High Protein Chicken Street Corn Salad (Printable Version)
Fresh grilled chicken and charred corn tossed with black beans, tomatoes, and a zesty Greek yogurt dressing.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 ounces)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
05 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
06 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Corn & Vegetables
07 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, grilled, or thawed from frozen)
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - ½ cup red onion, finely diced
10 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
11 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
12 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Creamy Dressing
13 - ¾ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (7 ounces)
14 - 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
16 - 1 teaspoon honey
17 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
18 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
19 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Garnish
20 - ¼ cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
21 - Lime wedges
# How to Make:
01 - Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high temperature until ready for cooking.
02 - Coat chicken breasts with olive oil, then season both sides generously with smoked paprika, ground cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper.
03 - Place seasoned chicken on the preheated grill and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until fully cooked through and clear juices run. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before dicing into bite-sized portions.
04 - For fresh corn, grill the ears for 8 to 10 minutes while turning occasionally until lightly charred, then cut kernels from the cob. For frozen corn, sauté in a dry skillet over high heat until achieving a light char.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the grilled corn, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped jalapeño, drained black beans, and fresh cilantro.
06 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, honey, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl until completely smooth and well combined.
07 - Add the diced grilled chicken and creamy dressing to the vegetable mixture. Fold everything together gently until evenly coated.
08 - Top the salad with crumbled cotija or feta cheese and serve immediately with fresh lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The creamy dressing hits all the right notes but uses Greek yogurt so you can actually feel good about seconds
- Everything can be prepped ahead and tossed together at the last minute for effortless entertaining
02 -
- Letting the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prevents all those juices from ending up on your cutting board instead of in your salad
- Charring the corn even slightly adds a smoky depth that makes this taste like it came from a street vendor
03 -
- Freeze your corn for 10 minutes before cutting it off the cob to contain the mess
- Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad and adjust the lime or honey to your liking