Description
Street Corn Chicken Casserole is a creamy, zesty baked dinner made with shredded chicken, sweet corn, lime, warm spices, and melty cheeses, finished with an optional crunchy tortilla-chip topping for classic street-corn flavor in casserole form.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works well)
- 2 cups frozen corn (or 2 cups canned corn, drained well)
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for topping)
- 1 (4 oz / 113 g) can diced green chiles, drained (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or Mexican blend)
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- Optional topping: 1/2 to 1 cup crushed tortilla chips or corn chips
- Optional topping: 2 to 3 tablespoons extra crumbled cotija (or feta)
- Optional topping: 1/4 teaspoon Tajín or chili powder, for sprinkling (optional)
- Optional topping: extra chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Fold in corn, shredded chicken, diced green chiles (if using), shredded Monterey Jack (or Mexican blend), cotija (or feta), and chopped cilantro. Mix until evenly combined.
- Spoon mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- If using topping, sprinkle crushed chips evenly over the casserole and add a little extra cotija (or feta). Dust lightly with Tajín or chili powder if desired.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until hot, bubbly, and lightly golden on top.
- Rest 5 minutes, garnish with extra cilantro, and serve warm.
Notes
- Canned corn must be drained very well to avoid a watery casserole.
- Cotija and chips are salty—start with 1/2 tsp salt, taste the filling before baking, and add more only if needed (especially with salty rotisserie chicken).
- Make-ahead: assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; bake as directed, adding 5–10 minutes if baking from cold.
- For extra street-corn vibe, mix in 1/4 cup finely diced red onion and add an extra squeeze of lime after baking.
- Spicy option: add 1–2 finely chopped jalapeños and swap in pepper jack cheese.
- Lighter option: use light cream cheese + light sour cream and swap mayo for plain Greek yogurt (same amount).
- Storage: refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best texture.
- Reheat: oven at 350°F (175°C) covered 15–20 minutes; uncover for the last few minutes to crisp. Chips soften after chilling—add fresh crushed chips after reheating for crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/6 casserole)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
