This is a substantial main-dish salad built on shredded roast chicken, pan-charred fresh corn, jasmine rice, avocado, feta, and jalapeรฑo, all pulled together with a Dijon-white wine vinaigrette. It comes together in 30 minutes if you start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken. The combination of warm charred corn and cool creamy avocado is what keeps people coming back to this one.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, charring the corn in a cast iron pan with butter and oil rather than boiling it. Boiled corn is sweet and one-dimensional; charred corn picks up a slight bitterness and smokiness that gives the whole salad backbone. Let it sit undisturbed in the pan long enough to actually color โ stirring constantly just steams it. Second, the dressing is an emulsified vinaigrette, not just oil and vinegar shaken together. Whisking the olive oil into the mustard-vinegar base slowly creates a cohesive dressing that coats the rice and chicken instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
About the ingredients
- Fresh corn ears: Three ears give you roughly 2 cups of kernels once shaved. Frozen corn can substitute in a pinch โ spread it in the pan still frozen and let the moisture cook off before it starts to char, which takes a few extra minutes.
- Jasmine rice: Day-old cold rice works better than freshly cooked. Hot rice absorbs the dressing immediately and can turn gummy. If youโre cooking it fresh, spread it on a sheet pan for 10 minutes to cool and dry out slightly.
- Feta: Buy a block and crumble it yourself โ pre-crumbled feta is noticeably drier and less tangy.
- Basil chiffonade: Cut it right before serving. Basil bruises and blackens quickly once sliced.
- Rinsed red onion: The recipe calls for rinsing the minced onion, which is worth doing โ a 30-second rinse under cold water takes the sharp raw edge off without losing the flavor entirely.
Mistakes to avoid
- Adding the avocado too early: Dice it last, right before you dress and serve. Avocado sitting in a bowl while you prep everything else turns brown and mushy.
- Under-seasoning the rice: Plain cooked rice is bland, and it makes up a significant portion of this salad. Taste the finished salad before serving and add salt if the whole thing tastes flat โ it usually needs a bit more than you expect.
- Using a cold, dry chicken: Rotisserie chicken straight from the fridge shreds into tight, dry pieces. Let it come closer to room temperature first, or warm it briefly. The meat shreds more loosely and absorbs the dressing better.
- Overdressing: Add the vinaigrette gradually and toss as you go โ dress it at the table if you can, because a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast once the rice and avocado are in the mix.
- Skipping the lemon zest: The juice adds acidity, but the zest adds a different kind of brightness that the vinegar alone doesnโt replicate. Donโt leave it out.
Keeping it fresh
This salad is best eaten the day itโs made. If you want to prep ahead, store the charred corn, shredded chicken, cooked rice, and dressing separately in the fridge for up to two days โ combine them within an hour of serving. Once dressed and assembled with avocado, it holds for about two hours at room temperature or up to four hours covered in the fridge, after which the avocado discolors and the rice absorbs all the dressing and tightens up. If youโre packing it for lunch, keep the avocado and dressing in separate containers and add them when youโre ready to eat.
Delicious Corn and Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Corn and Chicken Salad Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken roasted
- 3 ears corn
- 2 cups jasmine rice cooked
- 1 medium jalapeno
- ยฝ medium red onion minced and rinsed
- โ cup feta crumbled
- 1 medium lemon zested and juiced
- 1 medium avocado ripe
- โ cup basil chiffonade julienned
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- โ teaspoon ground black pepper
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ยผ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 pinch sugar
Instructions
Corn and Chicken Salad Instructions
- Husk the ears and shave the corn off of the cobs. Add the oil and butter to a cast iron pan (or non-stick) and put on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the corn. Cook the corn until itโs slightly charred.
- Julienne the jalapeno pepper and dice it into small pieces.
- Dice the avocado.
- Shred the chicken and placed it in a large bowl.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl containing the chicken. Make your dressing.
Dressing Instructions
- A pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the vinegar, Dijon, salt, sugar, and pepper to a small bowl. Mix.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil and mix again until well emulsified. Add the dressing to the salad and mix well again. Enjoy.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use canned or frozen corn instead of fresh ears?
Yes, frozen corn works well and is the better canned alternative. Spread frozen kernels directly into the hot buttered pan without thawing โ let the liquid evaporate first, then continue cooking until you get some color, which takes about 5 extra minutes compared to fresh.
Can I make this salad without the rice to keep it lower-carb?
You can leave the rice out entirely and the salad still holds together. Without the rice it serves closer to 4 people rather than 8, so adjust the dressing quantity down slightly or it will be overdressed.
How spicy is this with the jalapeรฑo โ can I control the heat?
One medium jalapeรฑo across 8 servings is mild to moderate heat for most people. Remove the seeds and white membrane before dicing to reduce the heat significantly, or swap in half a green bell pepper if you want the fresh flavor without any spice.