If you can’t live without your weekly Chipotle runs, then get ready to run to your kitchen and fall in-love with this recipe! My Easy Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa is my delicious take on one of the most beloved Chipotle staples. It’s a little spicy, a little tangy, and bursting with fresh corn and peppers. It’s perfect to add to your favorite salads or burrito bowls, or even to eat on its own, with chips, as a healthy and fresh snack!
Friends, how many of you love Chipotle? I definitely do. When it comes to fast food, Chipotle is not only one of the healthier options (everything there is organic!) but it’s also one of the most delicious. Whether you’re getting a delicious taco salad that is piled high with toppings, or a burrito bowl made with their crave-worthy cilantro rice, you truly can’t go wrong with Chipotle. It’s definitely a favorite in my household.
But, what I don’t love about Chipotle is the prices. As the cost of food gets more and more expensive, Chipotle has become more expensive too. In fact, a single burrito bowl can run you close to $15 these days! So, I’ve been on a mission to make my Chipotle favorites, at home, for a fraction of the price. And when it comes to their corn salsa… I think I’ve nailed it, if I do say so myself.
The corn salsa is one of my favorite things to get at Chipotle. It’s fresh, it’s tangy, and it’s bursting with fresh corn and peppers for a truly unbeatable combo. My version tastes just like the OG, but is made even better with the addition of one of my favorite spices… cumin. And if that wasn’t enough, this salsa can also be made with either fresh or frozen corn, and tastes just as delicious either way. Use what you have to make this recipe- it will be delicious either way!
Less than 10 Healthy Ingredients to Make This Delicious Salsa
- Frozen Corn: To keep this salsa simple and easy to throw together, we’ll be using frozen corn. I recommend making sure that your frozen corn is organic and non-GMO, for the healthiest option. The bag should disclose both of these things! However, you can also use fresh corn, if you’d prefer. Both work just as well here!
- Poblano Pepper: Poblano peppers are a mild, yet flavorful pepper that adds a rich flavor to this salsa. We’ll be roasting them over an open flame to really bring that deep, smoky flavor to this salsa.
- Red Onion: Red onion is one of my favorite ingredients to add to fresh salsas. It adds the perfect tangy flavor to this salsa.
- JalapeƱos: I love a little spicy kick to this salsa, and jalapeƱos do just that. You can omit them entirely if you prefer to not have any heat in your salsa, or add in more for an even spicier kick.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is key to any salsa recipe, so of course we need a lot of cilantro for this recipe!
- Lemon & Lime: The combination of fresh lemon and lime juices adds the perfect amount of flavor to this salsa. I recommend using fresh squeezed juices, if possible, for the freshest flavor!
- Cumin: My spin on this recipe includes using cumin, which is one of my FAVORITE seasonings ever. It adds the best flavor to this salsa and is not to be skipped.
- Sea Salt: A pinch of sea salt truly helps this salsa come together perfectly.
How to Make This Juicy Corn Salsa
To make this salsa, start by preparing your frozen corn according to the instructions on the package (either boil the corn in water or warm it in the microwave, depending on what the package instructs). Then, let the corn cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Next, roast your poblano pepper. I do this by placing it on an open flame on my stovetop, using tongs to rotate the pepper above the flame. It should take approximately 3-4 for the pepper to blacken. Once the skin of the pepper has blackened, add the pepper to a bowl and cover it to rest for 10 minutes.
Then, remove the pepper from the bowl, carefully peeling off the blackened skin, removing the seeds, and chopping the pepper into small pieces. Add your chopped pepper to a bowl, alongside the corn and the rest of the ingredients and toss to combine.
Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! Iām also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at whatās new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
- 2 Bags Frozen Corn, I use 2, 14 ounce bags
- 1 Large Poblano Pepper
- 1 Small Red Onion, diced
- 2 JalapeƱos , sliced, seeds removed, and diced
- Ā½ Cup Cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 2 Teaspoons Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Start by preparing your frozen corn according to the instructions on the package (either boil the corn in water or warm it in the microwave, depending on what the package instructs). Then, let the corn cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Next, roast your poblano pepper. I do this by placing it on an open flame on my stovetop, using tongs to rotate the pepper above the flame. It should take approximately 3-4 for the pepper to blacken.
- Once the skin of the pepper has blackened, add the pepper to a bowl and cover it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Then, remove the pepper from the bowl, carefully peeling off the blackened skin, removing the seeds, and chopping the pepper into small pieces.
- Add your chopped pepper to a bowl, alongside the corn and the rest of the ingredients and toss to combine.
- Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Thank you for your review, Mik!
Spot on! It was a big hit at my gathering I will definitely make it again.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for your support!
Can you can this recipe ?
Would love to make and have for winter
Hi Sharon! Unfortunately I do not know enough about canning in order to properly answer this.
My family loved this!
Thank you, Jasmine!
I knew cumin didn’t sound right, but I was “let’s trust this recipe.” Cumin should never be added. It ruin the entire salsa.
Delicious! Just like chipotle’s. I didn’t have time to do the poblano step, so I omitted it and used some smoked paprika instead. I’m definitely going to make this again with the poblano, but in a time crunch, the smoked paprika worked just fine. Great recipe, thank you!
CANT FUCKING SEE THE RECIPE BECAUSE OF ALL THE GOD DAMN ADDS SO CANT EVEN SEE THE LISTEN OR DIRECTIONS
Love this recipe but donāt add cumin. I make it my own and portion everything a little less. We love it with tacos!
Just made this- added red wine vinegar and cotija cheese. It ABSOLUTELY needs the cumin! Do not omit!
I am so thrilled to hear that, Molly! Thank you for your review!
This was delicious! And so easy! I used frozen corn, charring it in an iron skillet with a little olive oil. I think cumin must be one of those spices that people either love or hate. I love it, and it was perfect in this recipe! Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for the lovely review Jeannie!