Easy Corn Salsa (Chipotle Copycat)
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Last updated on Apr 22, 2025
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This Chipotle copycat corn salsa recipe can be whipped up in just 10 minutes using a bag of frozen corn. It’s delicious served as a snack or topping on your favorite dish.
Sharing a copycat recipe for the corn salsa they serve at the beloved Chipotle restaurant. So technically this corn salsa is meant for burritos and burrito bowls, but we’ve been enjoying it with so many different meals!
The best part? It couldn’t be any easier to make. Just combine all the ingredients in a bowl and boom, you’ve got a delish corn salsa to use any way you please. I used frozen sweet corn to keep this super simple, but if you want to use fresh sweet corn, go right ahead!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy – We’re using frozen corn which makes this recipe come together in just 10 minutes.
- Flavorful – It’s jam-packed with flavor thanks to the cilantro, red onion, jalapeño and lime juice.
- Versatile – This corn salsa recipe can be served as an appetizer or snack with tortilla chips or it can be added as a topping to a variety of different recipes like these healthy chicken tacos, chicken burrito bowl or healthy fish tacos.
Ingredients Needed
- frozen yellow sweet corn – we’re keeping this recipe super simple by using frozen sweet corn, but feel free to use fresh sweet corn if it’s in season. You’ll need a 16 oz bag of frozen corn, which is about 2 1/2 cups.
- red onion – add a little zest with chopped red onion. You can use yellow onion for a more mild onion flavor if you prefer.
- jalapeño – deseed the jalapeños before adding for the perfect amount of spice. Feel free to skip this if you’re serving to kiddos or not a fan of spice.
- cilantro – the perfect herb to pair with this salsa.
- salt – to bring all of the flavors together!
- lime juice – I recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice as opposed to the juice that comes in a little bottle. It’s better, trust me!
- lemon juice – same as the lime juice… freshly squeezed is best!
Recipe Variations
The fun thing about this corn salsa is how many variations there are! Here are some ways to switch it up:
- Mango: I love salsas with fruit added to them (check out my pineapple salsa recipe) and I bet this one would be delicious with diced mango!
- Grilled corn: If you’re using fresh, sweet corn you can grill it for extra flavor. Cut it from the cob and make the salsa as the recipe recommends. This will take the salsa to a whole other level. Some stores now offer frozen corn that’s been roasted and I’m sure that would be delicious as well.
- Avocado: Add some healthy fats and a delicious creaminess to the salsa with chopped avocado. I add it to my avocado corn salad and it’s delish. Pro tip: if you decide to add avocado, I would add it right before serving, otherwise the avocado will get brown.
How to Make
This easy corn salsa comes together in no time. Just two quick steps and you’re ready to dig in:
Step 1: Add the corn, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and lemon juice to a large bowl.
Step 2: Toss to combine, then taste and adjust salt or citrus as needed. Serve immediately or chill before serving.
Recipes Tips!
A couple quick tips to get the best flavor and texture out of your corn salsa:
- Use fresh corn when it’s in season: It adds extra crunch and sweetness. Just boil or grill it first, then cut off the kernels.
- Mince the jalapeño finely: This gives a nice kick without overpowering the salsa. Remove the seeds for less heat or leave a few in if you like it spicier.
How to Serve Corn Salsa
Like I mentioned above, we have been enjoying this salsa in so many different ways. Here are a few serving ideas:
- On a burrito bowl – First and foremost, I love this on burrito bowls! It adds so much flavor and is the perfect topping.
- With tortilla chips – Yep, this corn salsa is delicious on it’s own. Just serve with tortilla chips for dipping.
- On a salad – Swap the Mexican street corn with corn salsa in my kale salad.
- With protein – Make a simple dinner by serving chipotle chicken, shredded chicken or my apple cider vinegar chicken with this corn salsa and a side salad.
- Over enchiladas – Make my chicken enchiladas or this vegetarian enchilada bake and top with the corn salsa for a delicious dinner.
- On tacos – Corn salsa would be delicious on tacos! Try my fish tacos or these tempeh tacos!
How to Store Leftovers
This salsa stores super well… and honestly gets better with time as the flavors continue to marinate together. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
You actually don’t have to cook fresh or frozen sweet corn before eating it! If you’re using fresh sweet corn, make sure you rinse it thoroughly before eating. If you’re using frozen sweet corn, simply let it thaw, rinse and drain before mixing it with the rest of the salsa ingredients.
This salsa has a little kick from the jalapeño, but it’s not too spicy. For less heat, remove all the seeds and membranes. For more heat, leave some in or add a second jalapeño.
Absolutely! Diced tomatoes, bell peppers, or even avocado make great add-ins.
More Copycat Recipes to Try
- Chipotle Tofu Sofritas
- Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
- Bone Fish Grill Superfood Salmon Salad
- Panera BBQ Chicken Salad
- Chopt Tomatillo Avocado Dressing
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz bag frozen yellow sweet corn, thawed, or 2 1/2 cups fresh corn
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
- Serve salsa as a snack with chips, appetizer or a side for dinner.
- Store salsa in an air-tight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Notes
- To defrost frozen corn: Run under cold water to quickly thaw and drain well.
- Frozen yellow sweet corn: Feel free to use fresh sweet corn if you prefer. You’ll need about 2.5 cups. You can also grill the corn for more flavor. Then remove from the cob and use it for the salsa.
- Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this along with the copy cat chipotle rice. It is spot on! So yummy! The corn has always been my favorite part of a burrito bowl. I did use frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe’s to make mine. MAKE THIS OR YOU’LL REGRET IT!
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear! So glad this salsa was a hit, Laci! Thanks for the review and star rating. I so appreciate it!