Cozy up with a bowl of this homemade chicken and corn chowder! This hearty soup is the perfect blend of comfort and flavor.
It’s loaded with tender chicken, sweet corn, and creamy potatoes, all swimming in a rich, smoky broth. It's a satisfying one-pot meal that'll warm you from the inside out.
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I always serve it with a side of crusty bread for dipping to soak it all up.
I guarantee this chowder will become a regular in your meal rotation!
Why You'll Love This Chicken and Corn Chowder
Comfort Food: This hearty chowder is the ultimate comfort meal, perfect for cozy nights or warming up on chilly days.
Full of Flavor: The combination of smoky bacon, sweet corn, and tender chicken creates a rich, satisfying flavor profile.
One-Pot Wonder: With all ingredients cooked in a single pot, this recipe minimizes cleanup time and maximizes convenience.
Crowd-Pleaser: The familiar ingredients and comforting texture make this chowder perfect for family dinners and gatherings.
Ingredients
- Cooked Shredded Chicken: It’s tender, juicy, and packed with protein.
- Corn Kernels: Fresh or frozen, they add a delightful texture to every spoonful.
- Bacon: They elevate this chowder to new heights of deliciousness.
- Yellow Onion, Garlic, Celery Stalks, and Red Bell Pepper: The aromatic foundation of the chowder.
- All-Purpose Flour: It thickens the chowder, creating a luscious, velvety texture.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: It infuses every ingredient with a rich, comforting taste.
- Russet Potatoes: These diced potatoes make the chowder hearty and filling.
- Heavy Cream: Just a cup adds an indulgent richness. It’ll have your tastebuds singing.
- Dried Thyme, Smoked Paprika, Salt, and Black Pepper: The perfect blend of herbs and spices to amp up the flavor.
- Green Onions: Chopped and sprinkled on top, they add a pop of color and a subtle onion flavor.
How to Make Chicken and Corn Chowder
This one-pot meal couldn’t be any easier!
1. Cook the bacon. In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper to the pot with the bacon drippings. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
3. Add the garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
4. Incorporate the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
5. Add the liquid. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
6. Cook the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes, thyme, and smoked paprika. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
7. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the corn kernels, shredded chicken, and heavy cream. Let the chowder simmer for another 5 minutes until heated through.
8. Finish the chowder. Mix half of the reserved bacon bits into the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve and garnish. Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with the remaining crispy bacon bits and chopped green onions. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread for a hearty meal. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Chicken and Corn Chowder
Follow these easy tips for a chowder you’ll never forget.
- Choose your favorite chicken. Use rotisserie chicken for convenience, or poach and shred chicken breasts for a leaner option.
- Choose the best corn. Use fresh corn when in season, frozen corn for convenience, or a mix of both for varied textures.
- Pick the right potatoes. Choose waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold for better texture and less mushiness in the chowder.
- Swap out the cream. Use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream for a lighter yet still creamy consistency. You can also use coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Try tasty variations. Try seafood chowder by replacing chicken with shrimp or clams, or make it vegetarian with extra vegetables and vegetable broth. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.
- Thicken it up. If you prefer a thicker chowder, mash some of the potatoes with a fork or use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup before adding the cream.
How to Store
Here’s how to store leftover chowder to enjoy all week.
To Store: Allow the chowder to cool completely before transferring it to an air-tight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
To Reheat: Warm the chowder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. Microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until hot.
Chicken and Corn Chowder
This creamy chicken and corn chowder is the definition of comfort food! It's savory, sweet, and full of so much goodness.
6
servings10
minutes30
minutes483
kcalIngredients
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
- Add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper to the pot with the bacon drippings. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Add the diced potatoes, thyme, and smoked paprika. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the corn kernels, shredded chicken, and heavy cream. Let the chowder simmer for another 5 minutes until heated through.
- Mix half of the reserved bacon bits into the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with the remaining crispy bacon bits and chopped green onions. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread for a hearty meal. Enjoy!
45 Comments
Absolutely delicious.
Sounds absolutely delicious. Fixing it today. Could you sauté the vegetables and cook the bacon and then add it to a crock pot to finish cooking it? Thanks so much for your recipes. Love them.
Betty Whatley
We’re snowed in at our cabin and didn’t have any meat thawed. Had 2 cans of chicken breast and decided to make this as I had most of the ingredients. Actually, all except for the celery, which I’d definitely add the next time. I only had 4 cups of chicken broth, so that’s all that was added and I think it was plenty. I did add about 2 tbsp of Chicken Better Than Bullion to “up” the flavor. This was outstanding! Perfect for a snowed-in evening! It’s definitely a keeper – my husband keeps raving about the flavor. I would definitely say this is “insanely good”!
I made this soup! It was insanely delicious!
Can I substitute great northern beans for the diced potatoes?
Well, I changed this up a bit, but it still was hearty and delicious. 1st I used the ip! Sauteed the bacon onion and multicolored chopped peppers. Then I added ground turkey and let it cook a bit, then the potatoes, the above spices and broth. Turned the ip on for 15 mins . When done, added fresh frozen corn and Mexican street corn and cheddar cheese. Excellent results!
Loved this soup! I used left over mashed potatoes instead of the diced potatoes vs the cubed potatoes, which added to the flavor .
Loved the smoky flavor from the paprika.
Great soup for a cold evening 👌. Also shared it with a sick friend. I’m sure she’ll recover better now.
It was so easy to make and delicious!
Wonderful recipe especially when I use the alternative for heavy cream and the potato suggestion of starchy potatoes!
Great recipe…..except the 6 cups of chicken broth seemed a bit much….soni only used 4 cups
This recipe is just fab! I try and make enough to share with my neighbors. Thanks so much for sharing with your culinary friends.
Though the prep took me awhile, the end result was wonderful! My picky husband loved it! Great recipe. Have 3 more meals to eat up. Froze 2 two meals and refrigerated for 2 portions for later this week.
Yum, yum, yum! Definitely a keeper. ❤️
This soup was delectable. I added egg noodles and carrots which are my chicken soup favs, and my entire family enjoyed it with the cornbread suggested. Thank you for a lovely meal meant for a cold winter’s night. Watch out, Chili!
This is so delicious! I would love to save it but I don’t see a save button Thank you!
This chowder is so tasty that I plan on serving it for our casual Christmas Eve meal. I’ll add a Texas cornbread and green salad for a balanced meal and serve gingerbread for dessert! This is one of THE best soups EVER!!!!
I made this just as stated & it was wonderful!!! Will definately make again – flavors were even better the next day!!
This dish is so good!!! I wanted to try something new with left over chicken. I followed the recipe exactly and after a taste test at the end I added about a tsp of dark brown sugar for a touch of sweetness. My husband is a picky eater but he loved it!! I would certainly make it again.
I can’t wait to try this soup recipe, especially with the cold weather settling in. I have made a countless number of your recipes and have found them all to be worthy of making them again. Thanks for all the work you put in sharing these on a daily basis.