Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder

Published October 1, 2022. Updated October 2, 2022

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Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder – A rich and creamy soup made with tender rotisserie chicken, hearty potatoes, flavorful peppers, sweet corn and crisp bacon finish. Itā€™s a fall staple!

Chicken corn chowder in a serving bowl with oyster crackers to the side.

Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder

This is the coziest of soups! Itā€™s loaded to the max with delicious, fresh ingredients and itā€™s that creamy broth and salty bacon that will keep you craving more.

It has a handy shortcut of pre-cooked chicken, which can be from a rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.

From there itā€™s just a bit of chopping, sautĆ©ing and allowing enough time on the stovetop to simmer to perfection.

Serve it with cornbread or 1-hour dinner rolls for an ideally comforting meal.

Ingredients for chicken corn chowder soup.

Chicken Corn Chowder Soup Recipe Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breasts or thighs)
  • 8 slices cooked bacon, chopped
  • 1/4 cup butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 1/4 cups)
  • 1 – 2Ā jalapeƱos, seeds and ribs removed for less heat if desired, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 medium (22 oz) russet potatoes, peeled and chopped slightly less than 1/2-inch thick (3 cups)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt andĀ black pepper, to taste
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
    Collage of photos showing how to make creamy chicken corn chowder on the stovetop.

How to Make Chicken Corn Chowder

  • In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add red bell pepper, onions, jalapenos and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes stirring constantly.
  • While stirring, slowly pour in chicken broth. Add potatoes, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Add in cooked chicken, corn and half and half and simmer, uncovered 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve warm topped with cooked bacon and optional green onions and cheese.

 

Close up photo of creamy chicken corn chowder in a pot.

Possible Substitutes and Variations

  • Alternate potatoes: Red potatoes or Yukons would work here as well. The soup just wonā€™t be quite as thick since the potatoes arenā€™t as starchy.
  • Mild soup: If you arenā€™t a fan of heat you can omit the jalapeƱo.
  • Use up the bacon fat: Instead of using butter you can replace it with rendered bacon fat by cooking the bacon beforehand.
  • Sub ham for bacon: For a cheaper alternative you can finish the soup with chopped cooked ham instead of bacon. This is a great option if you have some left from a ham roast.
  • Herbs: For an herby soup you can mix in some thyme, rosemary and parsley.

 

 

Recommended Toppings

We like to serve this with:

  • Shredded cheddar cheese (medium or sharp)
  • Chopped green onions
  • Crushed tortilla chips or oyster crackers

Storage

  • It will keep in the fridge in an airtight container up to 3 days.
  • Freezing this soup isnā€™t recommended. The potatoes would become mushy and broth would end up separated and thinned.

Two servings of chicken corn chowder in red bowls sitting over a green cloth on a marble surface.

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Chicken corn chowder in a serving bowl with oyster crackers to the side.
4.95 from 59 votes

Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder

This chowder will quickly become a go-to recipe! It's loaded with chicken, veggies and rich creamy broth. Delicious comfort food!
Servings: 3
Prep15 minutes
Cook40 minutes
Ready in: 55 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add red bell pepper, onions, jalapenos and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes stirring constantly.
  • While stirring, slowly pour in chicken broth. Add potatoes, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring mixture to a simmer stirring frequently, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Add in cooked chicken, corn and half and half and simmer, uncovered 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve warm topped with cooked bacon and optional green onions and cheese.

Notes

  • *If cooking your own chicken begin with about 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs. You can cook it in the soup with the potatoes, just cook to 165 degrees in center.
  • Recipe makes about 14 cups.
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder
Amount Per Serving
Calories 497 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 94mg31%
Sodium 388mg17%
Potassium 1103mg32%
Carbohydrates 40g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 1090IU22%
Vitamin C 32.9mg40%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Photos updated Oct 2022. Recipe adapted with some changes from BHG

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244 Comments

  • Fariha Kibria

    I added some mushroom and ready made fried onion plus green chilli. Super yummy. Thanks for the lovely recipe

  • Roseann

    I thought it was bland. Didn’t have that yummmy cteam flavor like all my other cream soups.

  • Jami

    I need to tell, whoever created this recipe, that it is HANDS DOWN my all time favorite! I discovered it on Pinterest about six years ago, and not a month has gone by that I didnā€™t make it for my family. I double the recipe.

  • H C Best

    You can freeze this soup provided you don’t add the half and half. When you’re ready to serve it, add the half and half after thawing, heat and serve. It was fabulous! Thank you.

  • Freya Petersen

    Dear Jaclyn.

    I did make your creamy chicken and corn chowder. I was trying to find a recipe that was similar to one that I had in a restaurant locally and yours came close to what I had to eat. I did make a few change it says everyone does in a recipe. The only major change was at the very end I found it was missing some flavor so I added 2 tablespoons of powdered Knorr instant chicken stock, and 2 tablespoons of Knorr Bovril chicken bouillon concentrate. And did 6 and 1/2 cups of chicken broth and only one cup of cream otherwise I made it as per the recipe. It came out amazing my only comment would be is that with almost every recipe I’ve gotten off of the internet the prep time is way way off. If you buy all these things cut up like the peppers and onions that’s one thing but if you’re making it at home you’re going to want to cut up everything yourself and poaching the chicken breasts and shredding it takes a minimum of 20 minutes so only suggestion would be is to change the prep time or put a clarification by it otherwise it’s an amazing recipe I will definitely make it again and I’m passing it on to my sisters thanks very much look forward to any comments you have. Cheers from Stoney Lake Ontario

  • Krista

    To improve on this recipe
    Boil bone in chicken with skin first in water
    Pick chicken offthe bone and add Knorr chicken stock to taste
    Add potatoes, corn,bayleaves salt and pepper and boil until cooked
    Seperately sautee veggies and garlic and add flour as per recipe then add cream and mix until smooth
    Dump veggies etc in chicken pot
    Add some nutmeg
    In addition to suggested toppings, top with grated cheese
    ?

  • Sylvia

    Just made this. Delicious!!! Will definitely make again. The whole family loved it. The only thing I left out was bayleaves, didn’t have any. Still very flavorful.