I’m going to show you how to recreate the popular fresh corn salsa from Chipotle Mexican Grill at home with this easy step-by-step recipe. It’s perfect for topping your favorite Mexican recipes, such as tacos, burritos, and nacho casserole, or the perfect appetizer: corn salsa and chips.
This recipe is a copycat recipe version of the delicious Chipotle corn salsa that they serve in their restaurants. Since we did not have a Chipotle nearby, I decided to create my own version of their famous Chipotle corn salsa recipe.
We always enjoyed eating at the restaurant whenever we traveled, so this recipe was born out of my desire to add a touch of Chipotle to our Mexican dinner menu recipes.
More Salsa Recipes
Salsa is one of my favorite condiments. I’m always testing and trying new recipes. Here are a few of my favorites that I think you will enjoy too: my reader’s favorite, I’ve Got A Million Cherry Tomatoes Salas, Salsa Picante Recipe, Fermented Salsa, and Green Salsa Recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Corn: I like to use canned sweet corn for this recipe. Canned corn tends to be more tender and it’s quicker to make this recipe if you do not have to cook the corn.
Can I use frozen or fresh corn instead?
You can most definitely use fresh or frozen corn for this recipe. However, I like to use canned because it yields softer corn, similar to chapatti’s. I have used frozen steamable bags of corn before, and it was a bit chewier.
You could also use fresh corn to cut off the cob. This would be great! First, bring a pot of water to a hard rolling boil. Once it’s boiling, add your corn and set a timer for 5 minutes. When the cooking time is up, remove the ears of corn from the pot and place them in a large bowl of ice water. Let them sit for a few minutes to cool. Carefully use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels from the cob and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Peppers: you will need two types of peppers, roasted poblano and fresh jalapeno. Roasting the poblano gives this corn salsa a subtle smoky flavor. Add in the slight spicy heat of fresh jalapeno, and you have the perfect spicy bite with every scoop.
- Cilantro: Cilantro adds a fresh and zesty flavor to this corn salsa. You need to finely chop both the stems and leaves to make around 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro. Do not use dried.
- Citrus: Be sure you only use freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice. The green bottle will not taste nearly as good in your corn salsa.
📝 Note: You can find the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
How To Roast Poblano Peppers
- To roast poblano peppers in the oven, first, preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Place the whole poblano peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. There is no need to seed and core the peppers yet.
- Roast the peppers uncovered in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning it halfway through, until the skin is charred and blistered.
- Remove the roasted poblano pepper from the oven. Cover the baking pan with a large sheet of foil. Let the peppers steam for about 10 minutes.
- After steaming, use your hands to gently peel off the pepper’s skin. Once peeled, remove the stem and seeds.
Step By Step Instructions: Corn Salsa Chipotle Style
- Open and drain your canned corn. Spread the drained corn on a towel, lightly roll it up, and press down to absorb all the excess juice.
- Chop the red onion.
- Squeeze the fresh lemon and lime juice.
- In a large bowl, add the corn, red onions, jalapeno peppers, poblano peppers, cilantro, citrus juices, and salt.
- Using a large spoon stir the corn salsa to incorporate all the ingredients together
- Serve with tortilla chips or top your favorite Mexican-inspired dish.
*If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about your experiences, any variations you added in, and how you served it. Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below
Variations And Substitutions
- If you want to spice up your Chipotle’s corn salsa, add a few more fresh chopped jalapenos.
- If you do not like cilantro ( lots of people don’t), you could leave it out or substitute it with parsley.
- You could also use white shoepeg corn instead of yellow corn.
Serving Corn Salsa Ideas
If you have plans for a Mexican Dinner Party, then this corn salad needs to be on your menu. You can top it on a crowd-pleasing Nacho Casserole, Mexican Rice salad, or my Cheesy Layered Taco Dip.
What To Do With Leftovers
To store any leftover Chipotle-style corn salsa, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate. When stored properly, the salsa can stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. After this time, the fresh cilantro and peppers tend to get soggy, so it’s best enjoyed within this timeframe.
⚖️ Need a big batch to feed a crowd? You can easily change the number of servings in the recipe card below by tapping 2x or 3x. The ingredient measurements will automatically double or triple. You can then tap print and there you have it, a recipe for a crowd.
Do you have a question about the recipe? Feel free to ask in the comments below. I’m here to help!
How To Make Corn Salsa Chipotle Style
Note: Be sure to read through the recipe’s post for tips and details about this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper , roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped. see notes for roasting instructions.
- 30 ounces yellow corn , this will be equal to about 2 cans of corn.
- 1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers , small, stem and seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
Roast Poblano Peppers
- To roast poblano peppers in the oven, first, preheat your oven to 400°F.1 poblano pepper
- Place the whole poblano peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. There is no need to seed and core the peppers yet.
- Roast the peppers uncovered in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning it halfway through, until the skin is charred and blistered.
- Switch the oven to broil and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, turning the pepper over at the 2 1/2 minute mark or until it starts to turn charred and black (this is the goal)
- Remove the roasted poblano pepper from the oven. Cover the baking pan with a large sheet of foil. Let the peppers steam for about 10 minutes.
- After steaming, use your hands to gently peel off the pepper's skin. Once peeled, remove the stem and seeds. Chop inot small pieces.
Mixing The Corn Salsa
- Open and drain the canned corn.30 ounces yellow corn
- Spread the drained corn on a towel and lightly roll it to absorb excess juice.
- In a large bowl, combine the corn, red onions, jalapeno peppers, roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice, and salt.1/2 cup red onions, 2 jalapeno peppers, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Stir the corn salsa thoroughly to blend all the ingredients.
- Serve with tortilla chips for a delightful appetizer or as a topping for your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes.
Equipment
