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Home / Main Dishes / Soup

Hearty Homemade Corn Chowder

4.84
/5
50 minutes minutes
376 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Pin
By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 09/16/2018

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Cozy up to a big bowl of this homemade corn chowder! Easy to make with either fresh or frozen corn, it’s a great year-round soup!

Cozy corn chowder, made with tender potatoes, salty bacon and sweet corn!  Perfect as a weeknight meal!  Crockpot directions too! #soup #chowder #cornchowder #fall #souprecipe #weeknightmeal #crockpot #slowcooker

I cannot wait to get into soup season!  Normally we eat soup year round, but this summer has been insanely hot.  And sadly, it still is.  Here is is mid-September, and we’ve only had 2 semi-cool days.  I say bring on the chilly weather!

There’s not a whole lot I love more than a thick and hearty soup… actually, a chowder.  Chowders are so rich and stick-to-your-ribs fantastic!

Ladle full of corn chowder

CAN YOU FREEZE CORN CHOWDER?

I love freezing soups, but due to the dairy and potatoes in this one, I don’t recommend freezing it as is.  If you REALLY want to try it, here’s what I would try:

  • Skip adding the half and half during step #8.  Instead, add it in when reheating the soup.
  • Cool soup completely, then add to freezer-safe containers and freeze 1-2 months.
  • To thaw, place containers in the refrigerator overnight or until thawed completely.  
  • Reheat in dutch oven or soup pot and once heated through, add half and half and stir to heat.  Serve as directed.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE CORN CHOWDER THICKER?

I would say this chowder is about a medium thickness, but if you’d like it thicker, there are a few options.

  • Puree more of the soup in the blender, or alternatively, mash some with a potato masher.
  • Before adding in the half and half, whisk a tablespoon or so of cornstarch into the half and half, then add to the soup as directed.
  • Add equal parts softened butter and flour and knead together with your fingers or a wooden spoon until a thick paste has formed.  Add to the finished soup and stir until the heat has melted the butter.  This is called a Buerre Manie and it’s a great way to thicken sauces, soups, roasts, etc.

Overhead view of corn chowder in white bowl

CAN CORN CHOWDER BE MADE IN THE SLOW COOKER?

Absolutely!  I get it, some days the last thing you want to do is stand by the stove for 30 minutes.  On those days, the slow cooker is my best friend!  Slow cooker directions are listed below the recipe.

CAN YOU ADD CHICKEN OR CHEESE TO THIS CORN CHOWDER?

Sure can!  Sometimes I add about a cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese to the soup, or add a sprinkling of cheese when serving.  Chicken is also a fabulous addition!  For this, I like to use shredded chicken, from leftovers or a rotisserie chicken.

Holding a bowl of creamy corn chowder

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CORN CHOWDER

  • Ultimate Grilled Cheese
  • Cheesy Garlic Crescents
  • No-Knead Artisan Bread
  • Simple Green Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Spoonful of corn chowder

HELPFUL TOOLS:

  • Dutch Oven – My favorite soup pot!
  • Immersion Blender – If you don’t have one, these are incredibly handy!  No need to transfer hot soups to a blender.
  • Traditional Blender – This is my favorite traditional blender!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Cozy corn chowder, made with tender potatoes, salty bacon and sweet corn!  Perfect as a weeknight meal!  Crockpot directions too! #soup #chowder #cornchowder #fall #souprecipe #weeknightmeal #crockpot #slowcooker

Hearty Homemade Corn Chowder

4.84 from 161 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
Print Rate Pin
Cozy up to a big bowl of this homemade corn chowder! Easy to make with either fresh or frozen corn, it's a great year-round soup!

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon, diced
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 cups water (chicken broth or vegetable broth may be substituted)
  • 8 ears yellow sweet corn (husks and silks removed)
  • 1 lb. yukon gold or baby red potatoes , sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
  • handful of chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  • Slice corn kernels off the cob and set aside.  Take each ear of corn and hold it over a bowl.  Use either the back of your knife or a spoon and scrape any remaining pulp and juice from the cobs.
  • Cook bacon pieces in large heavy bottomed pot (like a dutch oven) over MED heat.  Cook about 5-8 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.  Use a slotted spoon to remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
  • Use a clean paper towel to absorb some of the bacon grease, reserving about 1 Tbsp of grease in the pot.  Add butter and melt over MED heat.
  • Add diced onions and cook about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and flour and cook about 1 minute, stirring often.
  • While whisking, pour in water and increase heat to MED-HIGH.  Add in corn, potatoes, thyme, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper.  Stir and bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to MED-LOW and simmer.
  • Simmer, stirring every so often, for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.
  • Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup until smooth.  Alternatively, remove about 3 cups of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.  Stir the blended soup back into the pot.
  • Add in half and half, reserved corn juice, and about half the chives.  Stir in and heat through.
  • Serve sprinkled with remaining chives and cooked bacon pieces, if desired.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated magazine (August 2011)

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS:

  • Cook bacon in skillet.  Set aside to drain on a paper towel-lined plate (this will be used as a garnish).
  • Add all ingredients (except half and half, chives, and cooked bacon) to a 6 qt or larger slow cooker.  Stir well, cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
  • Use immersion blender to blend about half the soup (or add 3 cups of soup to a blender and puree then add back to the slow cooker).
  • Stir in half and half and chives, cover and cook another 10 minutes or so to heat through.
If using frozen or canned corn, add a drizzle of honey to replace the corn "milk".
  • use approximately 4 cups of frozen or canned corn (32 oz)

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
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Cozy corn chowder, made with tender potatoes, salty bacon and sweet corn!  Perfect as a weeknight meal!  Crockpot directions too! #soup #chowder #cornchowder #fall #souprecipe #weeknightmeal #crockpot #slowcooker

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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4.84 from 161 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Chris says

    Posted on 5/3 at 6:59 pm

    Excellent. Great flavor and easy recipe

    Reply
  2. Candi says

    Posted on 4/25 at 4:48 pm

    Can the corn chowder be done in an instapot? I am in the middle of a kitchen remodel and don’t have a stove. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      Posted on 4/27 at 9:44 pm

      I completely understand, kitchen remodels are hard to live through! I haven’t specifically tested this recipe in the Instant Pot, but I’m sure it could be. I would try high pressure for about 10 minutes, with a quick release after cooking, adding the half and half or cream after the quick release.

      Reply
  3. Lee says

    Posted on 4/21 at 9:58 pm

    Third time I’ve made this chowder and it’s the best ever.. such a solid soup that’s good all year round!! Thanks so much for sharing and allowing this dad to do something respectable for his family in the kitchen!!

    Reply
  4. MMM says

    Posted on 4/19 at 10:19 pm

    Delicious!

    Reply
  5. Lesley Newsome says

    Posted on 4/17 at 4:19 pm

    Love this!!!!

    Reply
  6. David says

    Posted on 4/16 at 8:13 pm

    I completely forgot to add the flour when I was supposed to, what can be done to fix it?

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      Posted on 4/17 at 10:22 pm

      You can mix 1 1/2 Tbsp of cornstarch with 2 Tbsp of water or chicken broth (cold or room temperature only – not hot), and stir until smooth, then stir that into the soup about halfway through simmering in step 6.

      Reply
  7. Monce says

    Posted on 4/15 at 4:05 pm

    I dont have an immersion blender… what do I do?
    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      Posted on 4/15 at 9:17 pm

      Hi Monce 🙂 Step 7 of the recipe details what to do if you don’t have an immersion blender. Alternately, you can keep it more of a chunky consistency and not blend it, if you prefer.

      Reply
  8. Alyssa says

    Posted on 3/20 at 9:17 pm

    I made this because I had some canned corn that needed to be used. It was AMAZING. So good and so hearty. Will be making again when I’m in the mood for some soup.

    Reply
  9. Hyun says

    Posted on 3/7 at 7:13 pm

    it was delicious! I added some diced celery just because I needed to use them 🙂 thank you for sharing this !

    Reply
  10. Anna says

    Posted on 3/5 at 11:25 am

    Hey, this looks delicious, though I have yet to make it! I just had one question- I’m not a big fan of bacon in soup (though I do love soup!). Is it possible to make it without the bacon and still make it taste as yummy? Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      Posted on 3/5 at 1:29 pm

      You can absolutely leave out the bacon and it should still taste really yummy 🙂

      Reply
  11. Silvana says

    Posted on 2/10 at 6:36 pm

    Deeeelish!

    Reply
  12. B. says

    Posted on 2/7 at 11:35 am

    This was delicious.  I did add in a sautéed poblano pepper and jalapeño to kick up the flavor!  Everyone loved it!

    Reply
  13. Scott says

    Posted on 2/4 at 8:54 pm

    Hi there – this looks great, and I can’t wait to try it. I’ll have to use frozen or canned corn… but how much of that would equal 8 ears of corn?  Appreciate your help!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 2/5 at 2:13 pm

      As written in the “notes” section of the recipe, **If using frozen or canned corn, add a drizzle of honey to replace the corn “milk”. Use approximately 4 cups of frozen or canned corn (32 oz)

      Reply
  14. Jaye says

    Posted on 1/31 at 11:07 pm

    I’m not a cook AT ALL, but can follow directions. This was very simple and came out great. I used canned corn and skipped the honey. My boyfriend and daughter loved it! I will make it again! 

    Reply
  15. Janel says

    Posted on 1/31 at 6:35 pm

    The BEST corn chowder I ever had. Used a dash of cayenne pepper for a nice kick and used fried ham as garnish instead of bacon. My boyfriend loved it . 

    Reply
  16. Linda Morgan says

    Posted on 1/31 at 3:03 pm

    Made this chowder last night. We really liked it. I think next time I will use my Mom’s old trick of using evaporated milk instead of heavy cream. It will cut down on the calories a bit. Used canned corn and one can of creamed corn, which made it sweet enough to avoid the honey (allergy). Thank you for posting this recipe. This seemed just like the recipe I grew up on but I just could not get it right before. I bet it would be awesome with ham or chicken 🙂

    Reply
  17. Kristina says

    Posted on 1/31 at 1:44 pm

    Delicious! I added diced carrots, celery and red bell pepper. It was thick and veiny and very flavorful, I will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  18. Katherine says

    Posted on 1/17 at 11:45 pm

    Really good chowder. I added some smoked sausage to it too but on its own it was also wonderful. Just wanted meat. Also I used frozen fire roasted corn cause my grocery store did not have it on the cob. I followed instructions exactly except the added cooked smoked sausage at the end. Will definitely make again.

    Reply
  19. MiddletownGarbo says

    Posted on 1/13 at 4:51 pm

    This chowder is scrumptious and easy to make. I love finding great, new recipes that my family also loves. Perfect for this time of year. Gets even better every day, but not going to last long!

    Reply
  20. jimmy says

    Posted on 1/10 at 1:52 pm

    How many and what size servings does it make ?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/10 at 8:59 pm

      I’ve listed this recipe as 6 servings, but don’t measure the serving size specifically, it’s just 1/6th of the pot. I would estimate between a cup, cup and a half.

      Reply
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