​
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Ebook!Subscribe to updates & get a recipe book!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

The Chunky Chef

Comforting Family Recipes

  • All Recipes
  • Learn to Cook
  • Shop
    • My eBooks
    • Favorite Products
  • About
  • Contact
  • Trending:

    Slow Cooker

    Easy Dinners

    Desserts

    My Saved Recipe Box
  • Browse By:
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Sides
    • Drinks
    • Desserts
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Sandwiches
    • Healthy-ish
  • Ingredient
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Pork
    • Turkey
    • Seafood
    • Meatless
    • Pasta
  • Cuisine
    • Asian
    • Italian
    • Mexican
    • Hawaiian
    • Middle Eastern
    • Comfort Food
  • Method
    • One Pot
    • Crockpot
    • Instant Pot
    • Oven
    • Fried
    • Grilling/BBQ
  • Trending:

    Slow Cooker

    Easy Dinners

    Desserts

Home / Comfort Food

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder

4.80
/5
8 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
187 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Pin
By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 09/17/2017

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

Warm up in the most comforting way… a big bowl of this cheesy ham chowder, made easy in the slow cooker! Perfect for a busy weeknight!

Have some leftover ham?  This cheesy ham chowder is the most mouthwatering solution!  Even if you don’t have any leftover ham, it’s perfect to make on a chilly weeknight, and hearty enough to feed your whole family!

This post was brought to you by the makers of Promised Land Dairy. I received compensation to write this post through the Far From Ordinary Milk program. All opinions expressed are my own.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpotOkay I know that it’s not officially Fall until September 22nd, but it’s after Labor Day, which makes it unofficially my favorite season… Fall!  I can’t get enough of the comforting meals like this cheesy ham chowder.

On a chilly day, there’s nothing better than cozying up to a big bowl of thick, creamy chowder!  The best part about this version?  It’s made in the slow cooker!

Just add the first several ingredients to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low, and walk out the door!  When you come back home for dinner, all it takes is a mere 20 minutes before it’s 100% ready to go.

One thing I love about this ham chowder is that it’s deliciously creamy, but with no heavy cream!  Whole milk and some sour cream give it all the creaminess it needs, while also cutting down on fat and calories.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpot

Over the next couple of months, there are a few holidays where you might serve ham, and inevitably have a bunch of ham leftover right?

I know every time I serve ham, I’m left with SO much.  After some ham sandwiches, and these puffs, I’m usually stumped as to what to do with all the leftovers.

That’s where this chowder recipe comes to the rescue!  It uses 4 cups of diced ham, so it’ll put a good dent in your leftover pile 🙂

BUT WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE LEFTOVER HAM?

Great question!  You totally don’t have to use leftover ham for this recipe.  Obviously it’s a great leftover idea, but not everyone serves ham and has leftovers right?

I like to grab some fully cooked boneless ham steaks from the grocery store and just cube them up.  In fact, that’s actually what I did for these pictures.

The only ham I wouldn’t use would be really thin sliced lunchmeat… it might disintegrate during the long cook time.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpot

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpot

LOOKING FOR MORE SLOW COOKER RECIPES?

  1. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce
  2. Slow Cooker Shredded Italian Beef
  3. Slow Cooker Creamy White Chicken Chili
  4. Slow Cooker Copycat Zuppa Toscana
  5. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
  6. Slow Cooker Ranch Mushrooms

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpot

Grab some crackers, a spoon, and dig in!!  Also, we love to make this no knead bread to serve alongside… nothing beats it!

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

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpot

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder

4.80 from 81 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours hours
Total Time: 8 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
Calories: 340
Servings: 10 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
Print Rate Pin
Warm up in the most comforting way... a big bowl of this cheesy ham chowder, made easy in the slow cooker! Perfect for a busy weeknight!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes (about 3 medium sized potatoes)
  • 20 oz canned corn (drained), or frozen corn (thawed)
  • 4 cups cubed ham steaks, diced into 1/2" cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 ribs celery, diced
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups chicken stock (or broth)
  • 2 cups whole Milk
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley
  • extra parsley, pepper and cheese, for garnish

Instructions

  • To a 6 qt slow cooker, add the first 8 ingredients (potatoes through and including chicken stock).  Stir, cover, and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, until potatoes are tender.
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk milk and cornstarch until smooth.  Stir into soup in slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH 20-25 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Turn off heat, stir in cheese, sour cream and parsley until cheese is melted.
  • Serve sprinkled with extra cheese, black pepper and parsley if desired.

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

Video

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!
Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating Save for Later Saved!

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpot

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder | Creamy, cheesy and hearty, this slow cooker ham chowder is the perfect way to use up any leftover ham!  Perfect for a busy weeknight meal! | https://www.thechunkychef.com | #chowder #soup #ham #leftover #slowcooker #crockpot

You May Also Like...

  • Making this homemade "rotisserie" chicken is as easy as 5 minutes of prep and a handful of spices.  Then sit back and let your slow cooker do all the work!  | #chicken #rotisseriechicken #slowcookerrecipe #crockpot #easyrecipe
    Easy Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken
  • This slow cooker Harissa chicken is absolutely brimming with bold, spicy flavors!  Chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots, and onion are slathered in a rich spice mix and then made easily in the crockpot! | #slowcooker #crockpot #chickenrecipes #harissa #weeknightmeal
    Slow Cooker Harissa Chicken
  • This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is the easy homemade version of your Indian food-loving dreams!  Bold and flavorful, yet with a fraction of the work! #chickentikka #tikkamasala #curry #indianfood #slowcooker #crockpot #easyrecipe
    Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
  • Making this homemade "rotisserie" chicken is as easy as 5 minutes of prep and a handful of spices.  Then sit back and let your slow cooker do all the work!  | #chicken #rotisseriechicken #slowcookerrecipe #crockpot #easyrecipe
    Easy Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken
Previous Post
Next Post

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’!

Learn More

Reader Interactions

4.80 from 81 votes (12 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question, comment, or review below.

Recipe Rating




  1. Ruth says

    Posted on 11/6 at 8:57 pm

    This is delicious! I plan to make this every time I make a big ham now. Even my three kids (ages 6, 4, and 2) all loved it. I made it exactly as is except for cooking on high for 4 hours instead of low for 8 hours and I used dried herbs instead of fresh. This is such a good recipe and I highly recommend it!

    Reply
  2. Nicole says

    Posted on 10/29 at 2:28 pm

    Is it absolutely necessary to peel the potatoes?  That seems to be the main nutritional value in potatoes.  Just wondered if recipe would work without peeling.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/29 at 9:07 pm

      I’ve never made it without peeling them first, since the peel would separate during cooking and I don’t think the peel would taste good on it’s own like that.

      Reply
  3. Joan Genego says

    Posted on 10/27 at 6:09 pm

    Just made this soup for tonight’s dinner & it was amazing !!  I served with cornbread & salad & we were stuffed. Will definitely be making lots more over the winter.

    Reply
  4. Linda Amburgey says

    Posted on 9/29 at 1:21 pm

    Is this soup freezer safe

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 9/30 at 9:51 pm

      I tend to have problems with dairy being tricky to freeze, as it can separate, but you could also freeze the soup right after step 1, then add the cornstarch and milk when reheating.

      Reply
  5. Dawn says

    Posted on 9/20 at 3:14 pm

    I don’t understand your comment in step one. What does “potatoes through including chicken stock mean”?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 9/20 at 7:43 pm

      Meaning, the first 8 ingredients (potatoes, corn, ham, onion, celery, garlic, pepper, and chicken stock).

      Reply
  6. Tina says

    Posted on 8/18 at 11:22 am

    Can I use flour instead of corn starch?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/18 at 10:06 pm

      Yes 🙂

      Reply
  7. Karen says

    Posted on 6/16 at 10:15 pm

    I made this on the stovetop in a couple hours, and used a little less sour cream. It turned out great! (I even used skim milk and it was still pretty creamy because of the potatoes!)

    Reply
  8. Kathleen says

    Posted on 6/4 at 9:31 am

    I am not a fan of sour cream, can I omit this or is it necessary for creaminess? I would also like it loaded with potatoes. I guess maybe I would call it ham and potato soup lol. Is there plenty of room for more potatoes?. Thank you!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 6/4 at 9:35 pm

      You could substitute the sour cream or heavy cream or half and half, and then there’d be more liquid for your extra potatoes 🙂

      Reply
  9. Mandy says

    Posted on 5/4 at 11:00 am

    I have made this recipe several times, exactly as it’s written. It is wonderful!

    Reply
  10. Christine @ myblissfulmess says

    Posted on 5/2 at 1:27 pm

    We had a few rainy days last week and I still had some chopped up leftover ham in the freezer that needed to be used (I think I have one more package of it in the freezer still plus the ham bone) so I made this cheesy ham chowder. It’s super easy done in the slow cooker! To make it healthier for my WW loving self, I used 1% milk and light sour cream, which of course no one noticed. This never really thickened up the way I am used to chowders being, but that may be because I used 1% milk and light sour cream, but that was no matter! This was DELISH! It makes a lot so I packed some up to take to a friend. Kids LOVED this and gobbled up what little leftovers we had for lunch the next day. Excellent way to use up leftover ham!

    Reply
  11. Lisa says

    Posted on 4/15 at 6:02 pm

    I’ve never made a chowder but have made lots of soups. Had a bunch of leftover ham from Easter this chowder was incredible !! Could not stop eating it. Left the garlic out because we’re not huge garlic fans and added some diced carrots and frozen peas. Way better than any chowder my Mom ever made but I won’t tell her that. I prepped all the veggies the night before in the slow cooker and added the chicken broth, put it on in the morning before work and finished it up with the milk, cornstarch, sour cream and cheese when I came home. Absolutely delicious !!

    Reply
  12. Debbie says

    Posted on 4/14 at 6:13 pm

    Delicious!  My 15 month granddaughter devoured it!!

    Reply
  13. Andrea says

    Posted on 4/14 at 10:49 am

    Has anyone made this stovetop instead of slow cooker, and if so, how did you modify the cooking time?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 4/14 at 12:48 pm

      You’ll just want to simmer until the potatoes are tender, then add in the milk/cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened.

      Reply
  14. Jan M. says

    Posted on 1/19 at 11:06 am

    Absolutely delicious. I used cauliflower instead of corn, as corn doesn’t agree with me, but it was very good. My husband said it was so much better than anything you get out of a can, and I agree. Thanks for the recipe Amanda! It’s a keeper!

    Reply
    • Kim F says

      Posted on 4/26 at 10:45 am

      This chowder is amazing! I made a batch last week and I’m making more today. I used ham broth (cooked a ham bone in a crock pot for 12 hours, and then froze it) and subbed the corn for fresh sliced carrots. My whole family keeps raving about it! Ham and beans just took a major back seat.

      Reply
  15. Amy Calandra says

    Posted on 1/10 at 12:40 pm

    I forgot to mention in my previous comment that I used leftover spiral ham. Great way to use up leftovers!

    Reply
  16. Amy says

    Posted on 1/10 at 12:38 pm

    This is a definite keeper! My husband and I loved this soup!

    Reply
  17. Samantha Ann Schultz says

    Posted on 1/6 at 5:32 pm

    Ive never used potato flakes to thicken a soup/chowder, is it better than using cornstarch or do they yield the same results? If i use potato flakes do i do it Instead of the cornstarch or with it?. I want my soup very thick.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/6 at 8:48 pm

      I don’t use potato flakes to thicken soup, so I can’t say for certain. I would try replying to some of the reader comments that mentioned using flakes.

      Reply
    • Jen says

      Posted on 10/22 at 6:30 pm

      You can try pureeing some potatoes and using those as a thickener.

      Reply
  18. Haley says

    Posted on 12/30 at 7:41 pm

    Just made this tonight with leftover honey baled Christmas ham. It was AMAZING!!! Will definitely add to my staple recipe book!!!

    Reply
  19. Myrna says

    Posted on 12/27 at 12:11 am

    Can you make this soup on the stove top?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 12/27 at 9:53 am

      Yes, certainly 🙂

      Reply
  20. JB says

    Posted on 12/17 at 5:34 pm

    It’s rare that I have all the ingredients for a recipe on my first viewing but when I looked around my kitchen I did, so I got out the slow cooker. The steps were easy to follow and soon I was putting the lid on it. A few stirs and a few hours later I was adding the sour cream and cheese and scooping some into a bowl. It tasted as good as it looked and smelled so I had another bowl.  This was my first time making a chowder and because it was so easy to make I’ll be making it again, I’m sure. Thanks for sharing the recipe. 

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      Posted on 11/28 at 11:33 am

      The type of milk used for this isn’t in stores is it okay to just use whole milk? 

      Reply
      • The Chunky Chef says

        Posted on 11/28 at 8:22 pm

        Yep, it’s just a brand of milk (this post was in partnership with the brand, which is why the brand name was mentioned – normally I never mention brands), so regular whole milk is perfectly fine 🙂

        Reply
Older Comments
Newer Comments

Primary Sidebar

welcome!

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’!

New! Save Recipes To Your Own Account!

Free eBook!

Subscribe & receive my most popular recipes compiled into an easy ebook format!

download now!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

Game Day Recipes!

These crowd-pleasing tender meatballs are smothered in a super flavorful honey garlic bbq sauce.  Perfect for parties, this crockpot meatball recipe couldn't be more simple to make! #meatballs #crockpot #slowcooker #honeygarlic #bbq #appetizer #party #honey #garlic #easyrecipe

Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs

2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Smooth and silky queso dip, made using NO velveeta!  Packed with flavor, yet so easy to make, and party ready in just 20 minutes! #queso #dip #cheese #mexican #appetizer #party #cincodemayo #easyrecipe

Queso Dip Recipe

20 minutes minutes

Creamy, cheesy, and oh so addicting, this bacon cheeseburger dip is just like your favorite gooey cheeseburger... but in a party-ready dip form! #bacon #gameday #cheesy #cheeseburger #party #appetizer #dip #easyrecipe

Creamy Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

32 minutes minutes

Insanely tasty chicken wing recipe, dry rubbed, then hickory smoked to perfection.  And don't forget the homemade bourbon bbq sauce! #chickenwings #wingrecipe #smoked #smoker #smokedchickenwings #bourbon #bbq #crispy

Bourbon BBQ Smoked Chicken Wings

3 hours hours

This easy game day appetizer combines classic buffalo wing flavors with cool creaminess in an easy dip made in the crockpot. Perfect for any party, serve it up with chips or celery sticks and watch everyone go back for seconds!

Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crockpot Recipe)

2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels | These pinwheels are filled with a creamy chicken taco filling, which is easily customizable, and rolled up to make a perfect appetizer or party food! | http://thechunkychef.com

Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels

15 minutes minutes

More Holiday Recipes >

Who doesn’t love free stuff?

Who doesn't love free stuff? Get an ad-free ebook of my most popular recipes, plus be the FIRST to know about new things coming to the site!

Looking for something?

As Seen On…

Stay Connected

subscribe to get new posts via email:

Quick & Easy

Dinner Favorites

Hearty and positively soul-warming, this beef barley soup simmers all day in the slow cooker, which makes for an incredibly rich soup recipe! #beefbarley #soup #slowcooker #crockpot #comfortfood #barley #beefsoup #easyrecipe #dinner
M

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

white bowl of chicken and dumplings
T

Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings

HONEY GARLIC SALMON - Succulent and tender salmon filets cooked in a mouthwatering simple honey garlic sauce, then broiled until sticky and caramelized.  Made with simple ingredients, in one pan, and in just 20 minutes! #salmon #honeygarlic #onepan #easyrecipe #dinner #seafood #fish
W

Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon

Light and filling, this Italian Wedding Soup is perfectly delicious comfort food, all year round.  Made in one pan, and ready in 30 minutes, this recipe is great for a weeknight meal! #soup #souprecipe #Italianweddingsoup #onepot #30minutemeal #weeknight #dinner #easyrecipe #homemaderecipe
R

Italian Wedding Soup

This Honey Garlic Chicken is one incredible weeknight dinner idea. Juicy chicken coated and cooked with a glorious sauce made with soy, hoisin, garlic, honey and more! Toss it all in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you! #dinner #chicken #asian #honey #garlic #honeygarlic #easyrecipe #weeknight #slowcooker #crockpot
F

Honey Garlic Chicken

S

Swedish Meatballs

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
free e-book!

Download MY Free Recipe eBook!

Subscribe & receive my most popular recipes compiled into an easy ebook format!

get my copy!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

As Featured On:

Back to Top

Recipes

Dinners

Appetizers

Desserts

Slow Cooker

Learn to Cook

Start Here

Tips & Tricks

e-Cookbook

Easy Recipes

  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy
  • Contact
© 2025 The Chunky Chef
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.