This easy corn chowder recipe tastes like it’s been simmering all day, but it’s ready in minutes!
Sweet corn and smoky bacon are simmered in a rich and creamy broth with tender potatoes, onions, and celery for a comforting and cozy chowder.
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Your Family Will Love This Corn Chowder Because…
- It combines fresh (or frozen) corn with staple ingredients for a delicious chowder.
- Corn chowder is comforting and wholesome for a quick meal anytime.
- This versatile recipe is perfect for tossing in leftover chicken or veggies from the fridge.
- Double up the recipe, it reheats well for quick meals.
Ingredients for Corn Chowder
Corn: Fresh, canned, or frozen corn can be used and makes this chowder sweet and flavorful along with the celery. If using frozen, add a few minutes to the cooking time.
Potatoes: Potatoes make this chowder thick, creamy, cozy, and filling.
Bacon: Bacon adds a smoky flavor and a little crispy crunch.
Broth: Buy or make your own chicken broth. Broth combined with the milk and cream add a velvety consistency with savory flavor.
Variations
- To make a seafood chowder add shrimp or crab, a dash of homemade Old Bay seasoning, and a little Tabasco.
- Sweet potatoes add healthy fiber and nutrients, but you can also use a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans if desired.
- Diced ham or slices of summer sausage are great options in place of bacon.
How to Make Corn Chowder
- Fry bacon until crisp, remove, and drain. Saute onion and celery until tender.
- Simmer potato, seasonings, and broth. Stir in corn, milk, and cream and simmer until thickened.
- Blend some of the soup and return it to the pot. Garnish (recipe below) and serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: French bread, crusty rolls, biscuits, or artisan bread.
- Salad: I love a fresh green salad with this soup.
Storing Leftover Corn Chowder
Keep leftover corn chowder in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat portions on the stovetop or in the microwave.
To make in advance and freeze, prepare the recipe as indicated, but omit the dairy. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop. Once the chowder is simmering, stir in the milk and cream.
So Many Savory Soups
Did you love this Corn Chowder Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- ½ medium onion diced
- ½ cup sliced celery
- 1 ½ cups potato peeled and diced
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- black pepper to taste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Set aside to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings.
- In a large pot, heat the reserved drippings. Saute onion and celery over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add potato, thyme, bay leaf, pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add corn and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes for fresh corn, or 5 to 6 minutes for frozen corn.
- Whisk together milk and cream, and add it to the soup mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes to thicken. Remove bay leaf and discard.
- Remove 2 to 3 cups of soup and blend. Stir blended mixture back into the soup.
- Remove the pot from heat and stir in half of the bacon. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and green onions.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
So easy and delicious !
I was looking for a cheap and easy recipe that had ingredients I wouldn’t have to go to the store searching for. I always grew up with sausage corn chowder, but I love this recipe with bacon! I did add a couple tsp. of flour to thicken soup, but the flavor is amazing! It did not disappoint. Thank you!
I am not a lover of thyme … would it be OK to leave it out?Or ? is there a substitute I can use
You can leave out the thyme and while it was slightly change the flavor it will still be delicious!
My only adjustment was the addition of salt. Otherwise, my family loves this recipe!! Creamy and just right for the 12 degree weather we just had here in GA!
I only had 2 slices of bacon and only whipping cream, so that’s what I used. I also used thyme leaves, which weren’t too bad, as long as you don’t mind them getting stuck in your teeth, so next time I’ll use ground thyme. It was very tasty and creamy, especially after immersion blending half the soup. I’ll definitely make this again because the 2 cups of broth (mine were from bouillon cubes) made exactly enough for 4-5 people, unlike other recipes that ask for 5 cups of broth.
Fantastic chowder. I had some leftover sausage so I swapped out the bacon. It was delish. Very hearty on a cool fall day.
This is great! I opted for half and half and used my immersion blender to zap some of the soup in the pan before adding the pancetta. Perfect consistency.
My family loved this recipe! It was exactly what I was craving!! Thanks for another great recipe. SWP Employee
Want to try this soon! Do I have to remove some soup to blend, can we just omit that step? I like a chunky soup, maybe I’ll just mash it by hand a little bit? Thank you!
You definitely could, Janet. You could also blend it with an immersion blender. We only recommend blending 2-3 cups of the soup so you still have some chunky pieces so that would work well.
I have many leftover ears of cooked corn on the cob from a bbq this weekend. Can I use cooked corn?
Hi Mary, that should work well. Enjoy!
I made this on Sunday and finished it tonight, it’s very good. I added carrots to the celery and onion and thickened it with a butter/flour roux. Everyone loved it. I forgot cayenne pepper and didn’t miss it.
That sounds great Ellen. Glad everyone loved it!
Love it! I had lots of leftover fresh corn and this was the perfect recipe for it. I did cut back the thyme just a little. Other than that recipe is perfect as is. One bit of advise——definitely cook double the bacon bec if you are like me, you will eat most of it and have to cook more for the soup..
lol
Yum, bacon!! So happy you loved the chowder Sharon.
Delicious soup! I just added so extra seasoning, such as Penzey’s Sandwich Sprinkle. This is a keeper! Served it with homemade artisan crusty bread!
I had to write and say “thank you” for this recipe. My father is elderly, ill and quite frail, and has lost so much weight that we’ve all been very concerned for him. He eats very little – taking just a few bites of even his favorite dishes – and then losing interest. I made this soup today, expecting pretty much the same reaction, and was shocked when he ate two good-size bowls. He said it was the best thing he’d eaten in a long time. I can’t tell you how much good it did all of us to see him eat and enjoy it, and I really had to pass along my family’s heartfelt thanks for sharing! I will be making this for him again and again.
Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a comment, it truly made my day. I am so happy to hear your father enjoyed this soup. Wishing all of you well and sending love to your family.
I love all your recipes!!
I’d like to receive the news letter
Definitely Kimberly! To receive our newsletters, you can sign up here or scroll down to the bottom of the post and you will see a green signup box.
How many cups or so is one serving? I can’t seem to find measurements?.
Hi Madison, a serving would be roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups.
How would I make this for 2 servings?
You would need to divide all of the ingredients by 3.
Great Recipe. Served it to my staff today!
This was so easy and tates amazing. The only thing I did differet was more bacon, but to each his own :-) This will be on my fall/winter dinner rotation now.
More bacon is never a bad decision if you ask me Eden!
If i use turkey bacon will that be ok? I don’t eat pork or beef
It should work just fine!
If I have to use frozen corn, how many cups of corn should I use? Thanks
Hi Lori, we recommend still using 3 cups of corn even it’s frozen :)
Is it dried thyme or fresh thyme?
For this recipe, we use dried thyme.
This comment is not on this particular recipe, which is amazing. This is a thank you to Holly for all the wonderful recipes that I have tried and loved. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much Peg, I’m so glad you’ve loved the recipes!
WAY too much Thyme. Almost made it inedible. Sorry!
Did you use just 1 teaspoon Lee? You can definitely reduce the amount to your liking!