5 from 63 votes
Easy Corn Chowder Recipe
Easy Corn Chowder is a hearty soup combining roasted corn kernels, crispy bacon, diced vegetables, and potatoes simmered in chicken stock and thickened with a cornstarch slurry. The chowder’s rich texture comes from half and half, creating a satisfying creamy consistency. Flavored with garlic, bell pepper, and a touch of sherry, it offers a balance of smoky, sweet, and savory notes. This recipe produces a comforting dish suitable as a filling meal especially in cooler weather.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
10
Calories:
336 kcal
Course:
Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 8 corn on the cob unshucked ears
- 10 lices Bacon chopped
- 1 sweet onion peeled and small diced
- 4 celery small diced stalks
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and small diced
- 3 garlic finely minced cloves
- 1/3 cup cream sherry
- 10 each red potato large diced
- 80 ounces chicken stock
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups half and half
- salt sea salt and fresh cracked, to taste
- black pepper sea salt and fresh cracked, to taste
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- Worcestershire sauce to taste
- green onion fresh sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Add the corn in the husk onto a sheet tray, place it on the middle rack in the oven at 425°, and cook for about 25 minutes or until tender.
- In a large hot pot on medium-high heat, render the bacon fat and cook the bacon until it becomes crispy. Once it's cooked, remove the bacon lardons from the pan, turn down the heat to medium, add the onions, celery, peppers, and garlic, and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Continue to sweat the vegetables over low heat for 10-15 minutes
- Deglaze with the cream sherry and cook until it becomes absorbed and only a small amount remains.
- Now, remove the corn from the oven and cool slightly before shucking and trimming the kernels off the cob. Add them to the pot with sautéed vegetables along with the potatoes.
- Pour in the stock, turn the heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Then, whisk the slurry or roux into the soup until it becomes very thick, as a chowder should be.
- Cook it for a few more minutes over medium-low heat. The technical term is called nappe, which means the soup can coat the back of a spoon.
- Whisk in the ½ and 1/2 and add back in the crispy bacon lardons, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce.
- Garnish with optional green onions and additional crispy bacon lardons.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- This chowder can be prepared up to three days in advance for convenience.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat gently on low heat; re-season with salt and pepper and re-thicken with a small cornstarch slurry if needed.
- Frozen or canned corn kernels may substitute fresh roasted corn when fresh corn is not available.
- Choosing fresh corn includes checking for firm husks without blemishes and moist silk on top.
Nutrition Information
Calories
336kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
31g
(10%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
18g
(28%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Cholesterol
39mg
(13%)
Sodium
518mg
(22%)
Potassium
659mg
(14%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
765IU
(15%)
Vitamin C
23mg
(26%)
Calcium
75mg
(8%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 10 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 336
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 336kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 39mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 518mg | 22% |
| Potassium | 659mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 765IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 23mg | 26% |
| Calcium | 75mg | 8% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.