Description

These Spicy Mexican Corn Bites take all the flavors of classic street corn — roasted corn, creamy cheese, zesty lime, chili spice — and transform them into crispy, golden bites perfect for snacking or entertaining. Serve them with a creamy chipotle-lime sauce and watch them disappear!

Ingredients

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For the Corn Bites:

2 cups roasted corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen & thawed)
¾ cup cotija cheese (or feta), crumbled
½ cup shredded pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons mayo or sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

For the Chipotle-Lime Dip:

½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon mayo
1 chipotle pepper in adobo (minced) or 1–2 teaspoons chipotle paste
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt to taste

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Instructions

1. Make the dipping sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayo, chipotle, lime juice, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve — the flavors deepen as it chills!

2. Mix the corn bites

In a large bowl, combine corn, cotija, shredded cheese, panko, flour, eggs, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until the mixture comes together — it should hold its shape when formed into balls. If too wet, add a bit more panko.

3. Form the bites

Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and roll into balls or flattened disks. Place them on a parchment-lined tray and chill in the fridge or freezer for 20–30 minutes to firm up.

4. Fry until golden

Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Once hot (about 350°F), fry the bites in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Don’t overcrowd the pan.

5. Drain and serve

Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with chipotle-lime dip, extra lime wedges, and a sprinkle of cotija or Tajín if desired!

Notes

Want to bake or air fry? You can! See variations below.
Make-ahead friendly: form the bites, chill, and fry just before serving.
These bites also freeze beautifully — perfect for prepping ahead of a party.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer, Snack
Method: Pan-Fried
Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired

Nutrition

Calories: 220
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 380mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 7g
Cholesterol: 55mg