Corn Salsa Recipe from Chipotle

This copycat Chipotle corn salsa recipe requires just a handful of ingredients – canned corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lemon juice, and Iime juice – that you probably already have on hand and tastes just like the salsa you’ll find at Chipotle Mexican grill! It’s the perfect make-ahead accompaniment for sheet pan nachos, chicken tacos, or southwest salads!

The Best Corn Salsa

If you’re a fan of Chipotle Mexican Grill, you are going to LOVE this corn salsa recipe! It tastes just like Chipotle’s but you can make it right at home and it literally takes just a few minutes! It’s perfect for summer when fresh sweet corn is in season but it’s also delicious when made with canned sweet corn so you can eat it all year round.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Canned Corn

Using canned corn makes this recipe easier and cuts down on prep time, but you can also use fresh corn. Simply boil the corn and cut it off the cob using a sharp knife and then mix the salsa together as directed. You can also thaw frozen corn kernels and use them for this recipe. In fact, it’s been reported that Chipotle uses frozen corn for its salsa! Canned or frozen will give you delicious salsa.

Petite Diced Red Onion

Red onion has a great strong flavor that complements the spice of the jalapeno and citrus flavors. I recommend dicing the red onion a bit on the smaller side so that it doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients.

Cilantro

Cilantro has a great fresh, almost citrusy flavor that brings all the other ingredients together. Don’t throw away the stems from the cilantro – use them! They have more flavor than the leaves!

Jalapeno

Jalapeños have the perfect amount of spice, so they’re my go-to for this recipe, but you can also substitute them with poblano peppers.

Fresh Lime Juice

The lime juice will give you a great tang and acidity to add to this recipe. Fresh-squeezed or from the bottle will work perfectly.

Fresh Lemon Juice

As with the lime juice, I definitely recommend fresh-squeezed lemon juice. If you don’t have one or the other, add more of whichever one you do have!

How to Make Chipotle Corn Salsa

Add ingredients to a large bowl.

Mix until well combined.

Add more salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

What is Chipotle corn salsa made of? 

Chipotle corn salsa is made from very simple ingredients. It uses corn – canned, fresh, or frozen – jalapeno pepper, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and lemon juice.

What corn do they use at Chipotle?

It’s reported that they use frozen white sweet corn in their salsa which is why you may notice the kernels have a lighter color than the sweet corn you might be used to. However, this recipe tastes great with yellow sweet corn or white sweet corn and also works with frozen, canned, or fresh corn.

Roast the Corn

Try roasting your corn to add a layer of smoky flavor to this salsa!

• Peel ears of corn, and use tongs to char them on the grill over high heat. Allow them to cool and then carefully slice them off the cob and follow the recipe instructions below.
• You can also buy frozen fire-roasted corn in the frozen veggie section at your grocery store. Just thaw it out and then follow the recipe instructions below.

Thawing Frozen Corn Quickly

You can totally use frozen corn instead of canned corn for this salsa. Frozen corn is already cooked so it doesn’t need to be heated up. Here’s how you can thaw it quickly:

• Place the bag of frozen corn in a medium-sized bowl and place it in your sink.
• Run a stream of cool water from the faucet over the corn in the bowl.
• Check in a few minutes and the corn should be thawed.
• You can also remove the corn from the bag and place it in a mesh strainer over a bowl and run the water over the kernels of corn as well.

Tips for Making the Best Corn Salsa

• Make sure to drain the corn. The lemon and lime juice will provide plenty of liquid for this salsa, so don’t forget to drain the corn well. 
• Add black beans! Though this is a copycat Chipotle recipe, you can add a can of black beans and turn this into a corn black bean salad.
• If you can let this salsa sit for a few hours before eating, the flavors will have time to marry and everything will have a bit more of a punch. If not, it will still be delicious but the flavors do just get better with time!

Spice it Up!

There are so many ways to add some heat to this salsa. Some of our favorites include:

• a teaspoon of chipotles in adobo
• a pinch or two of cayenne pepper
• a pinch of crushed red pepper
• canned diced hot jalapenos
• diced roasted poblano peppers

Variations

Add any of your favorite veggies, fruits, or beans to this salsa. Some of our favorites include:

• red bell pepper
• poblano pepper
• cherry tomatoes
• white onion
• fresh mango
• avocado
• peaches
• black beans
• pinto beans
• hominy
• grated garlic

Serve With

• copycat Taco Bell chalupas
• cheesy chicken quesadillas
• the best cheese quesadillas
• air fryer mini chicken tacos
• chicken street tacos
• shredded slow cooker chicken tacos
• creamy taco spaghetti
• instant pot BBQ chicken tacos
• baked sheet pan nachos
• sheet pan chicken fajitas

More Easy Corn Recipes

You Will Love This

• This super easy, one-dish Chipotle corn salsa recipe only takes a few minutes and is the perfect way to get Chipotle’s delicious corn salsa on the table without doing takeout. Enjoy this salsa with quesadillas, burrito bowls, chicken tacos, tortilla chips, and more!
• This recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan.
• If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out my street corn dip, creamy corn pasta with bacon, or street corn pasta salad.

Make-Ahead Instructions

This salsa can easily be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Simply make as directed and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Be sure to season to taste with salt before serving.

Storing Leftover Corn Salsa

Store corn salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. As I mentioned above, the flavors are just going to get better with time!

Freezing Corn Salsa

You can freeze corn salsa for up to 3 months. Simply store it in freezer-safe containers or bags and keep it in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Season to taste with salt before serving.

Try these easy dip recipes next!