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Potato Corn Chowder – a light and creamy corn chowder with lots of sweet corn, fresh thyme and tender potatoes. A warm and comforting soup you can make any night of the week!
Once the weather cools off, there’s nothing better than a piping hot mug of soup. Soup recipes are so easy and filling. Plus, I always have plenty of leftovers for lunch throughout the week. My family loves Southwestern Chicken Corn Chowder almost as much as this Potato Corn Chowder recipe.
This chowder is lightened up so that you don’t have to feel guilty while chowing down. But, truthfully, it’s hard to resist another bowl after you taste the simple yet flavorful aromatics and herbs in this recipe.
Plus, when you have a dinner recipe as low-effort as this Potato Corn Chowder, you’ll have time and energy to whip up some easy biscuits on the side. Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Ham & Cheese Biscuits are elevated versions that are just as simple and extra impressive.
Why This Recipe Works
- The potatoes thicken this chowder and give it a velvety, decadent mouthfeel. This way, you only need a little cream and can keep the soup light and guilt-free.
- Only a few simple, whole-food ingredients, aromatics, and spices in this soup create a medley of irresistible flavor.
- With only 10 minutes of hands-on prep and 30 minutes to simmer on the stovetop, this is a dinner recipe that you can have on the table in a pinch.
What You’ll Need
- Butter – Both salted and unsalted will work in this recipe.
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Thyme – Fresh thyme gives this chowder a subtle, mellow flavor. Dried herbs are much more concentrated, so stick to ½ teaspoon of dry thyme per fresh sprig.
- Flour
- Chicken Stock
- Evaporated Milk – This is an enriching agent in this soup. It’ll help add body, thickness, nuance, and richness to the flavor and texture of the chowder.
- Heavy Cream
- Potato – I used a large russet potato for this recipe, but you could use any white potato. Medium-starch or all-purpose potatoes hold their texture well when boiled.
- Corn Kernels – Frozen corn is super convenient and eliminates a bunch of prep.
- Salt and Pepper
- Bacon
How To Make Potato Corn Chowder
- Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion, garlic, and thyme. Sautè for about 8 minutes until everything is soft and fragrant.
- Create a roux to thicken the chowder by adding the flour to the mixture. Stir until the flour and oil mix to form a wet sand consistency.
- Add in the chicken stock and bring it all to a boil.
- Stream in the evaporated milk and heavy cream. Then, add the potatoes to the pot. Bring the soup back up to a boil for about 10 minutes.
- Once the soup starts to thicken from the roux and potato starch, add the corn. Season the chowder with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- When the potatoes and corn are soft, and the chowder is hot and thickened, you can remove it from the heat. Garnish with crumbled bacon bits and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- To save time and add flavor, start by cooking your bacon in the bottom of your large pot. Then, use the leftover bacon grease to sautè the aromatics in step one of the recipe.
- This recipe calls for crumbled bacon as a garnish, but a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese would add even more flavor to this soup. You can also use chives or green onions to garnish each serving.
- After making the roux, the soup won’t thicken until it reaches a boil. As the potatoes break down a bit, they’ll add body to the soup too. So don’t panic if the chowder still seems thin initially.
Round white potatoes, Russet potatoes, yellow potatoes like Yukon Gold, or new red potatoes all hold up well in soups, stews, or chowders.
An easy way to thicken the chowder is to add another potato to the recipe. Then, mash or puree some of the potatoes before adding in the corn. If you have an immersion blender, this is very easy to do right in the pot. Otherwise, you can transfer about a cup of the soup to a blender. Once the potatoes are all blended, add that back to the pot.
How To Serve Corn Chowder
This Potato Corn Chowder is so delicious and filling that I like to keep the sides simple.
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese – These sandwiches are so low-effort and come out perfect every time. Plus, they’re even better dipped in the chowder.
- Simple Tossed Salad – You can’t go wrong with a classic soup and salad combo. The fresh ingredients in this can brighten up a winter table.
- Olive Garden Breadsticks – There isn’t much that these breadsticks won’t compliment. They’re soft, buttery, and completely irresistible.
Storage
Double up on the recipe so you and your family have enough leftovers for lunch throughout the week!
- Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer – Freeze chowder in a large resealable freezer bag or an airtight container. It’ll keep for about 6 months. Then, thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup
- Crockpot Tortellini Soup
- Avgolemono Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Instant Pot Pozole
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Cheeseburger Soup
Potato Corn Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 12 ounce evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 large russet potato, chopped into small cubes
- 4-5 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and saute until soft, about 8 minutes.
- Add flour, and stir until is is completely mixed in.
- Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Add in the evaporated milk, heavy cream, and the chopped potatoes. Bring to to a boil for at least 10 minutes. The potatoes should start to break down to help thicken the soup.
- Stir in corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, until the corn is soft.
- Serve soup garnished with bacon
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Everything about these sounds delicious! So comforting!
Such a great way to warm up on a cold day
I am loving this potato chowder!! I am so excited to try it! LOVE the flavors!