Dice the red onion finely and set aside. Seed and finely dice the jalapeños—I like to wear gloves when handling these to protect my hands from the oils. Chop the fresh cilantro and crumble the cotija cheese, keeping each ingredient separate in small bowls. Zest the limes and set the zest aside, then juice both limes into a separate small bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, prepare the corn: if using fresh corn, roast it on a baking sheet at 425°F for 25-30 minutes until the kernels are caramelized and tender; if using frozen corn, simply heat it in a skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until warmed through. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, then toss it lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking. Spread the pasta on a clean sheet pan or large plate and let it cool to room temperature—this prevents the warm pasta from breaking down the creamy dressing.

In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and honey. Whisk until smooth and well combined. I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the seasoning—add a touch more salt or lime juice if needed, as the dressing will need to season the entire salad.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 2 with the roasted corn, diced red onion, cilantro, cotija cheese, and diced jalapeños. Pour the creamy lime-chili dressing over the mixture and stir gently until everything is well coated and evenly combined. Let the salad rest for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.