This grilled corn salad is loaded with so many tasty ingredients. It includes everything from, tajin roasted chickpeas, halloumi croutons, jalapeno, shallots, and fresh herbs. This easy grilled corn salad recipe is perfect as a side dish, or you can enjoy it on top of your favorite protein. Enjoy this salad with fish, chicken, shrimp or tofu for a heartier meal. This grilled corn salad is incredibly versatile and easy to make.  

Grilled Corn and Tajin Roasted Chickpea Salad with Halloumi Croutons – Healthyish Foods

About this recipe

If you’re new to halloumi it’s a Mediterranean cheese made from goat or sheep’s milk. It’s stored in a brine that adds a delicious salty flavor to the cheese. Since this cheese has a high melt point, it’s great for frying or grilling. It’s almost a hybrid between feta and mozzarella. It’s fantastic. When prepping the halloumi croutons for this recipe you will want to cut the cheese into 16 evenly sized cubes. Halloumi can break and crumble, so cut it slowly.

Once the halloumi is breaded you’ll want to fry the croutons in hot vegetable oil. If you add the breaded halloumi to the oil before it is hot, then the croutons will get soggy versus crispy. You can test the oil by adding a small piece of the breadcrumb into the pan. If the breadcrumbs sink to the bottom of the pan, then the oil is not ready. However, if the breadcrumbs begin to fry and bubble, then the oil is hot.

There is another ingredient in this recipe I love as well. It’s the Tajin spice. Tajin spice is a Mexican spice blend made from dehydrated lime, chili peppers and salt. The spice level is mild, but it is loaded with flavor. I love roasting my chickpeas with the Tajin spice because it adds such a delicious layer of flavor to the chickpeas. Be sure to drain and rinse your chickpeas. You’ll also want to remove the outer skin so that the chickpeas are smooth and creamy. Simply pinch the side of the chickpea and the outer skin will pop off.

This grilled corn salad recipe is light, fresh and flavorful. This recipe makes 6-8 side dish servings. Please see below for nutritional information. The nutritional information does not include the oil for frying the croutons.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Serve chilled. Option to reheat the halloumi croutons so they are warm inside. Simply microwave them for 20-30 seconds. Looking for more side dish recipes? Try my ditalini pasta salad or my street corn guacamole. Both are great summer recipes.

Grilled Corn and Tajin Roasted Chickpea Salad with Halloumi Croutons – Healthyish Foods
Grilled Corn and Tajin Roasted Chickpea Salad with Halloumi Croutons – Healthyish Foods

Grilled Corn Salad

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
This grilled corn salad is loaded with so many tasty ingredients. It includes everything from, tajin roasted chickpeas, halloumi croutons, jalapeno, shallots, and fresh herbs.
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Ingredients

  • 5-6 ears corn, grilled and removed from cobb
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, remove outer skin
  • 1.5 tablespoons Tajin spice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • ⅓ cup jalapeño , remove seeds and mince
  • ½ cup shallots, diced small
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped small, packed in measuring cup
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped small, packed in measuring cup
  • 2 tablespoons scallions , chopped for garnish

Halloumi croutons

  • 8 ounces halloumi, cut into 16 cubes, 1/2 ounces per cube
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • pinch cracked black pepper
  • ½ cup vegetable oil, for frying the halloumi, canola oil will work too
  • finish with a pinch of salt

Equipment

  • baking tray
  • large mixing bowl
  • 3 plates
  • satue pan
  • colander
  • serving platter

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Add the husked corn to the grill for 10 minutes. turning frequently. Remove from the grill and set aside. Once the corn has cooled, use a knife to remove the kernels from the cobb.
  • Place the charred corn kernels in a large mixing bowl.
  • Next, you will drain and rinse the chickpeas. Remove outer skin. Pat the chickpeas dry using a paper towel.
  • Place the chickpeas on the prepared baking tray and dust them with the Tajin spice and a 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss them around on the tray so they are evenly coated on the spice and oil.
  • Roast them in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are nice and crispy. Set aside to cool.
  • Add the jalapeno, cilantro, parsley, shallots, and tajin roasted chickpeas to the bowl with the corn kernels.
  • Next, add the fresh squeezed lime juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss everything together until well combined. Set aside.

Prepare the halloumi croutons:

  • Cut the halloumi into 16 even-sized cubes.
  • Add the cornstarch to a plate. Add two whisked eggs onto a second plate. And on a third plate you will combine the panko breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder and a few cracks of black pepper.
  • Take one cube of halloumi and dust it in the cornstarch. Next, you’ll dredge it through the egg wash and finally you will toss it in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat until all of the halloumi cubes are breaded.
  • In a medium-sized sauté pan add the vegetable oil over medium heat. You’ll want the oil hot, but not smoking before you fry the halloumi.
  • Fry about 4 pieces of the breaded halloumi at a time until golden brown. Turn frequently with tongs.
  • Place the croutons on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Season with a small pinch of salt when they are still hot.

Assemble the dish:

  • Add the corn salad to a platter. Top with the fried croutons, fresh lime wedges, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 2295mg, Potassium: 112mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 281IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 415mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 255