The chicken and corn chowder is easy to make in one pot with shredded chicken, potatoes, bacon and corn in a creamy broth. It’s hearty and full of savory flavors!
Love soup recipes? Try my loaded baked potato soup, potato leek soup and buffalo chicken soup.
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Easy Chicken Corn Chowder
I love a nice thick and chunky soup recipe and this creamy chicken and corn chowder does not disappoint! Made in just one pot with easy-to-find ingredients, this chowder is ready to eat in just one hour.
It has similar taste to my hearty corn chowder and clam chowder recipe, but with shredded chicken like chicken gnocchi soup which makes it so delicious. I love serving it with a piece of crusty French bread or in a homemade bread bowl if I have the time.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Year-round favorite: When summer corn is in season late summer and early fall, this chowder really hits the spot on a crisp fall day!
- Creamy and comforting: A warm bowl of soup on a cold day warms the soul. Other comfort food we love include homemade chicken pot pie!
Ingredients
- Chicken: To save time, I like to use a leftover rotisserie chicken. It’s easy to shred and no extra cook time is needed. However you could always make your own shredded chicken from boneless skinless chicken breast if preferred.
- Corn: I used frozen corn but you can use fresh corn as well.
- Bacon: For this recipe, I would skip making oven bacon and follow directions to make bacon on the stovetop as the bacon grease adds flavor to the soup.
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes are my choice as they are starchy enough to not break down in the soup.
- Butter, onion and red bell pepper: Add rich flavor to the soup.
- Flour: Flour is used to thicken the soup.
- Chicken broth: This makes the base for the flavorful broth.
- Salt, pepper and nutmeg:
- Milk: Use whole milk or half-and-half for the best creamy texture in this chicken corn chowder recipe.
How to Make Chicken and Corn Chowder
- Fry bacon. Cut the bacon into 1/2″ pieces then cook in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once cooked, remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Simmer soup. Add the butter to bacon grease in pot then saute onions and bell pepper. Stir in flour, combine then stir in the chicken broth. Add in the potatoes, corn, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a light boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add milk. Add the milk into the soup with the chicken and simmer until thickened. Stir in removed bacon. Remove from heat.
- Serve. Ladle soup into bowls. Serve with desired toppings.
Tips and Variations
- Bacon grease. Don’t discard all of the bacon grease after cooking the bacon in the pot. Leave about 1/2 Tablespoon of grease in the pan to add extra flavor to the soup.
- Cheese. To make this a cheesy chicken and corn chowder, mix in about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese when adding in the milk.
- Spice. If you like heat, try adding in 1-2 chopped jalapenos. Remove the seeds if you don’t like overly spicy. A dash of cayenne pepper also works!
- Creamy. For an even creamier consistency, you may use heavy cream instead of milk or half and half.
- Toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, crumbled bacon, tortilla strips or crackers and chopped jalapenos.
More creamy soup recipes we love include crockpot potato soup, chicken pot pie soup, zuppa toscana and broccoli and cheese soup.
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Chicken and Corn Chowder
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Ingredients
- 6-12 strips bacon , reserve some for top
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 russet potatoes , peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 to 1 ½ cups whole milk or half-and-half , warmed
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken , shredded
Optional toppings: Shredded cheese and sliced green onions
Instructions
- Cook bacon. Cut 6-12 pieces of bacon into 1/2" pieces. Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once cooked, remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Leave about 1/2 Tablespoon of grease in the pan.
- Simmer soup. Add 1 Tablespoon butter to the pan with 1/2 cup chopped onions and 1 bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes then stir in the flour. Slowly stir in 3 cups chicken broth. Add in 3 diced russet potatoes, 2 cups corn, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Bring to a light boil and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Add cream and chicken. Add 1 1/2 cups milk into the soup with 2 cups cooked shredded chicken and simmer until it has begun to thicken. Add more if desired. Stir in bacon crumbles (reserving some for the top). Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve. Ladle soup into bowls. Serve with cheese, bacon crumbles and green onions if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
FAQs
Don’t forget to load on all your favorite toppings when serving! A simple salad and crusty bread are my preferences but my family loves when I make grilled cheese!
I find this plenty thick for my preferences! You can add a cornstarch slurry if you like then let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken.
This soup will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove top until warmed through.
Because of it’s creamy consistency from the milk (or half and half), I don’t recommend freezing the chowder. Dairy tends to separate when frozen, which can change the texture of the soup.
Categorized as: American, Chicken, Chicken, Dinner, Nut-Free, One Pot, One Pot, Soups, Stovetop, Stovetop
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Made this last night. (I literally googled “corn chowder” and found your recipe at the grocery store at 4:30pm :). Made some corn bread to go with it. My family loved it and has asked for it to be added to the rotation. I followed the recipe for the most part, with just a couple of small changes: I didn’t feel like dealing with bacon, so I added a teaspoon of smoked paprika for that smoky flavor. It worked great. Also, I used Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russet because that is what I tend to always have on hand. Like I said, this one is a keeper. Thank you!
So glad your family enjoyed the chicken and corn chowder! Smoked paprika sounds like a great addition :)