Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls

I am obsessed with these street corn chicken rice bowls. They combine a few things I already LOVE, like my Chuy’s creamy jalapeno sauce and street corn salad, and add them to a bowl of blackened chicken and rice. Add some diced avocado and a squeeze of lime and you have quite possibly the most flavorful rice bowl in existence. (In fact, I loved that combo of Chuy’s + street corn so much that I also added it to my brisket tacos and fried chicken tacos!)

This recipe was pretty much made for meal prep, so these are perfect if you’re looking for something you can prepare and assemble on the weekend for lunch throughout the week! I include my full meal prep instructions below, but basically, all you have to do is assemble them and keep the dressing on the side. So easy!

Tips from My Kitchen

Here are a few general suggestions for making these street corn chicken rice bowls.

• Prep elements ahead. Both the creamy jalapeno sauce and street corn salad taste better after they’ve had time to chill in the fridge. I like to make both of these the night before I prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Try different seasonings. I love my blackened seasoning on pretty much everything but if it’s not your favorite, season the chicken as desired. Taco seasoning would also add good flavor.
• Cook in batches. Depending on the size of the pan, you may want to cook the chicken in a few batches so each side gets a nice blackened texture.
• Experiment with toppings. Chicken rice bowls are so great for experimenting and using what you have on hand. Try a vinaigrette instead of the creamy jalapeno sauce or add more veggies like pickled onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, zucchini, or broccoli. Use what you have in the fridge!

Ingredients You’ll Need & Why

Here’s an overview of everything that goes into these rice bowls. It’s a short list, packed with incredible flavor! The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

• Chicken – I use chicken breasts or tenderloins cut into chunks.
• Blackened Seasoning – My homemade seasoning blend consists of paprika, onion and garlic powder, chili powder, thyme, oregano, brown sugar, cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Rice – I love jasmine rice, but you can also use brown rice, quinoa, or a chickpea rice like Banza.
• Creamy jalapeno sauce – I used my popular Chuy’s copycat recipe for the lime cilantro and jalapeno sauce. It’s addictively delicious and as good as a dip as it is on these street corn chicken bowls.
• Street corn salad – I used my street corn salad as the street corn element in these bowls. It’s made with a blend of charred corn, lime zest and juice, jalapenos, cilantro, all tossed with a little mayo, chili powder, and cojita cheese.
• Avocado – Diced avocado adds a nice contrast to the crunchy street corn and spicier flavors in the bowl.
• Lime – I like to serve these with lime wedges to squeeze over the rice and chicken to add an extra pop of bright flavor.

How To Make Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls

These bowls are one of my favorite lunches because they’re so easy to make and assemble. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

• Prepare the corn and sauce. Make the street corn salad and creamy jalapeno sauce, per the instructions on their recipe pages. This is great to do a day or two ahead of time.
• Cook the rice. Cook two cups of rice according to the package instructions.
• Season the chicken. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Season generously with the blackened seasoning.
• Cook the chicken. Heat two tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, until it reaches an internal temp of 165F.
• Assemble. Add a cup of rice to each bowl. Top with street corn salad, a scoop of chicken, a drizzle of creamy jalapeno sauce, diced avocado, and a lime wedge. Sprinkle the bowls with tajin seasoning if desired.

Meal Prep Instructions

To meal-prep these street corn chicken bowls, I’ll make all the elements ahead of time: blackened chicken, rice, street corn, and the creamy jalapeno sauce.

After the chicken and rice cool, I build the bowls in meal prep containers and simply keep the creamy jalapeno sauce in condiment cups to drizzle on top later. If you want the chicken and rice warm, you can also keep the street corn salad and diced avocado on the side to add after reheating the rice and chicken.

Tips from My Kitchen

Here are a few general suggestions for making these street corn chicken rice bowls.

• Prep elements ahead. Both the creamy jalapeno sauce and street corn salad taste better after they’ve had time to chill in the fridge. I like to make both of these the night before I prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Try different seasonings. I love my blackened seasoning on pretty much everything but if it’s not your favorite, season the chicken as desired. Taco seasoning would also add good flavor.
• Cook in batches. Depending on the size of the pan, you may want to cook the chicken in a few batches so each side gets a nice blackened texture.
• Experiment with toppings. Chicken rice bowls are so great for experimenting and using what you have on hand. Try a vinaigrette instead of the creamy jalapeno sauce or add more veggies like pickled onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, zucchini, or broccoli. Use what you have in the fridge!

How To Store Leftovers

• Fridge: Elements of the street corn chicken rice bowls should be stored separately, unless you’re assembling the bowls for meal prep. Everything except for the avocado should stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheat: Honestly, these taste so yummy straight from the fridge that reheating is optional. But, you can assemble the chicken and rice, pop it in the microwave, and then add the remaining toppings.

Looking for More Easy Chicken Recipes?

• Guacamole Chicken Salad
• Blackened Chicken Alfredo Sliders
• Chicken Chopped Sandwich
• BBQ Chicken & Rice
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Bang Bang Chicken