Chicken and Corn Chowder Recipe

Nothing beats a steaming bowl of thick, creamy chowder when you need pure comfort food! This Chicken and Corn Chowder combines crispy bacon, tender chicken, sweet corn, and gold potatoes into a rich, hearty soup.

My favorite cozy, smoky Chicken and Corn Chowder recipe

Let’s be honest for a second: weeknight dinner in my house can feel like a high-stakes negotiation. Between running around for after-school activities, balancing the grocery budget, and trying to find one meal that doesn’t cause someone to whine, my dinner recipes always have to be quick to prep and easy to make.

This Chicken and Corn Chowder is one of my absolute favorites during late summer (although we love it just as much on a chilly winter night, because frozen or canned corn works just fine in this recipe). It feels like a fancy, slow-simmered weekend soup, but it’s incredibly easy, budget-friendly and uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and freezer:

That smoky BBQ twist: The secret to this bowl is a tiny twist of BBQ seasoning. It cuts right through the sweetness of the corn and the richness of the cream, giving it a subtle, cozy depth that makes my kids ask for seconds every single time!
Flavor on a budget: Using bone-in chicken leg pieces infuses the broth with rich flavor while keeping your grocery bill low.
Double thickening power: To make sure the chowder turns out thick and creamy, I like to combine a foolproof roux with a dairy-stabilizing cornstarch slurry. This creates a chowder that stays ultra-thick and velvety!

We like to eat it with some crusty or buttered bread on the side, and maybe some apple crisp for dessert 😉

Ladling chicken and corn chowder from a pot.

My 3 best tips for the perfect chowder

Over the years of making this soup, I’ve had my fair share of kitchen mishaps – including a few watery soups and separated dairy situations. Here are three non-negotiable tips I’ve learned the hard way so your chowder turns out perfectly the first time:

1. Don’t Skip the Corn Sauté

When you’re rushing, it’s easy to just throw the corn into the broth at the end. Don’t do it! Taking just two minutes to sauté your corn kernels directly in the leftover bacon fat and butter before adding any liquid completely changes the game. It caramelizes the natural sugars in the corn and gives the whole soup a roasted, sweet-and-savory base.

2. The No-Stress, No-Lump Roux Rule

A lot of people hate making a roux because they’re scared of ending up with flour lumps. My golden rule? Keep your stove on medium-low heat. You don’t want to brown the flour; you just want to cook out that raw taste.

To guarantee a silky sauce, add about 1 cup of your chicken broth into the pot. Stir that small amount until it’s completely smooth and creamy, and then slowly pour in the rest of your liquid. No lumps, no stress.

3. Chunk Your Chicken, Don’t Shred It

I much prefer to pull the cooked chicken into rustic, bite-sized chunks using clean hands or forks. I do not shred it into stringy oblivion, because I think it makes it taste very weird and dry. Plus, the chunkier texture makes the chowder feel more meaty and stew-like, which I prefer.

Ingredients I like to use, plus smart substitutions

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

Ingredients for chicken and corn chowder with text labels.

The Chicken: I highly recommend buying bone-in, skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks. (Just buy regular skin-on pieces, pull the skin off, trim the excess fat, and drop them in!) Leg meat has more flavor, is incredibly budget-friendly, and is close to impossible to overcook. Chicken breast will turn dry and rubbery during a long simmer – especially if you have to run to help with homework, switch the laundry or break up a fight in the middle of cooking!
The Corn: Fresh corn shaved straight off the cob gives the best flavor. Bonus Tip: If using fresh, do not throw away the bare cobs! Drop them into the pot to simmer with the chicken broth to milk out extra sweet, starchy corn flavor. Frozen or drained canned corn works perfectly in a pinch.
The Dairy: You can use whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream depending on how rich you want it. Whisking 1–2 tablespoons of cornstarch into your cold dairy before adding it to the hot pot serves a dual purpose: it thickens the soup nicely and prevents the dairy from splitting or curdling.
The Vegetables: I often use whatever I have on hand. My favorite is a mix of onion, celery and carrot. However, you can use just one type of vegetable, add red bell pepper, zucchini… Whatever you enjoy! Just make sure it makes up about 1.5 cups in total.
The Seasoning: I KNOW. BBQ seasoning sounds a little strange at first, maybe? But hear me out – the standard seasoning for a corn chowder is usually some paprika, maybe some dried herbs, onion/garlic powder, salt and pepper. I guess… that’s pretty much what’s in BBQ seasoning, plus some extra smokiness which works great in a corn chowder. So, why measure out a million individual spices when it can be THIS easy?!

Now let’s make this chowder, step by step:

1. Crisp the Bacon

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Throw in your chopped bacon and cook until it’s perfectly crispy. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out a tablespoon or two and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. That’s your crunchy garnish for later! Leave the rest of the bacon and that liquid gold fat right in the pot.

2. Sauté Your Veggies and Corn

Add 1 tablespoon of your butter to the bacon fat. Toss in your chopped veggies and sauté until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic for just 30 seconds until your kitchen smells amazing. Next, stir in your corn kernels and let them sauté in the fat for 1 to 2 minutes to get that great caramelization.

3. Build the Easy Base

Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add your remaining tablespoon of butter, then stir in the BBQ seasoning and flour. Keep stirring until the veggies are completely coated and you can’t see any dry white flour. We’re just cooking off that raw flour taste for about a minute.

Sautéing vegetables in a cast iron pot with BBQ seasoning.

4. Start the Soup

Slowly pour your chicken broth into the pot. Use your wooden spoon to scrape up all those delicious, flavor-packed browned bits stuck to the bottom and stir until smooth. Throw in your potato pieces, season with a little salt and pepper, and bring it up to a boil.

5. Let It Simmer

Carefully nestle your chicken pieces directly into the broth (and drop in those bare corn cobs if you used fresh corn). Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, pop the lid on, and let it cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Give it a stir once or twice so nothing catches on the bottom.

Once your chicken is cooked through, remove the pieces (and the corn cobs, which you can discard) to a cutting board. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.

Removing cooked chicken pieces rom corn chowder.

6. The Magic Thickening Trick

While it rests, turn your stove down to its lowest setting. Whisk your cold milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then quickly stir it into the warm broth. Let it bubble gently for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens up.

Mom-to-Mom Pro Tip: If your family likes an ultra-thick and creamy chowder, ladle 2 cups of the soup (about 1 cup of potato/corn solids and 1 cup of liquid broth) into a blender or use an immersion blender. Blend it smooth and stir it right back into the pot. It gives it that restaurant-quality texture without adding a ton of heavy cream!

7. Pull and Serve

Using your hands or two forks, pull the chicken meat off the bones into rustic, hearty chunks. Please avoid shredding it into stringy oblivion! Hearty chunks give the chowder a fantastic texture.

Adding pulled chicken to a pot with corn chowder.

Stir the chicken back into the pot to warm through, check your seasonings, and ladle it into bowls. Top with your reserved crispy bacon and just like that – dinner is done!

Note: Keep in mind that the longer this chowder sits and cools down, the thicker it gets. It actually tastes even better the next day, making it the perfect school lunch leftovers!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely. In fact, I highly recommend it! You can cook the soup completely, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. When you reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat, just splash in a tiny bit of extra milk or broth, as it will thicken up significantly while it sits overnight.

Can I use frozen or canned corn?

Yes! While fresh corn off the cob is a treat in the summer, I make this with frozen sweet corn or drained canned corn all autumn and winter long. It is just as delicious and saves a ton of prep time.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes! I do this when I know I don’t have time to prep dinner in the evening.

Sauté the bacon, veggies, and corn on the stovetop first to build the flavor base, then transfer everything to the crockpot along with the flour, broth, potatoes, and chicken. Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours. Stir in your cornstarch and dairy mixture during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. You may need to splash in a little extra milk or broth, as the chowder will thicken significantly in the fridge.