This Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe is hearty, delicious, and so easy. Just toss everything in the Crock-Pot and let it do the work!
author’s note
Dump-and-Go Chicken Corn Chowder!
Nothing hits the spot like a warm bowl of soup when the weather turns chilly. (Though, let’s be real, a gooey chocolate chip cookie is a close second!)
This Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe is an absolute must-try! Not only is it super easy, but it’s packed with bold flavor. Inspired by Mexican Street Corn, it’s loaded with corn, cilantro, and those classic street-corn seasonings. Finish it off with a dollop of sour cream, a squeeze of lime, and extra cilantro. This chowder is seriously delicious!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe
- Chicken: Thighs bring more tenderness and flavor, thanks to fat that gets rendered.
- Garlic: Use freshly minced or jarred, whatever you have on hand.
- Cream-Style Corn: Also known as creamed corn.
- Fire-Roasted Corn: Adds a smoky, bold flavor.
- Black Beans: Rinse well to cut down on salt.
- Green Chiles: I use mild, fire-roasted chiles, adjust to your spice preference.
- Spices: The spices bring warm, street corn-inspired flavors.
- Chicken Stock or Broth: Stock adds a richer taste, but either will work.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded melts best. Go for sharp or extra sharp.
- Half-and-Half or Heavy Cream: Half-and-half for a lighter chowder; heavy cream for extra richness.
Featured Comment
“This Corn Chowder was simple to make and absolutely amazing. My wife loved it so much she brought half of what I made to her sister who also raved about it. This is going to become a family favorite.”
– Michael
Top Your Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe!
Choose a few toppings to take this chowder from great to WOW!
- Cheese: Some more freshly grated sharp Cheddar.
- Sour Cream: Lite, regular, or try Mexican crema.
- Lime Juice: Adds brightness and freshness to the chowder.
- Hot Sauce: A few drops for extra heat.
- Chips: Crushed tortilla strips for crunch.
- Cilantro or Green Onions: For some fresh flavor.
- Diced Avocado or Guac: For extra creaminess.
How To Make Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe
- Combine Ingredients: Add chicken, corn, beans, chiles, seasonings, and stock; stir.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
- Shred Chicken: Remove, shred, and return to Crock-Pot.
- Add Dairy: Stir in cheese and half-and-half; adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and add toppings.
Quick Tip
For a mild chowder, use mild green chiles or skip them. Craving heat? Add hot chiles and a pinch of cayenne.
Storage
- Freeze: Cool this chicken corn chowder recipe, then transfer to an airtight bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Warm on low, stirring often; avoid boiling. Add a splash of cream if it needs thinning.
More Delicious Soup Recipes:
Dinner
Crockpot Chili
Soups And Stews
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Soups And Stews
Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Soups And Stews
Cheeseburger Soup
Chicken Corn Chowder
Video
Equipment
- 6-quart Crock-Pot 6-quart
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, see note 1
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 (14.75-ounce) cans cream style sweet corn
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn I like fire-roasted
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles undrained
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream, see note 2
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructions
- Spray a 6-quart Crock-Pot with cooking spray. Leave fat on thighs; it will render easily after cooking. If you are using breasts, cut each breast into 2–3 pieces.
- To the Crock-Pot, add everything listed under “Add First.”
- Stir well. Cover and cook until the chicken shreds easily, on high for 3–5 hours or low for 4–6 hours.
- Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Gradually add freshly shredded cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in the half-and-half, then return the shredded chicken to the soup. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with desired toppings.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Would halfing this recipe work? It’s just my husband and I so we don’t need a full amount. Thanks! 🙂
That should work great! Enjoy 🙂
I made this and it is one of the best soups I have ever tasted. I is satisfying without being too heavy. I threw in some roasted red peppers because I had them in the fridge- really really good recipe! Thanks for sharing.
So thrilled to hear that! Thank you for the comment Kate 🙂
Great recipe, but I think if the chicken was cubed instead of shredded, it would be a better combo of melding texture with flavor, as oppposed to it all being the same texture. Rather boring to the palate when everything is the same size/texture.
You can definitely cube the chicken instead of shredding if you prefer 🙂
Is there a reason why pre-shredded cheese can’t be used? I’m 4 days post-op & grating cheese will have me in enormous pain. Making this today & will review after eating.
The pre-shredded cheese just ends up a little greasier, but it will work ok. Good luck on recovering and I hope you love the soup!
I substituted the canned chili’s with mild Rotel tomatoes. Very tasty!
So happy to hear you liked the chowder 🙂
My store doesn’t carry ranch chicken stock. Will regular be ok or should I add something else as a substitute?
Yes; regular chicken stock is great! 🙂
I’ve made corn chowder with creamed corn before and it turned out sweet tasting—does this soup taste sweet? We weren’t big fans of the sweetness.
The spices really balance out the sweetness in my opinion I wouldn’t say this is a sweet soup!
how spicy is this soup….I’m not suppose to have too much?
Hmm if you’re worried about spice, you could use regular chili powder instead of the chipotle chili powder and scale it down a bit 🙂 (I don’t think it’s spicy, but I can handle a bit of spice :))
Making tonight for dinner. Could i substitute yogurt for half and half?
I’m sure you already made it (wasn’t at my computer last night!) so I hope it turned out well for you! I haven’t even tried yogurt but I don’t think it would complement the flavors very well.
How do I thicken this up? It was good but I would like it thicker.
Next time you can make it the night before and store it in the fridge (it thickens a lot overnight) OR only use 1 cup heavy cream.