This easy Corn Chowder recipe is hearty, flavorful, and loaded with fresh corn, bacon, potatoes, green chilies, and chipotle peppers! It is the perfect comfort meal on a cold night, and is a family favorite!

Corn chowder in a bowl with a spoon.

I doubt you’ve ever tasted Corn Chowder as packed full of flavor as this recipe! It’s absolutely delicious, and slightly unique with addition of green chiles and a hint of smokiness from chipotle peppers in adobe. It’s to DIE for; I know you’re going to love it!

How to make Corn Chowder:

Cook bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Chopped pieces of bacon cooking in a pot.

Add diced onion and celery and stir, cooking 3 to 4 more minutes. Add butter and stir until melted.

Chopped celery and onion added to a pot with melted butter.

Add corn. Stir and cook for one minute.

Fresh corn kernels added to a large pot with sautéed celery and onion, to make corn chowder.

Add potato, green chilies, and chipotle chilies. Slowly pour in chicken broth and half & half. Add salt and stir. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat to low.

Diced potato and broth added to a pot with corn to make corn chowder.

Thicken: Ladle some of the soup broth into a bowl and stir 3 tablespoons of cornmeal into it, stirring until smooth. Pour into the soup pot. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. (If chowder needs more thickening, add another tablespoon of cornmeal mixed with a little broth.)

A bowl with soup broth in it, and cornmeal added on top, ready to stir in.

If you’re feeling extra fancy, serve it in a yummy homemade bread bowl!

A cast iron soup pot full of homemade corn chowder.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Corn chowder tastes great up to one week later, so it’s a great soup to make ahead of time!

To Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, I recommend waiting to add the potatoes and half and half until after thawing and heating the frozen soup.

Possible Recipe Variations:

  • Potato: russet or yukon gold will work. I even use canned diced potatoes or diced frozen potatoes when I’m in a hurry. 
  • Chicken Corn Chowder: Add shredded chicken, or swap it out for the bacon.
  • Cornstarch: I love the texture the cornmeal provides, but to thicken chowder with cornstarch, make a cornstarch slurry by whisking together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir the slurry into the soup. Cook for a few minutes to allow it to thicken.
  • Slow Cooker: Follow directions as listed, but before adding the half and half, place in slow cooker on low for up to 6 hours. Add half and half and thicken right before serving.

Serve With:

Follow me for more great recipes

Recipe

Corn chowder in a bowl with a spoon.
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3-4 slices bacon , chopped
  • 1 yellow onion , diced
  • 2 ribs celery , chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 4 cups corn , fresh or frozen (about 5 ears)
  • 1 large potato* , peeled and chopped
  • 1-2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce* , finely diced
  • 4 ounce can mild diced green chiles , undrained
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half , cream, or whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3-4 Tablespoons cornmeal

Instructions
 

  • Add bacon pieces to a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the diced onion and celery and stir, cooking 3 to 4 more minutes. 
  • Add butter and stir until melted. Add corn. Stir and cook for one minute.
  • Add chopped potato, green chilies and chipotle chilies.
  • Slowly pour in chicken broth and half & half. Add salt and stir. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low.
  • Ladle some of the soup broth into a bowl and stir 3 tablespoons of cornmeal into it, stirring until smooth. Pour into the soup pot. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat.
  • If chowder needs more thickening, add another tablespoon of cornmeal mixed with a little broth.
  • Serve in a yummy homemade bread bowl!

Notes

*Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce can be found at your local grocery store in the Mexican food aisle. Spoon out one or two of the whole chilies (less for milder heat) dice them and add to the soup.
Potato: russet or yukon gold will work. I even use canned diced potatoes or diced frozen potatoes when I’m in a hurry. 
Chicken Corn Chowder: Add shredded chicken, or swap it out for the bacon.
Cornstarch: I love the texture the cornmeal provides, but to thicken chowder with cornstarch, make a cornstarch slurry by whisking together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir the slurry into the soup. Cook for a few minutes to allow it to thicken.
Slow Cooker: Follow directions as listed, but before adding the half and half, place in slow cooker on low for up to 6 hours. Add half and half and thicken right before serving.
Make Ahead Instructions: Corn chowder tastes great up to one week later, so it’s a great soup to make ahead of time!
Freezing Instructions: Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, I recommend waiting to add the potatoes and half and half until after thawing and heating the frozen soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 9gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 294mgPotassium: 622mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 512IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!

Follow Me

Get recipe ideas weekly!

I originally shared this recipe October 2013. Updated October 2019 and September 2021.

This post contains affiliate links.

Related Posts

Share Recipe

Categories

About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made your Corn Chowder recipe this weekend and it was a hit. Next time I plan to add shredded chicken to add some protein and since chipotle peppers are a little much for me, I substituted 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika & 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, and it had a hint of heat without being too much.

    I have several of your recipes in the menu for the next couple of weeks and if they are all as good as this one, we will be eating well!

  2. 5 stars
    What a delightful change of pace! A well matched blend of ingredients, the short period of time necessary to prepare, the tasty reward, mak this recipe a keeper.

  3. 5 stars
    This is by far HANDS DOWN the best corn chowder I have ever had! So much flavor and depth to this soup and my family absolutely loved it so much that there were NO LEFTOVERS! I have to admit the ingredients to this soup is what struck my curiosity into making it and I am so very glad I did!!! THANK YOU Lauren for yet again another fabulous tried and true family favorite in my house! I am thoroughly enjoying all of the recipes in your cookbook 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    Sooooo good! I took a few liberties with the recipe (added some shredded chicken, shredded carrots, garlic powder, and topped with extra bacon bits & fresh parsley). Because of the chipotle pepper, this had a kick that I was pleasantly surprised by (first time using chipotle peppers in adobo sauce). I’ll be making this one many times this winter!

    1. It’s cornmeal. You can use cornstarch as a substitute if, for any reason, you don’t want to use cornmeal.

  5. Perfect Antidote to a chilly night! I made this exactly as written and it was very, very good! Served it with shredded honey chipotle chicken – yummy! I thickened with cornstarch and needed a bit more than suggested based on my own personal preference on thickness. Really great tasting and easy recipe! Try it!

  6. 5 stars
    Great recipe Lauren! Just needs to be updated to include the half & half & the corn in the cooking process.

See More Comments