Mexican Street Corn Chicken Chili
We’re combining the best elements of White Chicken Chili and classic Mexican Street Corn. This simple Chicken Chili Recipe is loaded with zesty flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Street Corn Chicken Chili
This is not the first time I’ve shared a chicken chili recipe, and it certainly won’t be the last.
Although we love chilis made with pork and beef, chicken has a way of making chili approachable for a larger crowd, including those who don’t eat red meat.
Chicken also lifts the heavy flavor profile of most chili recipes, so they taste fresh and bright.
(Check out all our chicken chili recipes at the bottom of the post!)
White Chicken Chili with Corn
Today’s chicken chili recipe is a mash-up of several popular recipes…
- White Chicken Chili
- Mexican Street Corn
- Creamy Corn Chowder
The base of the chili is a perfect marriage of a White Chicken Chili Recipe (minus the beans) and a classic Corn Chowder Recipe.
However, using fresh corn, sour cream, and lime juice gives the chili the distinct flavor of freshly grilled Mexican Chili Roasted Street Corn.
I’m kind of in love with this dish. *wink*
Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili
This Chicken and Corn Chili is so comforting and zesty, that you will want to make it again and again!
The sweetness of corn in chili perfectly balances the smoky heat from the jalapeno, green chiles, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
It makes a wonderful leftover, so it’s a great Weekly Meal Prep recipe…. And it’s gluten-free!
Ready to get started?
Street Corn Chicken Chili Ingredients
- Aromatics – Onions, Garlic Cloves, Jalapeno, and Cilantro. These veggies create a deep underlying flavor in the chili.
- Herbs & Spices – Cumin, Oregano, Cayenne Pepper, Salt, Pepper. For smoky essence and spicy heat.
- Chicken Broth – To add a little extra chicken flavor.
- Chicken Breasts – Place raw chicken breasts in the pot and cook them whole. Then chop or shred the chicken after cooking. It’s easier this way!
- Green Chiles – For extra smoky sweetness.
- Corn on the Cob – Cut the corn off the cob and stir into the chili. Yes, you can use frozen corn, but fresh is always better.
- Sour Cream – For and silky consistency and tangy note.
- Pepper Jack Cheese – To add cheesy goodness and spice.
- Lime – Adds a pop of bright flavor at the end.
- Cornstarch – For thickening.
How To Make Mexican White Chicken Chili
You can make this fabulous Mexican Street Corn Chili just like any other White Chicken Chili variation, substituting the corn for white beans.
- Prep. Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot (or dutch oven) over medium heat.
- Saute the veggies. Soften the onions, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro in the large soup pot.
- Spice it up! Add the dried spices so they have time to mix and mingle.
- Cook the chicken. Simmer whole chicken breasts in the broth, until they are cooked through.
- Chop the chicken. Either chop or shred the chicken breasts.
- Add the corn. Stir in the corn, chopped chicken, sour cream, cheese, and lime juice.
- Garnish. Ladle into bowls and garnish. You can garnish with some extra cheese, fresh cilantro, avocado slices, lime wedges, or tortilla chips.
Get the Full (Printable) Mexican Street Corn Chicken Chili Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Tips & Variations
- If you are sensitive to spice, reduce or omit the amount of jalapeño and cayenne pepper you add to this recipe! Start with a little, and add more if you want more spice.
- For a dairy-free recipe, omit the sour cream and cheese, or add some plant-based sour cream and cheese instead! If you fully omit the sour cream, the color will be different and it won’t be creamy, but it will still be delicious!
- For a healthier take, replace the sour cream with plain greek yogurt!
- More corn! If you love corn in chili, feel free to add as much corn as you like!
How Can I Thicken My Mexican Chili Recipe?
It’s best to thicken chicken chili with cornstarch.
You can mix it into a cold liquid ingredient before stirring it into the chili. Or you can sprinkle the cornstarch over the chili as you stir vigorously.
Both these methods help reduce clumps of cornstarch in the chili.
Does Chicken Chili with Corn Freeze Well?
Some chicken chilis freeze better than others.
I don’t like to freeze this one, because it has a heavy dose of dairy in it.
Sometimes dairy-heavy soups, chilis, or sauces have a granular texture after freezing.
Serving Suggestions
This best chili recipe with corn can be served on its own as a hearty enough meal, but I recommend topping off with a loads of toppings and serving it with a side or two!
Top it off with:
- Avocado Slices
- Lime Wedges
- Fresh Cilantro
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Tortilla Chips
Serve alongside:
- Warm Homemade Tortillas
- Fresh Salsa
- Mexican Corn Dip
- 4 Ingredient Guacamole
- Mexican Caprese Salad
- Limonada Recipe (Brazilian Lemonade)
- Cucumber Agua Fresca
More Fabulous Chili Recipes
- 5-Ingredient Cheesy Chicken Chili
- Paleo White Chicken Chili Recipe
- Paleo Chicken Chili Verde
- Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Chili
- No Bean Chili (Chili Con Carne)
- New Mexican Pork Chile Verde
- Favorite Beer Chili
- Pumpkin Chili
- Slow Cooker Chili Mac & Cheese
Other Great Dishes
- Easy Instant Pot Black Beans Soup
- Low Carb Tortillas with Cauliflower and Cheddar Cheese
- Bacon Ranch Jalisco Tacos with Diced Tomatoes
- Adobo Grilled Pork
- Classic Chili con Carne by Errins Kitchen
- Easy Slow Cooker Vegan Chili by Jessica in the Kitchen
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition facts including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages.
Mexican Street Corn Chicken Chili Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 7 ounce chopped green chiles, mild or medium
- 4 cups fresh corn cut off the cob (about 4-5 cobs)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 lime, juiced
- Salt and pepper
- Possible garnishes: More cilantro or shredded cheese, avocado slices, lime wedges, or tortilla chips
Instructions
- Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot (or dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the oil and chopped onions. Saute the onions for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Then add in the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Saute another 2-3 minutes to soften.
- Add the chicken broth, whole chicken breasts, and chopped green chiles to the pot. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Bring to a boil. Then simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, cut the corn off the cobs and set aside.
- Use tongs to remove the cooked chicken from the pot. Add the corn, to the pot and stir. Then chop or shred the chicken breasts, and place the meat back into the pot.
- Stir in the sour cream and shredded cheese. Stir rapidly as you sprinkle the cornstarch over the top of the chili. (Stirring fast helps reduce clumps.)
- Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the chili base thickens. Then turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite garnishes.
THIS WAS DELICIOUS! i finally got around to making it for yesterday’s dinner and we really loved it. thank you.
Made this for a chili cook-off at work (made it a wee bit spicier) and won! This is a recipe that is now a permanent part of my repertoire, my family loves it and it nailed the elotes flavours from my childhood right on the head! GREAT JOB!!!