Street FoodEasyFree

Grilled Corn with Chipotle Butter

Name: Grilled Corn with Chipotle Butter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 100 g Unsalted butter, room temperature; 50 g Cotija cheese, crumbled; 2 Chipotles in adobo (tin); 1 tsp Tajin chilli powder; 0.5 tsp Salt; 2 Limes; 4 Corn on the cob with husks; 0.5 tsp Ground cumin; 2 tbsp Fresh coriander, chopped

30 min (10 prep + 20 cook) Easy 4 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Charcoal-grilled corn slathered with chipotle butter, lime and aromatic herbs.

About this recipe

Grilled corn with chipotle butter takes humble charred corn to another level of flavour. The corn is grilled directly over coals or on a griddle until the kernels are golden and charred, then slathered with a compound butter of chipotle, lime and herbs that melts over the hot corn, infusing it with smoky, spicy flavour. A street snack elevated to a gastronomic experience.

History & Origin

Grilled corn is one of Mexico's oldest foods. Maize, the foundation of Mesoamerican civilisation, has been roasted over embers for more than 9,000 years since it was domesticated by the cultures of the Tehuacan valley in Puebla. In pre-Hispanic markets, grilled corn was one of the most widely sold foods, prized for its sweet, lightly smoky flavour that emerged upon contact with fire. Street corn vendors remain an iconic figure on Mexican streets to this day: with their charcoal cart, they offer corn plain or dressed with butter, mayonnaise, cream, cotija cheese, piquín chilli and lime - the version known as 'elote preparado'. The addition of chipotle to the butter is a contemporary twist that amplifies the smoky quality of the grilled corn and transforms it into a more complex, sophisticated snack, perfect for an informal gathering at home or a restaurant menu. This preparation became popular in the 2010s when modern Mexican cuisine began reimagining traditional street snacks with the techniques and flavours of fine dining.

Estimated cost

£5.20

Total cost

£1.30

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

320

Calories

Protein

36g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

380mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Prepare the chipotle butter: leave the butter at room temperature until soft. Mix with the finely chopped chipotles in adobo (2-3 depending on desired heat), lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt and chopped coriander. Roll in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
💡 Compound butter can be made days ahead and kept in the freezer.
2
Remove the outer husk leaves from the corn but leave the last layer. Grill the corn directly over charcoal or on a barbecue grill over high heat, turning every 3-4 minutes for a total of 15-20 minutes, until the kernels are golden and charred in spots.
💡 You can also roast in the oven at 220°C for 25 minutes.
3
Once grilled, remove the remaining husks and silk. The corn should have golden kernels with charred patches.
4
Immediately slather each hot corn cob with the chipotle butter. The butter will melt over the heat of the corn, penetrating between the kernels.
5
Sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese, chilli powder or Tajin, and serve with a lime wedge. Eat immediately.