Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

• 1 lb rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
• 2-3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• to taste all-purpose rub
• 2 15 oz cans corn, drained
• 1 lb bacon, cooked and chopped
• 0.5 red onion, finely diced
• 2 jalapeños, diced
• 0.25 cups chopped cilantro
• 1 cups crumbled cotija cheese

Dressing

• 2 cups mexican crema
• 1 lime juice
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp tajín seasoning
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

Instructions

1. Season the chicken thighs with your favorite all-purpose rub.
2. Grill or pan-sear the chicken until fully cooked, then let it rest before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
3. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions, drain, and rinse with cold water to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cooked chicken, drained corn, chopped bacon, diced red onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and Cotija cheese.
5. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Mexican crema, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and Tajín.
6. Season the dressing with salt and black pepper to taste.
7. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
8. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Notes

For the best texture, grill the corn on the cob instead of using canned corn to add a smoky charred flavor. If you prefer a lighter dressing, you can substitute half of the Mexican crema with Greek yogurt.