Grilled Corn Recipe Recipe
Smoky grilled corn on the cob slathered in chipotle lime butter—easy, fast, and bursting with flavor. A chef-tested summer side dish you'll crave!
How to Make the Best Grilled Corn Recipe
There’s something magical about biting into a perfectly grilled ear of corn on a warm summer day. This grilled corn recipe takes that experience to the next level with a homemade chipotle lime butter that’s smoky, zesty, and just the right amount of spicy. It’s the kind of side dish that steals the show at any backyard barbecue.
The secret to this recipe is the compound butter—chipotle peppers bring smoky heat, lime zest adds brightness, and a touch of cinnamon and cumin create an unexpected depth of flavor. Slathered generously over charred corn and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime and cilantro, every bite is an explosion of flavor.
Best of all, this recipe comes together in just 25 minutes from start to finish. Make the butter ahead of time for even faster prep, and you’ve got a restaurant-quality side dish that’s perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to holiday cookouts.
Grilled Corn Recipe
Smoky grilled corn on the cob slathered in chipotle lime butter—easy, fast, and bursting with flavor. A chef-tested summer side dish you'll crave!
Ingredients
Chipotle Lime Butter
Grilled Corn
Instructions
Prepare the Chipotle Lime Butter
- In a food processor, add chipotle peppers, salt, cinnamon, cumin, lime zest, and black pepper. Pulse ingredients, scrape sides down, and pulse again.
- Add butter and pulse until combined. Leave some flecks of chipotle pepper and zest for texture. Set aside.
- You can make this ahead and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you don't have a food processor, mince the peppers and zest, place in a small bowl with the other ingredients, and stir in the butter.
Grill the Corn
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Remove husks and rub the silk off of the corn.
- Place corn on a greased hot grill, close the lid, and rotate a quarter turn every 2-3 minutes until each side is grilled (8-10 minutes total). A little charring adds great flavor.
- When done, lavishly spread the chipotle lime butter on all sides.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice over the corn and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute soy butter or olive oil for the regular butter.
- Try smoked salt instead of regular kosher salt for an extra smoky flavor.
- Using 2 chipotle peppers gives a nice slow-burning heat (about 3 out of 5 on the spice scale). Use 1 pepper for milder heat.
- The chipotle lime butter can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
