This Roasted Poblano Chili Corn Salsa combines sweet crunchy corn with roasted chilis, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro to make a super tasty and fresh dip that’s similar to Chipotle’s Chili Corn Dip.
» You might also like this Baked Green Chili Dip and Smoked Jalapeno Poppers.
Corn is one of the best additions to a pico de gallo or salsa, because it’s sweet and crunchy and goes so well with all the other ingredients. In this recipe, we’re swapping out the tomatoes for corn to make a fun roasted delicious salsa for scooping or topping for your tacos.
This corn salsa is great serve on its own with some tortilla chips or crackers. It’s also great on shrimp tacos or in a burrito bowl. Pair it with this creamy cilantro lime sauce for fish tacos.
Ingredients You Need
- Poblano pepper – Poblanos aren’t spicy so they’re great in this recipe. You get all the smoky flavor without too much spice. If you can’t find a poblano, you can use Anaheim or Hatch chilis as well.
- Corn – This can be canned, fresh, or frozen. I usually use canned because it’s easy to stock them in the pantry so I can make this salsa whenever I want.
- Red onion – I usually don’t love raw red onion, because it’s so pungent, but in this recipe it adds a lot of flavor and crunch. Feel free to use a white or yellow onion instead.
- Jalapeno – Seeds and ribs removed if you don’t want to add any heat. Then you can regulate the heat by leaving in some of the white ribs and/or some of the seeds.
- Cilantro – Fresh leaves of cilantro add so much aroma and flavor to this salsa. You can’t make it without the cilantro. It’s just not the same.
- Lime – juice of one lime to add brightness and acidity.
- Salt – You can add a little salt in the end to taste, if you feel it’s needed.
» Have some leftover corn? Try this Corn Dip with Cream Cheese.
How to Make Roasted Chili Corn Salsa
Turn on the broiler of your oven. Place the poblano pepper on a baking sheet and place it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until it’s blistered and a bit charred. Flip the pepper over and repeat on the other side.
Transfer the poblano to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. This will help loosen the skin on the pepper so you can remove it. Set aside to steam for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Chop the onion, jalapeno and cilantro, and juice the lime. Be careful not to get any jalapeno juice on your hands. I use gloves or put plastic bags on my hands to avoid it. Mostly because I can’t stop from touching my eye afterward.
When the pepper is done steaming, remove it from the bowl and remove the skin. It should slide right off. Then remove the seeds and stem and chop it finely.
In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Serve the salsa immediately as a dip for some tortilla chips, or use it like you would a pico de gallo on your tacos and burritos.
How to Store the Salsa
If you don’t use it all, you can place it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days. After that, it starts to get watery and loses some of its freshness. It’s okay to make it ahead of time by a day before serving, if you’re using it for a party and want to get a jump start on the prep.
Possible Substitutions & Tips
The original recipe for this salsa is the best way to prepare it. All the flavors really meld together to make a tasty salsa. But if you don’t have all of these ingredients or want to make some substitutions, that’s always possible.
- You can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn. Canned is the only one you don’t have to cook first. Just drain it. For frozen, cook it per the instructions on the bag. For fresh, you’ll need to boil or steam the corn until done, then shave it off the cob.
- You can use any type of chili you want for this recipe. If you can’t get poblanos, it’s okay to use jalapenos or Anaheim or Hatch chilis. If you use jalapenos, be sure to remove the ribs and seeds before you roast them for less heat. And you still want to use the fresh jalapeno too for added crunch.
- You can roast the peppers as I suggested under the broiler. You can also roast them directly over the flame of a gas stove, or on an outdoor grill.
- Add chopped cherry tomatoes if you want to make it more of a traditional salsa.
- You can also add chopped mango or pineapple to the salsa to give it a tropical feel.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Like this post? We’d love for you to save it to your Pinterest board to share with others! FOLLOW US on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook for more great recipes! If you made it, post a pic on Instagram and hashtag it #savoredsips
Roasted Poblano Chili Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper
- 15 ounce can corn drained
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Turn on the broiler of your oven. Place the poblano pepper on a baking sheet and place it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until blistered and a bit charred. Flip over and repeat.
- Transfer the poblano to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Set aside to steam for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, chop the onion, jalapeno and cilantro. Juice the lime.
- When the pepper is done steaming, remove it from the bowl and remove the skin. Then remove the seeds and stem and chop it finely.
- In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to serve.
Like it? Pin it!
Laura is the founder and editor of the travel blogs Savored Sips and Savored Journeys. She is dedicated to sharing the best information about drinks found around the world.