High-Protein Street Corn Shrimp Bowls (Meal Prep)

These street corn shrimp bowls are made with baja-seasoned shrimp, creamy Mexican street corn, rice, and chili-lime sauce, making them perfect for high-protein meal prep or a delicious weeknight dinner.

Why You'll Love These Street Corn Shrimp Bowls

These baja shrimp bowls are high-protein and also great for Sunday meal prep. I’ve been trying to find more ways to get 25-35 grams of protein into my diet, and these bowls pack 30 grams of protein.

For anyone who likes to prep on Sundays, like me, these will give you four servings to last four meals.

I like to prep them with rice as the bowl base, but I actually put it on one side of the dish and mix it later. I like to keep things organized, and so I have even portions in each container.

Then add a layer of street corn, pan-seared baja shrimp, and top it with a drizzle of tangy chili lime sauce.

Elote vs Esquites

These two get confused a lot, and most searches are for elote, even though people are actually looking for esquites. Both are popular Mexican street corn dishes, but they’re served differently.

Elote is grilled corn on the cob that’s slathered in mayo or crema, cotija cheese, chili powder/Tajin, and lime juice. It’s eaten right off the cob.

Esquites is usually served in a bowl or cup. It’s served with all of the same toppings that elote is slathered in, but mixed into a corn salad.

So this recipe is technically esquites, but because many people call it elote, I’ve added that to the name of the dish.

Ingredients

• Large Shrimp
• Corn (On the cob directions included.)
• Long-Grain Rice
• Chicken Stock or Broth
• Mayonnaise
• Sour Cream
• Cotija Cheese
• Plain Greek Yogurt
• Hot Sauce
• Olive Oil
• Lime Juice
• Chopped Cilantro
• Chili Powder or Tajin
• Chipotle Chili Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• Cumin
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Black Pepper

How to Make Street Corn Shrimp Bowls

Creamy Chili-Lime Sauce

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Street Corn

• If you have corn on the cob, preheat the grill to medium-low. Lightly coat the corn in olive oil. Cook for 12-15 minutes, rotating every few minutes for even cooking. They will turn bright yellow and soften, and have bits of charred corn. Cut the corn off the cob using a sharp knife. If you’re using canned or frozen corn, be sure it’s thawed and drained.
• Add corn, mayonnaise, sour cream, crumbled cotija, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and lime juice to a bowl. Mix well. Top with additional cotija cheese and chili powder. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.

White Rice

• Rinse rice in water to remove excess starch. Add to a small pot with chicken stock and heat over high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer for 12-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, season with salt to taste.

Baja Shrimp

• While the rice cooks, combine all shrimp seasonings, olive oil, and lime juice in a bowl. Add shrimp and stir to coat.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Once hot, add a single layer of shrimp and cook until no longer translucent on both sides.

Assembly

• If you are using meal prep food storage containers, add rice to one side of the container or spread it across the bottom. Add a layer of street corn over the top or to one side. Add the shrimp on top and drizzle with chili-lime sauce.

Variations

• Increase protein per serving by adding black beans, extra shrimp, or serving over quinoa instead of rice.
• Swap rice for cabbage slaw
• Add sliced avocado
• Instead of rice, add more veggies like sautéed red, yellow, and green peppers with red onions

Meal Prep Instructions

• Divide rice or base evenly among 4 containers
• Spoon the street corn mixture on top of the rice or alongside
• Add a portion of shrimp to each container (I had about 11 pieces per container).
• Store the creamy chili lime sauce in separate small containers

Meal Prep Tips

• Don't overcook the shrimp (it will dry out when reheated)
• Store sauce separately for the best texture
• Add fresh toppings (Cotija, cilantro, lime juice) after reheating
• These bowls can also be eaten cold, like a salad

Storing Leftovers

Store assembled bowls in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

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