Taco Tuesday just got a major upgrade with these Elote Tacos with Chipotle Chicken and Veggies! Imagine your favorite Mexican street food transformed into a taco topping, paired with juicy, chipotle-seasoned chicken and roasted bell peppers. Bold flavors, bright colors and loved by everyone who tries them!
Okay confession time, this is actually a recipe that I developed last year. But I make it so often that it really needed to be re-shared and given a home on the blog!
In fact, whenever I’m hosting a big group of people I always gravitate towards making a taco bar. It’s just such an easy (and affordable) way to feed a crowd. Plus, it allows everyone to build their own tacos based on what components they like or don’t like. But I mean…who doesn’t love tacos!?
Anyways, these Elote Tacos with Chipotle Chicken and Veggies are inspired by one of my favorite things ever – Mexican Street Corn. I always order this when it’s on restaurant menus! But here, we’re making it “off the cob” and using it as taco topping!
And since I’m me, I had to balance these tacos out with some protein from the chipotle chicken and even more nutrients from the roasted bell peppers. All in all, these are the perfect tacos in my book. Many of you have already tried them, but if this is your first time…I’m excited for you!
Why You’ll Love these Elote Tacos with Chipotle Chicken and Veggies
- They are the perfect recipe to make for Taco Tuesday or for when you’re hosting!
- The chipotle chicken is juicy and bursting with spicy, smoky flavor.
- The mexican street corn is simple to whip up yet brings these tacos to the next level.
- They’re as tasty as they are beautiful!
What You Need to Make these Elote Tacos with Chipotle Chicken and Veggies
For the Chipotle Chicken and Veggies:
- Chipotle Powder, Paprika, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Kosher Salt: This is a relatively spicy and smoky mixture, but feel free to use chili powder instead of chipotle powder to make it milder.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: I love using chicken thighs for tacos as they are so much juicier and less prone to drying out. I wouldn’t recommend substituting chicken breast.
- Bell Peppers: 2 small bell peppers…whatever color you prefer but I like using two different colors for some variety!
- Red Onion: 1/2 large red onion to roast alongside the bell peppers.
- Olive Oil: 1 tbsp of olive oil for the chicken and 1 tbsp of olive oil for the veggies.
For the Elotes (Mexican Street Corn):
- Greek Yogurt: Traditionally, elotes are covered in mayo but to make this recipe a little lighter I like to use full-fat plain Greek yogurt. You can sub a thick dairy-free yogurt or mayo if needed.
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds some nice tang to the elote mixture!
- Paprika, Cumin, Chili Powder, Kosher Salt: Simple seasonings (many of which we already used in the chipotle chicken marinade).
- Fire-Roasted Corn: I typically use frozen and then thawed because it’s the most convenient but if you have access to fresh grilled corn…even better!
- Cilantro: Chopped cilantro for that herby flare!
- Green Onion: In a pinch you can omit this or substitute diced red onion.
- Jalapeño: Remove the seeds so it isn’t too spicy! You can omit this and it’ll still taste great.
- Garlic: Fresh minced, of course.
- Cotija Cheese: Cotija cheese is a firm, crumbly and slightly salty cheese. It’s described as a milder version of feta, which you can substitute here if you really have to.
For Serving:
- Almond Flour Tortillas: Or whatever tortilla you prefer! Flour or corn tortillas would also work great here.
- Lime Wedge: Mostly just for funzies.
How To Make these Elote Tacos with Chipotle Chicken and Veggies
Marinate the Chipotle Chicken:
Start by mixing together all of the spices in a small bowl. Then, in a medium-sized bowl, add chicken, half of the olive oil (1 tbsp) and half of the spice mixture. Toss with your hands to combine and let that marinate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare everything else.
Oven Bake the Chipotle Chicken & Veggies:
Then, preheat your oven to 425F. In another medium-sized bowl, add the bell peppers, onion, remaining half of the olive oil (1 tbsp) and the rest of the spice mixture. Toss with tongs until coated.
Once the chicken is done marinating, add it to a baking sheet. Scatter the bell pepper and onion mixture around the chicken on the baking dish. Spread it out so there’s as little overlap as possible.
Next, transfer the baking sheet to the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165F and veggies are tender. Allow the chicken to cool for a few minutes before chopping into small chunks.
Prepare Elotes (Mexican Street Corn):
Meanwhile, whisk together the greek yogurt, lime juices and spices. Then, add in the remaining Mexican Street Corn ingredients and stir until combined.
Warm Tortillas & Assemble:
Finally, warm up your tortillas in the microwave, on a skillet or directly on your gas stove. Then, layer on the roasted veggies, chopped chicken and a scoop of the mexican street corn. Garnish with a bit more cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime juice, if desired. Enjoy!
What are Elotes?
Elotes, also known as Mexican Street Corn, is a popular street food composed of grilled corn on the cob, skewered onto a stick and then coated with mayo, spices and cotija cheese.
Although this recipe is NOT traditional, it does draw inspiration from Elotes/Mexican Street Corn/Esquites. My version utilizes greek yogurt instead of mayo and is also served “off the cob” so that we can easily add it to our tacos!
Are these Elote Tacos Spicy?
They are indeed a bit spicy, mostly from the chipotle chicken and veggies. That’s because they’re tossed in a hefty spice mixture that includes chipotle powder. Chipotle powder is made by grinding up dried jalapeño peppers…so of course it’s going to be spicy!
If you’re not a spice lover, you can make these elote tacos more mild by swapping normal chili powder for the chipotle powder. This is likely a spice that you already have on hand too!
Can I Make these Elote Tacos Dairy Free?
Certainly! To make these Elote Tacos dairy free, all you need to do is tweak a few things in the mexican street corn itself. Firstly, swap out the greek yogurt for your favorite thick dairy-free yogurt (such as siggi’s plant-based) OR use mayo!
Secondly, exclude the cotija cheese. As far as I know, there aren’t any dairy-free substitutes for this specific cheese. However, it is somewhat similar to feta, so you could try using a vegan feta instead!
What Tortillas Should I Use for these Elote Tacos?
My recipe calls for almond flour tortillas because they’re my personal favorite. They’re also gluten free, grain free and lower in carbs, if that’s your thing!
For brands – Maria and Ricardo’s is the best because they’re the perfect small size and the texture is super pliable. However, they can be a little hard to find so sometimes I just rock with the 365 brand from Whole Foods. Siete is another amazing brand, but their tortillas are on the bigger side!
Of course, these elote tacos would also be great on flour tortillas or corn tortillas. Either way, make sure to warm them up before serving!
Recipe Variations:
- Make them vegetarian: Skip the chicken and just enjoy the roasted veggies and mexican street corn as your taco toppings!
- Go for the milder option: Pass on the chipotle powder and instead use normal chili powder.
- Get crazy with the toppings: The options are endless here! Add avocado, pico, lettuce…truly whatever you want!
How Should I Store Leftover Elote Tacos?
It’s best to store the components for these Elote Tacos separately. You can combine the chipotle chicken and veggies into one airtight container and then store the mexican street corn in another. Transfer everything to the fridge and it will keep super well for at least 3 days.
I would recommend waiting to warm up your tortillas until just before you’re ready to eat! Then, you can also warm up the chipotle chicken and veggies in the microwave (or enjoy it cold) before assembling your tacos.
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by leaving a rating and review below and tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for more Mexican-Inspired Recipes?
- The BEST Ground Turkey Enchilada Skillet
- Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad with Chipotle Chicken
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Elote Tacos with Chipotle Chicken and Veggies
Equipment
- small bowl
- 3 medium bowls
- baking sheet
- whisk
Ingredients
For the Chipotle Chicken and Veggies:
- 2 tsp chipotle powder (sub chili powder for a milder option)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 small bell peppers cut into strips
- ½ large red onion sliced
For the Mexican Street Corn:
- ¼ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt (sub mayo or thick dairy-free yogurt)
- juice from ½ lime
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- kosher salt to taste
- 8 oz frozen fire-roasted corn thawed*
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese (can omit for dairy free)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped green onion (green parts only)
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ jalapeño seeds removed & diced
For Serving:
- 8 almond flour tortillas (or small tortillas of choice)
- lime wedge optional
Instructions
- Start by mixing together all of the spices in a small bowl. Then, in a medium-sized bowl, add chicken, half of the olive oil (1 tbsp) and half of the spice mixture. Toss with your hands to combine and let that marinate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare everything else.2 tsp chipotle powder, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp oregano, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Preheat oven to 425F. In another medium-sized bowl, add the bell peppers, onion, remaining half of the olive oil (1 tbsp) and the rest of the spice mixture. Toss with tongs until coated.2 small bell peppers, ½ large red onion, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Once the chicken is done marinating, add it to a baking sheet. Scatter the bell pepper and onion mixture around the chicken on the baking dish. Spread it out so there's as little overlap as possible.
- Transfer to the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165F and veggies are tender. Allow the chicken to cool for a few minutes before chopping into small chunks.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the greek yogurt, lime juices and spices. Then, add in the remaining Mexican Street Corn ingredients and stir until combined.¼ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt, juice from ½ lime, ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp chili powder, kosher salt, 8 oz frozen fire-roasted corn, ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp chopped green onion, 1-2 garlic cloves, ½ jalapeño
- Warm up your tortillas in the microwave, on a skillet or directly on your gas stove. Then, layer on the roasted veggies, chopped chicken and a scoop of the mexican street corn. Garnish with a bit more cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime juice, if desired. Enjoy!8 almond flour tortillas, lime wedge
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating and review below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.
The elote corn on this is to die for! Absolutely going to be a weekly staple for us.
Definitely the best part! Thank yo Elisabeth 🙂
Yes the elote corn was delicious and I even used Non-fat Greek Yogurt.
So glad you liked it, thank you!