let the chicken marinade at least 30 minutes while you make the other components of the bowl.
- Make the cilantro lime rice: cook rice according to the instructions on the package. Let it cool about 5-10 minutes and then add the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic powder, salt & black pepper. Mix to combine.
- Prep the Elote Dressing: while the rice is cooking, make the Elote dressing by mixing together the Greek yogurt, olive oil mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice and spices.
- Make the Street Corn Salad: If using fresh ears of corn, cook it using your preferred cooking method and remove fresh corn kernels from the cob with a sharp knife. Remove the pulp and seeds from the jalapeno. Chop the jalapeno, red pepper, red onion, and cilantro. To assemble the salad, add the corn, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion and cotija cheese to a large bowl. Add half of the Elote dressing and mix.
- Cook the chicken: heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side, undisturbed. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165℉ (75°C)
- Assemble the bowls: Add the romaine (optional), rice, chicken and street corn salad to a bowl. Top it with more dressing, a squeeze of lime, and your favorite toppings!
Notes
Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours for better flavor. Rinse the rice before cooking to reduce starch and prevent it from becoming gummy. For a richer dressing, add more mayonnaise or extra Greek yogurt. It's best to keep the chicken and rice separate until ready to serve.