My chicken corn chowder is absolutely BURSTING with flavor and texture. It's perfectly creamy without being too heavy--perfect for using up that summer corn! Plus, you can make enough for the whole family in less than an hour. Recipe includes a how-to video!
1cup(236ml)wateror use another cup (236 ml) of chicken broth
1cup(236ml)whole milk
1cup(236ml)heavy cream
1lbGold potatoes diced into 1” cubesyou do not need to peel, but do remove any shoots
1lb(453g)boneless skinless chicken breast or mix of breast and thighsraw
2 ½cups(275g)sweet cornfresh, frozen, or canned (if frozen no need to thaw, if canned drain before using)
Desired toppings. We enjoy this chicken corn chowder plain but also like corn chips, Fritos, or crackers, scallions/green onions, additional jalapeno, cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, and more!
Instructions
Place bacon pieces in a large pot or Dutch oven. Turn heat to medium and cook until bacon is crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
6 strips uncooked bacon
Drain all but approximately 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease (you can eyeball it, no need to be exact! I like to use a ladle and ladle out the excess and pour it into a can to solidify before disposing of it).
Add butter to the pot with the remaining bacon grease and cook until butter is melted.
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Add diced onion, red pepper, and jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 minutes).
1 medium yellow onion, 1 red pepper, 1 Tablespoon diced jalapeno
Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until it’s fully absorbed. Cook another 30 seconds longer to lightly toast the flour.
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Stir in salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and ground mustard.
1 teaspoon table salt, ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon dry ground mustard
Slowly whisk in chicken broth until completely combined.
4 cups chicken broth
Add water, milk, cream, potatoes, chicken breast, and corn. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
1 cup water, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 lb Gold potatoes diced into 1” cubes, 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or mix of breast and thighs, 2 ½ cups sweet corn
Once chicken is cooked through, remove to a plate and shred or dice. Set aside and keep warm (I usually cover with foil).
Use an immersion blender to puree approximately half of the soup (see note if you do not have an immersion blender).
After pureeing, return chicken to the pot. Stir reserved bacon back into the pot (or to preserve its crispness, serve soup topped with bacon crumbles, but don’t skip the bacon entirely, it adds so much flavor!). Taste-test the soup, adding more salt/pepper as needed (any soup that tastes a bit bland almost always needs a few shakes more salt!)
Serve warm with desired toppings and enjoy!
Desired toppings. We enjoy this chicken corn chowder plain but also like corn chips, Fritos, or crackers, scallions/green onions, additional jalapeno, cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, and more!
Video
Notes
Bacon
The bacon adds a beautiful depth of flavor to the chowder that you can’t really get without it, but if you must omit the bacon use 5 Tablespoons of butter instead of the 3 listed. No other changes needed.
Potatoes
May substitute russet potatoes instead but I recommend peeling them before using.
Chicken
You may substitute a pound of precooked shredded or diced chicken instead! After pureeing the soup, add it to the pot and make sure it is warmed through before serving.
Blender
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer half of the soup to a blender in batches and puree that way. Alternatively you can use a potato masher to try and mash the soup though it won’t be as smooth/creamy this way.
Storing/Freezing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I generally do not recommend freezing soups that contain cream as the dairy may separate, making the consistency and texture not as smooth as it ought to be.