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If you love Chipotle’s corn salsa, this homemade version hits all the same notes. Sweet corn, fire-roasted poblanos, red onion, and fresh cilantro come together with a splash of lime for a fresh, smoky salsa that’s perfect for tacos, bowls, or scooping straight with chips.
One of my favorite additions to any Chipotle order is the corn salsa. It has a balanced flavor and a crisp, fresh texture. This homemade version is so good and even better! I could eat it straight from the bowl, too, and my kids love it with nacho chips. Scoop it up with tortilla chips or serve over everything from burrito bowls to tacos.
For more tasty recipes that feature sweetcorn, try my Summer Corn Salad or Easy Mexican Street Corn.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients Needed
Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa. The full quantities are listed on the recipe card further down the post.
- Frozen corn kernels: I find they taste better than canned corn, but you can use canned if you like. You may also use fresh corn off the cob.
- Poblano pepper: Roasted on the stove or in the oven to give it a smoky flavor and gentle spiciness. You can substitute it for another mild, green chili if you like.
- Red onion: Has a sweet flavour and isn’t too strong, so it works well served raw in this salsa. You can swap it for a couple of shallots instead.
- Jalapeño peppers: Bring a bit of extra heat and a fresh, green flavor to the salsa. Feel free to use a different medium green chili instead, if you like.
- Fresh cilantro: Adds an aromatic, slightly citrusy flavor to the salsa.
- Lime juice: You can swap it for lemon juice if needed; you might need to use less, as lemon juice tends to taste more sour than lime juice.
- Kosher salt
How to Make Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa
Step 1: Roast the poblano pepper: Either hold it with tongs over your stovetop (if you have a gas stove) and broil it all around until charred. Or broil in the oven until charred, turning it over to ensure even browning.
Step 2: Place the roasted poblano pepper in a bowl, cover with a large plate or plastic wrap, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Once cooled, peel the skin off the pepper, finely chop, and set aside.
Step 3: Meanwhile, cook the corn according to the package directions. You can boil, roast, or microwave it.
Step 4: Once corn is cooked, spread over a sheet pan or a large dish and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. While everything is cooling, prepare all the other ingredients.
Step 5: Into a large bowl, add the cooled corn, onions, chopped poblano pepper, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, salt, and lime juice.
Step 6: Mix all the ingredients to combine. Taste and adjust lime and salt if needed. Serve with tortilla chips or tacos.
Variations & Tips
- For an added smoky flavor, grill corn cobs on a griddle pan (or outdoor grill) until charred in spots, then use a sharp knife to slice off the kernels.
- If you’re not a fan of raw onion, soak the diced onion in the lime juice for 10 minutes before adding both to the salsa. This will mellow out the flavour.
- For an even better flavour, let the salsa sit in the fridge overnight so the corn can soak up all the delicious flavours.
- This can be served as a dip with corn chips, or spooned over burrito bowls, chicken tacos, and meat like these grilled steaks.
Common Questions
Store the salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
You can use canned sweet corn, but I find the flavor and texture of frozen (or fresh) corn is better.
For a milder salsa, swap the poblano for a green bell pepper. You can also remove the seeds and white, inner ribs from the jalapenos, which will cut the heat down.
More Salsa Recipes
- Mango Salsa
- Strawberry Cucumber Salsa
- Fresh Cranberry Salsa
- Grilled Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa
- Seared Salmon with Corn Salsa
- Grilled Steak with Pineapple Salsa
- Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa
Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rating below.
Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper
- 24 ounces frozen corn kernels, 2 (x 12-oz packets) you may also use fresh corn off-the-cob
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
To serve:
- tortilla chips, or over your favorite burrito bowl or tacos
Instructions
- Roast the 1 poblano pepper: Either hold it with a tong over your stove top (if you have a gas stove) and broil all around until charred. Or broil in the oven until charred. Don’t forget to flip so it chars evenly.
- Place the roasted poblano pepper in a bowl, cover with a large plate or plastic wrap, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Once cooled, peel the skin off the pepper, finely chop it, and set it aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the 24 ounces frozen corn kernels according to package directions. You can boil, roast, or microwave it.
- Once the corn is cooked, spread it onto a sheet pan or large dish and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. While it's cooling, prepare all the other ingredients.
- Into a large bowl, add the cooled corn, 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, 2 jalapeño peppers (finely chopped), 1 medium red onion (finely chopped), chopped poblano pepper, 1 lime (juiced), and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt.
- Mix all the ingredients to combine. Taste and adjust lime and salt if needed. Serve with tortilla chips or tacos.
Notes
- You may use fresh, frozen, or canned corn.
- Deseed the jalapeno to make it less spicy or keep the seeds for an extra punch of spice.
Storage:
- Store the salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
