This creamy chicken corn chowder is loaded with fresh corn, potatoes, zucchini, and topped with crispy bacon! It's the perfect hearty soup to keep you cozy all winter long! I also love making it in the summer with fresh sweet corn.
You might also like this creamy chicken chili or this hearty chicken wild rice soup!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few ingredients to make this creamy chicken corn chowder!
Chicken - I sear the chicken breasts and cook them in the soup, but you can also use leftover rotisserie chicken or my easy poached chicken!
Bacon - Not only is the crispy bacon a great topper for the chowder, but cooking the chicken and onions in the bacon fat adds so much extra flavor!
Corn - Fresh corn is best for this recipes so that you can get all the extra pulp from the cobs to help make the chowder creamy.
Potatoes - I prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes for this soup, but red potatoes work well too!
Zucchini - This is optional, but I love adding extra veggies to my soups! You could leave it out or substitute yellow squash.
Flour - This is used to make a roux and thicken the soup, but you could also use a cornstarch slurry if you want a gluten-free option.
Vegetable Stock - I always use homemade vegetable stock because that's what I have on hand. But you can also use store-bought vegetable stock or chicken stock! Just note, if using store-bought stock you may need to reduce the salt content of the soup.
White Wine - This is completely optional, I just love the extra flavor it adds to the broth.
Cheese - This is optional, but I love adding either parmesan, gruyere, or cheddar to the chowder for extra flavor!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Additions & Substitutions
This chicken corn chowder is super versatile!
- Spinach - I love adding a few handfuls of fresh spinach to the chowder for extra veggies.
- Jalapeños - For a spicier soup, add in 2 diced jalapeños when you sauté the onions!
- Cream Cheese - Add in 8 ounces of cream cheese for an extra creamy, cheesy chowder! You can do this instead of or in addition to the cream.
- Frozen Corn - If you don't use fresh corn, you can substitute 1 cup of frozen corn plus a 15 ounce can of creamed corn.
- Canned Corn - Substitute one 15 ounce can of regular corn kernels plus one 15 ounce can of creamed corn for the best flavor.
How to Make Chicken Corn Chowder
Slice the corn kernels off the cob. Then take each ear of corn and use the back of your knife so scrape any remaining pulp into a bowl. This helps add an extra creamy texture to the chowder.
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon pieces are crispy (5-10 minutes).
Remove the cooked bacon from the pot and set aside.
Quickly sear the chicken breasts in the bacon grease for about a minute on both sides. Then remove and set aside.
Add in the butter, onion, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and aromatic. Then stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot!
Add in the corn, potatoes, zucchini, chicken breasts, thyme, and spices. Then cover with the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken breasts and shred with a fork, then set aside.
For a thicker, creamier chowder, remove about ⅓ of the soup (around 3 cups) and puree in a blender. Then add back into the soup.
Add in the heavy cream, cheese, shredded chicken, and green onions and cook for another 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Spoon the chicken corn chowder into bowls and top with the crispy bacon pieces.
Recipe FAQ's
This soup is great on it's own, but I recommend serving with tortilla chips or my fluffy sourdough dinner rolls!
Store soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days!
Since this chicken chowder contains cream, I don't recommend freezing it. However, you can freeze a portion of the soup BEFORE adding in the cream and cheese, and then add in the remaining cream later when it's time to serve.
Yes, with just a few variations! Follow steps 1-6 in a large skillet and then add to a slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the cream, cheese, and green onions) and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours. Stir in the cream, cheese, and green onions and let cook for another 20 minutes.
Yes! Instead of using flour to thicken the chowder, use a cornstarch slurry at the end! Dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and stir into the soup.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder with Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup white cooking wine, optional
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 6 ears fresh corn
- 2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, diced (about 5 medium potatoes)
- 1 medium zucchini, diced (optional)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream, substitute whole milk
- ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese, substitute cheddar or parmesan
- ¼ cup green onions, diced
Instructions
- Slice the corn kernels off the cob. Then take each ear of corn and use the back of your knife so scrape any remaining pulp into a bowl. This helps add an extra creamy texture to the chowder.
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon pieces are crispy (5-10 minutes).
- Remove the cooked bacon from the pot and set aside. Discard all but 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon grease.
- Quickly sear the chicken breasts in the bacon grease for about a minute on both sides. Then remove and set aside.
- Add in the butter, onion, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and aromatic. Then stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot!
- Add in the corn, potatoes, zucchini, seared chicken breasts, thyme, and spices. Then cover with the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred with a fork, then set aside.
- For a thicker, creamier chowder, remove about ⅓ of the soup (around 3 cups) and puree in a blender. Then add back into the soup.
- Add in the heavy cream, cheese, shredded chicken, and green onions and cook for another 10-15 minutes until heated through.
- Spoon the chicken corn chowder into bowls and top with the crispy bacon pieces.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Sarah says
Amazing recipe. Added a few diced carrots too. Was a huge hit with the family.
Stephany says
THE BEST SOUP ON THIS BLOG OMGGGG
Sabrina says
Such a comforting, yummy warming soup. Delicious!
Audrey says
This was the perfect cozy meal!
Audrey says
This was great on a cold winter day!