Description
This hearty Chicken Corn Chowder is a comforting and flavorful soup made with tender chicken, sweet corn kernels, and creamy potatoes. The dish features sautéed aromatics and a hint of paprika for warmth, thickened with a roux made from butter and flour, and finished with fresh herbs. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this chowder can be made gluten-free and offers an optional creamy finish for extra richness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or dairy-free butter)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten-free flour mix)
- 2 ½ cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (divided: 1 cup for blending, 1 ½ cups left whole)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 lb chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 8 oz each), peeled (one diced, one cut in quarters for mashing later)
- 4 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chopped scallions or chives, for garnish
Optional
- Half and half or cream for a creamier chowder, to stir in or drizzle at the end
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. This forms the aromatic base of the chowder.
- Make Roux and Blend Corn: Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed vegetables and sauté for about 2 more minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. While this cooks, blend 1 cup of corn kernels with 1 cup of chicken broth until mostly smooth, creating a natural thickener for the chowder.
- Combine Ingredients and Cook: Add the blended corn mixture to the pot along with the paprika, chicken, diced potatoes, and remaining whole corn kernels. Pour in enough chicken broth to just cover the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat.
- Simmer: Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 22 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Mash Potato and Shred Chicken: Remove the quartered potatoes from the pot, mash them smooth, and stir the mash back into the chowder to add creaminess and thickness. Shred the cooked chicken breasts with two forks and return the shredded meat to the pot.
- Season and Serve: Taste the chowder and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped scallions or chives. For extra creaminess, optionally stir in or drizzle with half and half or cream before serving.
Notes
- You can use gluten-free flour to make this chowder gluten-free.
- For a richer soup, add half and half or cream at the end of cooking.
- Use bone broth for added depth and nutrients.
- Shredding the chicken ensures every bite is evenly distributed in the chowder.
- Fresh or frozen corn kernels work well in this recipe.
- Adjust seasoning with kosher salt and pepper to personal taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Sautéing, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
Keywords: Chicken Corn Chowder, Chicken Soup, Corn Soup, Comfort Food, Gluten Free Soup, Hearty Soup
