This Corn Salad with Chile and Lime from the Smitten Kitchen blog is Deb’s version of esquites, which are basically deconstructed elotes. Delicious no matter the format, if you ask me. I wanted to try these as a side dish for taco or quesadilla night.

The only change I made from Deb’s version was that I microwaved the corn instead of grilling or broiling it, so we didn’t get the charred element.

We don’t keep Tiajin around, so I used chile powder and salt, and I definitely should have added a bit more lime. I actually think that using greek yogurt instead of sour cream would add an additional element of tang that would do well here, so I’ll try that if I make these again. Overall it was delicious, but it felt very cheesy and didn’t quite hit the mark for me as a veggie side, especially up against a meaty quesadilla.