Char 4 cups of corn in a dry skillet, then fold it with 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken into a sauce of cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and lime. Spread it in a 9 by 13 dish, top with mozzarella, bake 20 to 22 minutes at 375°F, broil until golden and finish with cotija.

Yes. Simmer 1¾ lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs in salted water for 12 to 15 minutes, until 165°F, then shred. Rotisserie chicken is quicker and already seasoned, so add ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp chili powder to 4 cups of poached chicken. Either way, use halal chicken.

Yes, both work. For the 9 by 13, use 2⅔ to 3 cans (15 oz each), drained and patted dry, or about 21 oz of frozen corn, thawed and dried. From fresh corn you need 5 to 6 medium ears. The corn table covers every dish size.

For charring, yes. Frozen kernels release water as they heat and steam instead of browning. Thaw them in a sieve under cool water, then pat dry. Unthawed corn can go straight into the casserole if you skip the char, but it tastes sweeter and less smoky.

Feta is the closest swap: salty, crumbly and white. Use the same amount and cut the added salt to ½ tsp. Queso fresco is milder and softer. Either way, crumble it on after the broil so it keeps its texture.

Not as written. Two teaspoons of chili powder and a teaspoon of smoked paprika in the 9 by 13 give warmth and color, not heat. For a spicy version, add jalapeño or chipotle from the twists; for a very mild one, halve the chili powder.

This one does not. Mayonnaise is classic on elote, but in a baked casserole it can turn oily. Cream cheese and sour cream give a steadier, creamier sauce. For the mayo tang, swap ¼ cup of the sour cream for mayonnaise, or add it to the crema drizzle.

Yes. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead, then cover and refrigerate it unbaked. Bake straight from the fridge at 375°F, adding 5 to 8 minutes, then broil and add the cotija, cilantro and lime as usual.

Yes, for up to 2 months. Freeze it baked and cooled, in portions or the whole dish, wrapped airtight and without the cotija and cilantro. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 350°F; stir portions once, as the sauce can look a little looser.

A crisp green salad with lime, cilantro-lime rice, warm tortillas and seasoned black beans. For a party, add tortilla chips and salsa. The serving cards have the details.

375°F (190°C). A 9 by 13 takes 20 to 22 minutes, until bubbling at the edges, then 2 to 3 minutes under the broiler. An 8 by 8 takes 18 to 20 minutes, ramekins 15 to 18, and two 9 by 13 dishes 22 to 25, swapped halfway.

Mozzarella for the stretchy pull on the pin, with cotija on top for salt. Monterey Jack melts just as well with a little more flavor, and pepper Jack adds heat. Hard grated cheeses turn grainy in the filling, so keep them out.

Usually wet corn or nonfat dairy. Canned and thawed corn must be patted dry, full-fat cream cheese and sour cream hold together better, and a 5-minute rest lets the sauce set. Greek yogurt works too, as long as it is 2% or full-fat.

Yes, with a halal rotisserie chicken (or halal chicken cooked at home) and cheeses checked as the note above the steps describes. There is no alcohol anywhere in it, and the turkey twist uses halal ground turkey.