Chicken Corn Chowder
This chicken corn chowder recipe builds its body from a simple flour roux, so the broth turns thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, with smoky bacon, tender poached chicken, sweet corn, and Yukon Gold potatoes in one pot in about 55 minutes.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot - at least 5 quarts
- Sharp chef's knife - for dicing vegetables and potatoes
- Wooden cutting board
- Whisk and wooden spoon - for the roux and stirring
- Soup Ladle - for serving
- Tongs - for lifting out the chicken to shred
- Two forks - for shredding
- Immersion blender - (optional) for thickening the chowder by blending some potatoes
- OXO Swivel Peeler - (optional) for peeling potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon - chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 30 g
- 1 medium yellow onion - about 1 cup or 150 g, diced
- 2 stalks celery - diced
- 1 medium carrot - peeled and diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper - diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour - 40 g
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth - 950 ml
- 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes - 680 g, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) cubes, about 3 cups
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts - 450 g, left whole
- 3 cups corn kernels - 450 g, fresh, frozen, or drained canned
- 1 cup canned cream-style corn - 240 ml
- 1 cup heavy cream - 240 ml
- 1 cup whole milk - 240 ml
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Optional Garnish
- chopped chives or green onions - optional garnish
- shredded cheddar - optional garnish
- extra crumbled bacon - optional garnish
Instructions
- Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pieces are crisp and the fat has rendered out.Lift the bacon onto a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon and set it aside for garnish. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings, leaving that layer in the pot for flavor.
- Add the butter to the reserved drippings and let it melt over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery, carrot, and red bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent.Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and smoked paprika, and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes so the flour toasts and coats everything, cooking off the raw taste.The mixture will look thick and paste-like, which is exactly what thickens the broth later.
- Pour in the chicken broth gradually, whisking as you go to keep the roux lump-free. Add the bay leaf and the diced Yukon Gold potatoes.Nestle the whole chicken breasts into the liquid so they are submerged. Raise the heat and bring the pot to a gentle simmer.
- Keep the chowder at a steady simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).Use tongs to remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board, then shred the chicken with two forks and set it aside.
- Stir the corn kernels and the cream-style corn into the simmering pot. Let it cook for 5 minutes so the corn heats through and the cream-style corn thickens the broth further.
- Reduce the heat to low so the chowder is no longer boiling. Stir in the heavy cream, whole milk, and the shredded chicken.Warm everything through for 3 to 5 minutes without letting it boil, which keeps the dairy from breaking. Fish out and discard the bay leaf, then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Ladle the chowder into bowls. Top each with the reserved crispy bacon and a scatter of chives or green onions.Add shredded cheddar if you like, and serve hot.
Notes
- Toast the flour fully: Give the roux a full minute or two so the finished chowder never tastes pasty.
- Keep the dairy off the boil: Dumping cream into a rolling boil can curdle it into grainy flecks, so drop the heat to low before adding the cream and milk.
- Cut potatoes evenly: Uniform 1/2-inch cubes cook at the same rate and finish tender together.
- Use low-sodium broth: The bacon and any bouillon already add salt, so you want control at the end.
- Lean on the cream-style corn: A can of cream-style corn thickens the pot more reliably than an extra spoon of flour and adds a rounder sweetness.
- Thicken by blending, not just flour: A few pulses with an immersion blender against the potatoes makes it luxurious without more starch.
- Season at the very end: Salt after the dairy goes in, since the broth reduces and concentrates as it cooks.
- Storage: Cool the chowder, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over low to medium-low heat, stirring often, and loosen with a splash of broth or milk as needed. Avoid boiling on reheat.
- Freezing note: Cream-and-potato chowders can turn grainy once thawed, so freezing the finished soup is not ideal. For best results, freeze a dairy-free, potato-free base and add those fresh when reheating.
- Variations: Southwest style (add jalapeño, green chiles, and cumin), cheesy cheddar (stir in 1 to 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar off heat), rotisserie shortcut (stir in 2.5 cups pulled rotisserie chicken in Step 7), bacon-free (sauté vegetables in butter and olive oil, lean on smoked paprika), slow cooker (combine everything except dairy, cook on low 6 to 7 hours, then shred chicken and stir in cream), dairy-free (use full-fat coconut milk), loaded baked-potato style (finish with cheddar, sour cream, and extra bacon), or thigh swap (use chicken thighs for a richer, more forgiving protein).
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 25gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 690mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8g
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