Preheat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot (about 4–5 minutes). Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread. Add the fresh corn kernels in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and let cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until charred on one side. Stir or toss and continue cooking another 3–4 minutes until several kernels are darkly charred but not burnt.

Transfer charred corn to a bowl and let cool slightly while you prepare other vegetables.

Prepare vegetables and cheese

While corn is cooling, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red bell pepper, finely chop the red onion, roughly chop the cilantro, and finely mince the jalapeño (remove seeds if you want less heat). Crumble the cotija or feta. Combine tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño and cheese in a large mixing bowl.

Add the slightly cooled charred corn to the bowl with the vegetables and toss gently to combine.

Make dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise (1/2 cup), Greek yogurt (1/4 cup), lime juice (3 tablespoons), lime zest (1 teaspoon), minced garlic (1 clove), chili powder (1 teaspoon), ground cumin (1/2 teaspoon), 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt (1 teaspoon) and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) until smooth and homogenous.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add more lime juice for brightness, more chili powder for heat, or a pinch of sugar if you prefer balance.

Combine salad and finish

Pour the dressing over the corn-vegetable mixture and toss thoroughly so all components are coated. Let sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld (or refrigerate up to 1 hour).

Before serving, taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lime. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle extra crumbled cotija or feta and chopped green onion on top. Serve with lime wedges on the side.