Hatch Chile Corn Salad Recipe

Overhead view of Hatch chile corn salad with charred corn, roasted green chiles, Cotija, red onion, and cilantro.

This bright, flavorful corn salad combines lightly charred corn, roasted Hatch chiles, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and red onion with a simple lime dressing. Serve it as a side dish or add it to tacos, burritos, or rice bowls.

Prep Time15

Cook Time9

Cooling Time5

Total Time29

Servings: servings

Calories: 170kcal

Author: Sandra

Ingredients

For the salad

1 tablespoon avocado oil
3 ½ cups frozen corn thawed and patted very dry (Note 1)
½ cup chopped roasted Hatch chiles about 3 medium, peeled and seeded (Note 2)
⅓ cup red onion finely diced
⅓ cup Cotija cheese crumbled
¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped

For the lime dressing

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus more to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon avocado oil, followed by the thawed and thoroughly dried 3 ½ cups frozen corn. Spread the corn into an even layer. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until it is heated through and browned in spots.
Stir in the ½ cup chopped roasted Hatch chiles and cook for about 1 minute, just until heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the mixture cool for at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl.
Transfer the corn and Hatch chile mixture to a large bowl. Add the ⅓ cup red onion, ⅓ cup Cotija cheese, and ¼ cup fresh cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until evenly combined.
Taste and add another squeeze of lime or a little more salt if needed. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Notes

We tested this recipe twice with thawed frozen corn, making it our first choice for convenience and dependable results. Pat it thoroughly dry so it chars rather than steams. You can substitute an equal amount of fresh corn kernels cut from about 5 large ears.
Hatch chiles: The heat level varies considerably. Medium Hatch chiles made our salad noticeably spicy. Choose mild chiles for a less spicy salad that still delivers plenty of flavor.
Roasting the chiles: Roast, steam, peel, and seed the Hatch chiles before measuring. Avoid rinsing peeled chiles under water because this can wash away some of their flavor.
This salad is delicious slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled. For the most pronounced flavor, we prefer it at room temperature or slightly warm.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition