Easy to make and better than Chipotle, this roasted chili corn salsa recipe is perfect for all your favorite Mexican dinners. It’s extra simple because it uses frozen yellow corn, but you can also use fresh whenever it’s in season. This salsa is perfect for quesadillas, burrito bowls, tacos, and snacking!
Your favorite burrito bowls just got a little better with this roasted chili corn salsa! We love making at-home Chipotle burrito bowls, and you’ll find all my recipes compiled together at the bottom so you can build your own too.
Watch How To Make Roasted Chilli Corn Salsa
One of my favorite things about making Chipotle at home is that I can pile on the salsa and load up on the guacamole. I made this corn salsa the same way Chipotle does with roasted poblano, but I have a shortcut version listed in the recipe card as well to make this even simpler.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Corn – frozen sweet corn thawed in the fridge is what we’re using for convenience and year-round availablity. But fresh corn kernels cut off the cob in season are the absolute best and most flavorful in the summer. You can also use cooked corn on the cob, cut the kernels off and use them in this salsa. Chipotle uses sweet white corn, but we like the flavor of sweet yellow corn.
- Poblano – roasted poblano is a classic in Chipotle’s corn salsa and does add great roasted chili flavor. But if you’re using this salsa in a burrito bowl, I promise you won’t even notice if you leave it out and it will save you a lot of time.
- Cilantro – fresh cilantro is everything in a salsa, and if you can find locally grown, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.
- Red onion – shallot, or sweet onion all work in this salsa.
- Jalapeno – adds a hint of spice and is extra important if you decide to leave out the poblano. You can also use serranos in place of the jalapeno if you want more spice. If you don’t want any spice at all, omit both chilis and add some diced bell pepper instead.
- Lime – fresh lime juice is key to any salsa, don’t use the bottled if at all possible! Chipotle uses both lime and lemon in their salsa, but we love pure lime.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Before you begin prepping this recipe, defrost your frozen corn in the fridge until thawed.
Start by roasting the poblano under a broiler, or an open flame of a gas range, and place it in a container to steam the skin if you’re using it. Next, finally dice the red onion and add it to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mince the fresh cilantro and jalapeno, and add them to the bowl with the red onion.
Step 3: After the roasted poblano has had time for the skin to steam, peel the skin away and remove the seeds.
Finally, dice the poblano pepper and add it to the bowl.
Step 4: Finally, add the defrosted corn to the sauce bowl along with the remaining ingredients together and just the salt to taste.
The salsa tastes better after it’s had time to sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour. This gives it a moment for the flavors to develop, but you can eat it right away.
Ways to serve this
- This corn salsa is perfect for all your favorite Mexican-inspired meals. Try it with quesadillas, burrito bowls, taco bowls, tacos, or with tortilla chips and guacamole for snacking.
- Try it with my Chipotle Honey Chicken Burrito Bowls, Carnitas Burrito Bowls, Barbacoa Burrito Bowls, or Chipotle Burrito Bowls.
- This salsa is also great with any Mexican inspired salad, or added to your next Taco Salad.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Copycat Recipes
- Start with: Chipotle Chicken, Carnitas, Beef Barbacoa, or Chipotle Honey Chicken
- Build a bowl: Cilantro Lime Rice or Roasted Sweet Potatoes with beans, shredded lettuce, and Fajita Veggies
- Add the toppings: Pico de Gallo, Roasted Chili Corn Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole, & Chipotle Vinaigrette
FAQ’s
Yes, fresh corn is even better than frozen corn in salsa, but the frozen is good and convenient for year round salsa.
No, it does add great flavor, but this salsa is still really good without and omitting it can save you a lot of time.
Storing leftovers
- To store – place any leftover salsa into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.
- Make ahead – this salsa is wonderful made ahead and tastes even better after I’ve had some time in the fridge.
- To freeze – the salsa can be frozen in an airtight container for up to one month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Tips & Tricks
- The salsa is made just like Chipotle’s with defrosted frozen corn, which makes it great for year-round salsa. However, it is extra awesome if you have fresh corn to use.
- We like to use fresh corn in two different ways in this salsa. Sometimes, I just cut it off the cob and eat it raw with salsa. But you can also cook the corn first before cutting it off the cob. They’re two different flavors, but both are very good with anything Mexican-inspired.
- During the summer months, at the farmers market, I like to buy fresh local corn and cut it off the cob to freeze. Later in the winter, that extra tasty corn makes an incredible salsa.
More Salsa Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy this Roasted Chili Corn Salsa Chipotle copycat recipe! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Roasted Chili Corn Salsa
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 10 ounces frozen corn - or 2 cups, thawed in the fridge and drained if needed
- 1/4 cup red onion - finely diced
- 2 tbsp jalapeno - minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro - chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice - freshly squeezed, to taste, see notes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - to taste
- 1 tsp agave nectar - or Grade A maple syrup, see notes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Turn the oven to broil at 550ºF. Place the poblano pepper on a baking sheet and add it to the oven as it heats up. Broil turning as it browns until the pepper is browned on both sides and softened.
- Remove the pepper from the oven and place it in a sealed container. Steam the pepper for 20 minutes (or longer). When it's cool enough to handle, peel the skin and remove the stem and seeds.
- Cut the pepper into strips then crosswise into small diced pieces.
- Add the poblano pepper to a mixing bowl with the thawed/drained corn, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and mix to combine.
- Add lime juice, sea salt, and agave nectar to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop or serve right away with your favorite Mexican food.