How to Make Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa

This isn’t the first time we’ve tackled making homemade versions of Chipotle menu items, and it certainly will not be the last.

After re-creating their famous marinated and grilled Chipotle chicken, Chipotle guac recipe and conquering their secret Chipotle honey vinaigrette, it seemed only fitting that we also share a recipe for their Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa (known colloquially as Chipotle corn salsa).

With this trio of Chipotle fan favorites, you’re well on your way to making your own Chipotle-style chicken salad, tacos or burrito at home. Yay!

How to Make Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa

Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home

Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed

Editor’s Tip: If it is accessible to you, try to locate fresh or frozen sweet white corn for the most authentic Chipotle corn salsa. It’s what they use in their recipe. However, if all you can find is a blend of white and yellow corn, it’s equally delicious.

Directions

Step 1: Salt the corn

In a medium bowl, toss the corn kernels with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt. Set aside.

Editor’s Tip: If using frozen corn, do your best to drain and remove as much excess water from the corn as possible before salting.

Step 2: Mix

In a separate small bowl, stir together the red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice.

Step 3: Combine

Add the onion-jalapeno mixture to the salted corn and toss it together. Season with additional salt and lime juice to taste.

Step 4: Chill

Cover the salsa with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Let the salsa chill for at least an hour before serving.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re short on time, you can immediately serve the salsa after mixing the ingredients. However, in testing, we felt the flavors married together nicely if allowed to chill in the fridge for a bit.

Tips for Making Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa

How can you adjust the spice level of copycat Chipotle corn salsa?

If you’re looking to add extra heat to the original Chipotle corn salsa recipe, feel free to add additional jalapenos to the salsa. You can also get creative and try adding one of these pepper varieties to the mix.

What else can you add to copycat Chipotle corn salsa?

One of our favorite things about making and sharing copycat recipes from restaurants is it allows everyone to make the recipe their own. This Chipotle corn salsa recipe is no different. It’s versatile, so feel free to be creative. Take some inspiration from one of these other creative corn recipes.

There’s some speculation online that Chipotle includes lemon juice in their recipe and diced roasted poblano peppers. We opted to omit them from our version and felt the resulting salsa tasted almost exactly like the batch we picked up from our local Chipotle. However, if a bit of lemon and roasted poblano sound enticing, by all means, toss them in!

Roasting fresh corn on your grill or the oven before adding it to the salsa is another fantastic way to doctor up this copycat recipe and add an extra layer of tantalizing fire-roasted flavor to every bite.

Can you make copycat Chipotle corn salsa ahead of time?

As noted previously, we recommend chilling the salsa for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors come together.

Beyond the initial chill, Chipotle corn salsa may be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also freeze corn salsa for up to 3 months (especially if you use these freezer storage tips). Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. We suggest adding a pinch of salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving to brighten the flavors.

Don’t forget the chips! Here are our Test Kitchen’s favorite brands of tortilla chips.