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This chicken and corn chowder recipe is cozy, flavorful, and easy to make. Bacon makes this recipe extra delicious!
You may also like my Ham and Corn Chowder, which was inspired by this one.
Why you’ll love it
Corn chowder is already comforting, but pairing it with juicy chicken and crispy bacon takes it over the top in this simple recipe that’s made all in one pot. It’s one of my go-to meals in late summer especially, but I find myself craving it year-round.
Corn is good any time of year if you buy it frozen, but there’s something special about enjoying corn when it’s in season in late summer through fall. Corn chowder always hits the spot as the weather starts to turn a little crisp. I also love using it in my Creamy Corn Chowder and this Salmon Chowder!
What exactly is chowder?
- Ok, so we’ve all heard the word “chowder” and know that it’s a soup, but why are some soups called chowders while others aren’t? So, according to the internet, chowders are soups that are often thickened by way of a roux. That’s pretty much what we’re doing here since we’ve got the flour as our main thickening agent. Other methods include broken crackers.
- They typically contain fish, clams, or corn with potatoes and onions. I don’t know about you, but it seems like a weird definition. Like why group fish and clams with potatoes, corn, and onions and decide to classify it as “chowder” rather than “soup”? If anyone wants to do more in-depth research than I’ve conducted or knows why, please let me know. 😛
Ingredients for it
- Bacon – I find it’s easiest to cut up bacon with kitchen shears
- Chicken – we’re using chicken breasts in this recipe
- Onion, garlic, and celery – for the tasty base of the soup
- Flour – a thickening agent
- Chicken broth – a 32 oz carton of broth equals 4 cups. Just pour the entire thing in for this recipe. If you’re sensitive to salt, I suggest using low-sodium chicken broth. Chicken stock works too!
- Corn – feel free to use fresh corn (just cut if off the cob with a knife) if you have some. Canned corn isn’t quite as good, so I’d choose frozen over canned.
- Heavy cream – for added richness and thickness
- Potatoes – we prefer Russet in this recipe
- Italian seasoning – it’s a blend of dried herbs in a single convenient jar
- Cayenne – a pinch of cayenne pepper is optional but adds a little warmth
How to make chicken and corn chowder
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook your bacon in a large pot until crispy, then take it out of the pot and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the grease in the pot. This adds so much flavor to the soup! Sauté the onion and celery in it.
Stir in the flour, and cook it for about a minute to cook out that “flour” taste. Add the garlic to the pot, and deglaze with the chicken broth.
Put in the remaining ingredients, saving some of the bacon for topping it later, and simmer until the potatoes are done and the soup has thickened as desired. Season with salt & pepper and garnish with chopped scallions if you like.
Pro tip
- I’ve had a few people ask me in the comments if the chicken should be added in raw. Yes! There’s no need to pre-cook it because it has plenty of time to cook in the soup. Over-cooking chicken makes it dry and rubbery.
Substitutions and variations
- I have tested this chicken chowder recipe with other potatoes besides Russets. I made this with 1.5 pounds of yellow little potatoes (baby Yukon golds) cut into halves/quarters and it turned out fine, but I prefer Russets.
- We don’t recommend substituting the heavy cream for something with a lower fat content. We’re not using a ton of it here, and it makes the chowder that much tastier!
- This is a fairly thick soup. If you like a thinner consistency better, just add a little more broth or water as necessary.
What to serve with it
- It’s one of those meals that’s perfect on its own with a big slice of crusty bread.
- If you do want to pair it with a salad, try this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad.
Leftovers and storage
- This chowder will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Simply reheat in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
- You could try to freeze it, but sometimes dairy doesn’t hold up after thawing, so the texture may change. It should still taste fine, though. If you plan to have a lot of leftovers, you can leave the cream out before freezing and add it in later!
Will you give this chicken and corn chowder a try? Questions? Ask me in the comments. 🙂
Easy Chicken and Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- 2 large uncooked chicken breasts cut into small bite-size pieces
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 2 cups frozen or fresh corn
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 3 medium-to-large Russet potatoes peeled & diced
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch cayenne pepper optional
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Scallions chopped, optional for serving
Instructions
- Prep your bacon (I find kitchen shears the easiest thing to cut it up with) and add it to a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy (about 10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, prep your onion, celery, chicken and potatoes.
- Once the bacon is crispy, take it out of the pot and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the grease in the pot (it adds a ton of flavor).
- Add the onion and celery to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly.
- Add in the garlic, followed by the chicken broth. Give it a good stir to ensure the flour has dissolved and everything is scraped up from the bottom of the pot.
- Add in the chicken, corn, cream, potatoes, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, and 3/4 of the bacon (I save the rest for garnishing the bowls later on). Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer so it's gently boiling. Cover the pot with the lid slightly open.
- Cook until the potatoes are done (about 15-20 minutes). Stir every so often. The soup will get thicker the longer you cook it.
- Season the soup with salt & pepper as needed. Garnish with the rest of the bacon and chopped scallions if desired.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.
- Yes, the chicken will cook right in the soup. If you want to use already cooked/rotisserie chicken, add in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking so it doesn’t dry out too much since it’s already cooked.
- Anywhere around the 1.5-2 pound ballpark will work for the potatoes if you want to weigh them.
- This is a fairly thick soup. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a splash more broth or water as needed.
- If you’re sensitive to salt, use low-sodium chicken broth.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve made this soup in the past and it is a 5 star recipe! I wonder can you substitute the heavy whipping cream for milk instead?
I’m so glad you like it! I think you could try, but I had one reader that used half-and-half and the soup curdled, so part of me is a little worried that could happen with milk. Perhaps try it, but cook it at a lower temperature. I imagine the soup will end up a bit less rich/creamy with milk, but I think it could still work. Let me know if you do try!
Ok. I love good food. I cook every night that I’m able. I manage restaurants. I have never been inspired to write a review of a recipe found online. Until now. This is epic. It was incredibly easy to make, and unbelievably delicious. Thank you!
Aww well that’s quite the compliment! Thank you, Ashley 🙂
My new favorite recipe! I will DEFINITELY make this again!!! I almost always use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast, but that’s the only change I made. Amazing recipe! YUM!!
That’s awesome!! Thanks so much for leaving me a review!
Corn starch instead of flour?
Hi! You could try, but I’d add a little less since it’s more powerful. Typically flour is used in recipes like this, but if you have a sensitivity to it, hopefully the cornstarch will work as well. Let me know!
Yeah I added 1/8 cup of corn starch because I didnt have flower but it still came out great!
My husband has been sick for almost two weeks now, and requested some canned soup. His favorite is chicken corn chowder. I didn’t buy the cans and I’m going to make him this tonight instead! I already have some precooked and shredded chicken because I indulged his whim for chicken salad earlier today. Otherwise, I’m going to follow your recipe, unlike most of the other commenters here! 😆 I can’t wait for dinner!!
P.S. I found you through Instagram. I follow the hashtag #instantpot and you popped up in my feed! Yay, hashtags!
I hope you enjoy it and that your husband feels better soon!! 🙂 So glad you found me on IG – I guess using hashtags does work haha.
Loved it! My folks were here for the weekend. I made this for them, my dad commented ” grab the pot of the chowder and make a run for it”. Very easy, deep flavors. Next time I might add a small can of Mexi-corn. Awesome! Thank you for a wonderful dinner.
Yay I’m so happy it was a hit! Thanks for letting me know, Tina! XO
Just made this soup, but had to make a few adjustments since I didn’t have some ingredients. No celery, so I used carrots and used boneless chicken thigh meat. This is one of the best recipes for this soup that I’ve ever had.! Will definitely be making again!
I’m so happy it worked out, Amy!
Can this be made and refrigerated overnight?
Sure! Just reheat on a low heat and make sure to stir it well as you’re reheating.
I really really really love this recipe! I had never had chicken corn chowder before but went to a bar that served it and I LOVED IT and wanted to try to make my own. I found your recipe and I’m so glad I did! I just made it for my friend who owns a restaurant and she liked it so much that she took a photo and posted it on Facebook!
Yay I am so happy you like it! 😀
Thanks for this awesome recipe! Just made some for our supper, with only a few variations. No flour in my pantry, so I used cornstarch instead, which allows my son in law with gluten sensitivity to partake, as well. We also omitted the potato, but with all the flavors, it was hardly missed and we eliminated a good amount of carbs/sugar by doing so. Additionally, my husband insisted we cook the diced chicken in some of the bacon drippings before adding, as he is nervous about raw meat. I think this was an easy enough step to add, for our family. Simple to make with a great combination of flavors. Will be added to my favorites. Thanks again!
You’re very welcome!
Can you clarify whether you use cooked chicken or raw chicken in this recipe? Thanks!
Sorry…just saw that someone else asked this question and you responded that the chicken should be raw. Guess you can ignore my question!
No worries! I’m wondering why so many people are asking this question for this recipe in particular. If you see this, let me know haha.
Can you freeze this chowder
You could try. Just reheat on a low heat. ☺️
Thank you I’ll let you know how it turns out. Making it for my daughter who is just learning how to cook, it is one of her favorites. 😁
I hope it turns out! 🙂