Chicken Corn Chowder (lighter!)

Chowder, anyone? Try a hearty, slightly untraditional, chicken corn chowder. Chock-full of vegetables, this soup is outstanding!

At a glance

What stands out: Chicken chowder is satisfying. Since it has a lot of veggies, it’s nutritious, too.

How long it takes: 50 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large pan or Dutch oven
Servings: 4

About This chicken corn chowder

• Chowder is comfort food. When we're thinking comfort food, our thoughts often turn to creamy soups. They just satisfy the stomach and the soul. Chicken corn chowder fills that niche beautifully.
• The soup is colorful and nutritious. It is beautiful, isn’t it? Bright green cilantro, deep green poblano, scarlet red bell peppers, brilliant yellow corn, floating dreamily on a creamy background, provide a feast for the eyes, and of course, lots of nutrition, too.
• You can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn. During summer months, take advantage of the abundance of sweet corn that farm markets are offering and make this chowder with freshly cut corn kernels for a special treat. But don’t worry, frozen or canned corn are great substitutes.
• It’s lighter than traditional recipes: This recipe for chowder strays a little from a traditional chowder. No seafood or potatoes in chicken corn chowder! You may find it appeals to a wider audience because it’s not a heavy soup, and the veggies provide so much fresh flavor. It isn’t loaded with cream and cheese so this chowder is good for you, too.
• The chowder reheats well. You’re going to love this chicken corn chowder. It’s hearty and fresh tasting. With lots of texture, taste, and creaminess, this chowder hits all the sweet spots. In fact, make a double batch. You’re going to want it again tomorrow. (And it reheats beautifully.)

How it comes together

Start by cooking the bacon. Bacon seems to find its way into our recipes on a frequent basis. It just adds so much flavor. Start this chowder by sautéing bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven until it’s nice and crispy. Set aside the bacon to add later, and reserve the grease.

Sauté the chicken and veggies. Next in the pot with the bacon grease goes cubed chicken breast, onions, celery, red bell pepper, and poblano pepper. Sauté until the veggies are softened. So far, so good, right?

Make a roux. This chowder is thickened with a roux. The fat is already in the pot so add a fourth cup of all-purpose flour. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. The flour will coat the chicken and vegetables. That’s okay.

What is a roux?

Simply put, a roux is flour and fat cooked together to thicken sauces, soups, etc.

Add the broth and corn; simmer. Next up is chicken broth. Slowly stir a couple cups of broth into the soup. Add a few cups of corn and let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the milk, bacon, and cilantro. Add a cup and a half of milk, crumbled bacon, and lots of fresh cilantro. Stir until heated and you’re ready to serve your chowder.

Serve chicken corn chowder with crackers or cornbread muffins. Fresh fruit or a green salad are reliable accompaniments.

Before you start

Make It Your Own

Use this recipe as a base and make substitutions as you like. Here a few suggestions:

• Make seafood chowder instead of chicken. Substitute seafood of your choice for the chicken: clams, shrimp, scallops, haddock, etc. or a combination. Keep in mind that the cooking time will vary depending on which seafood you choose.
• Omit the bacon. While this chowder recipe is made with bacon for added flavor, you can also make it without bacon. Sauté the vegetables and chicken in a couple tablespoons of olive oil instead. Try adding some smoked paprika to get that smoky flavor!
• Vegetarian chowder: Omit both the bacon and chicken. Add one pound of cubed potatoes instead. Stir the potatoes in with the broth and corn and cook until tender.
• Cheesy chowder: Stir in 2 cups shredded cheese just before serving.

Make Ahead Ideas

Time saving tip: Chop the onions, celery, bell pepper, and poblano the night before and put them in a zip top bag in the fridge.

To Freeze: Prepare the soup as directed, except don’t add the milk and fresh cilantro. Slightly undercook the vegetables. Cool completely and freeze for up to 3 months in freezer containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove. When soup has heated, stir in milk and cilantro.

If you plan on freezing the soup, don’t add potatoes because they tend to get mushy when frozen.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Leftover chicken corn chowder can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for three or four days.

Reheat: Gently reheat the soup in a pan on the stove until it reaches a simmer. Don’t let it boil hard or it may separate. Individual portions can be microwaved.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan (it’s free!) that includes this chowder recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #49. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.

Browse Meal Plans

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 poblano pepper, diced (about ¾ cup)
• ½ cup finely chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups thawed frozen whole kernel corn, canned corn, or fresh corn
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1½ cups 2% milk (or whole milk)

Method

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, keeping grease in the pot.
2. Add onions, chicken, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, celery, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and cook until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.
3. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Slowly add broth while stirring. Add corn. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Reduce heat to low and stir in milk, bacon, and cilantro. Leave on low heat to warm through if needed.
6. Serve immediately.

Notes

Make ahead tip: Chop the veggies the night before and store in the fridge.

Seafood chowder: Substitute seafood of your choice for the chicken: clams, shrimp, scallops, haddock, etc. or a combination. Reduce cooking time accordingly.

Omit the bacon if you wish. Sauté the vegetables and chicken in a couple tablespoons of olive oil instead.

Vegetarian chowder by omitting both the bacon and chicken. Add one pound of cubed potatoes. Stir the potatoes in with the broth and corn and cook until tender.

Cheesy chowder, stir in 2 cups shredded cheese just before serving.