Grilled chicken and Mexican street corn (esquites) salad

Name: Grilled chicken and Mexican street corn (esquites) salad
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: ⅓ cup mayonnaise; ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 juicy limes); zest of 1 lime; 600g chicken breast “schnitzel cut” (split in half lengthways); 4 ears corn; 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil; ¼ tsp Tajin or chilli flakes; ½ cup spring onion, thinly sliced; 1 fresh jalapeno (or less), thinly sliced; 1 big clove of garlic, grated on a microplane; 75g crumbled cotija or Greek feta cheese; ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stems)

Danielle Alvarez

March 1, 2024

This chicken and corn salad is inspired by the Mexican street food, esquites.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

Esquites has to be one of my favourite ways to eat corn. The kernels are cut from the cob and caramelised in a hot pan to bring out all of their nutty sweetness, while the base of the dressing for the corn is a mixture of mayonnaise and lots of lime juice, which we also use to marinate the chicken. In other words, this is a really simple dish to bring together.

Later, you add crumbled cheese (Mexican cotija, if you can find it, or Greek feta, a delicious substitute), fresh coriander and fresh jalapeno to the caramelised corn to make a perfect, late-summer meal.

Ingredients

⅓ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup lime juice (about 2 juicy limes)
zest of 1 lime
600g chicken breast “schnitzel cut” (split in half lengthways)
4 ears corn
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp Tajin or chilli flakes
½ cup spring onion, thinly sliced
1 fresh jalapeno (or less), thinly sliced
1 big clove of garlic, grated on a microplane
75g crumbled cotija or Greek feta cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stems)

TO GARNISH

lime wedges
fresh coriander

Method

Step 1
Place the mayonnaise, lime juice and lime zest in a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Step 2
Put the chicken breast in a shallow dish and season with salt. Pour approximately one third of the mayonnaise mixture onto the chicken and mix to ensure the bird is well coated. Loosely cover the dish and allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes.
Step 3
Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and set aside.
Step 4
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Fry half the corn in the pan until the kernels are browned. Try not to stir the pan too much to allow browning to happen. When finished, tip this batch of corn into a nearby bowl. Repeat this process with the remaining oil and corn.
Step 5
Heat an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill over high heat. When the pan or grill is very hot, add your chicken. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side and then set aside for at least 5 minutes.
Step 6
To the bowl with the remaining mayonnaise, add the Tajin or chilli flakes, spring onion, jalapeno, garlic, crumbled cotija or Greek feta and the coriander and stir to mix. Add the corn and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt.
Step 7
Slice the chicken into strips. Place the corn salad on a platter, top with the sliced chicken and serve with extra lime wedges and more fresh coriander.