Description
This Grilled Mexican Corn with Chipotle Adobo Sauce is a vibrant and smoky twist on a classic street food favorite. Sweet corn on the cob is charred to perfection, slathered with a creamy chipotle adobo mayo, and then rolled in freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a deliciously cheesy finish. A sprinkle of ancho chili powder and a squeeze of lime add a perfect balance of heat and zest, making this recipe a must-try side for BBQs and casual dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chipotle Adobo Mayo
- 1 1/2 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce (1 chipotle + sauce totaling 1 1/2 tbsp)
- 1/4 cup whole egg mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Main Ingredients
- 4 to 6 ears of corn on the cob
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder (or substitute with chipotle powder or smoky paprika)
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Chipotle Adobo Mayo: Place the chipotle in adobo sauce, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, dried oregano flakes, salt, and black pepper into a small food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, combining all flavors evenly.
- Grill the Corn: Preheat your grill to high heat. Place the corn on the grill and cook for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the corn is charred on all sides and cooked through.
- Alternative Stovetop Method: Boil a large pot of water. Add the corn and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and let corn steam dry in a colander for a few minutes. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the boiled corn and cook, turning frequently, until it develops a nice char all around.
- Cool the Corn: Allow the grilled or skillet-charred corn to cool slightly so it can be handled for the next steps.
- Prepare Parmesan Coating: Spread the freshly grated Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish, ready for rolling the corn.
- Slather with Chipotle Adobo Mayo: Using a pastry brush, generously coat each ear of corn with the prepared chipotle adobo mayo, ensuring even coverage.
- Roll in Parmesan: Roll the mayo-coated corn in the shallow dish of Parmesan cheese, pressing lightly so the cheese sticks evenly to the surface.
- Finish and Serve: Sprinkle a pinch of ancho chili powder over each corn ear for an added smoky heat and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.
Notes
- For added smoky flavor, you can substitute ancho chili powder with chipotle powder or smoky paprika depending on your heat preference.
- If you don’t have a food processor, blend the chipotle adobo mayo ingredients thoroughly with a whisk or hand blender.
- Parmesan cheese adds a sharp, salty contrast but can be replaced with Cotija cheese for a more authentic Mexican street corn flavor.
- Grilling is preferred for the best smoky char, but the stovetop method with boiling and skillet charring works well if a grill is unavailable.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle in adobo to control the heat level of the mayo sauce.
