Chili-Lime Salmon with Esquites-Style Corn Salad

This vibrant dish brings together the bold flavors of chili-spiced salmon and a creamy, charred corn salad inspired by Mexican street corn. The star is a simple yet aromatic cilantro-lime oil that adds a fresh, zesty finish to the buttery fish.

Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this recipe delivers a satisfying balance of smoky, tangy and spicy notes. The corn salad, made with mayo, sour cream, feta and chili powder, is a delightful twist on classic esquites.

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Feta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon HoneyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CornView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce SalmonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.13 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Drain and rinse corn; thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Roughly chop cilantro. Zest and quarter the lime.
2. Heat a large dry nonstick pan over high heat. Add corn and a big pinch of sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, 4-6 minutes. (Cover if corn starts to pop.) Transfer to a medium bowl; wipe out the pan.
3. To the bowl with corn, stir in scallion whites, mayonnaise, sour cream, feta, half the cilantro, juice from half the lime, salt, pepper and chili powder to taste. Transfer to freezer to cool quickly. (Alternatively, spread in a shallow bowl and refrigerate.)
4. In a small bowl, combine scallion greens, lime zest, remaining honey, remaining cilantro, 1½ tablespoons olive oil, juice from one lime wedge, salt and pepper. Stir vigorously until scallions and cilantro wilt, 30-45 seconds.
5. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt, pepper and remaining chili powder. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon skin-side down; cook until skin is crispy, 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook until opaque and cooked through, 2-3 minutes more.
6. Divide the esquites-style salad between plates. Top with salmon. Drizzle cilantro-lime oil over salmon or serve on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen corn instead of fresh?

Yes, thaw and drain frozen corn, then pat very dry before charring to get good color.

What can I substitute for feta cheese?

Cotija cheese or grated Parmesan would work well in this salad.

How do I know when the salmon is cooked through?

The salmon should be opaque and flake easily with a fork. Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F.