Warm up with this Hearty Potato Corn Chowder, loaded with fluffy potatoes, sweet corn kernels, and hot chilis for a special kick of spice and flavor!
If soup season has you grabbing your big pots from the back of the pantry, we're the same! I love a soup that's hearty enough to count as a meal, and this potato corn chowder fits the bill. And it pairs incredibly well with this savory jalapeño cheddar cornbread. You'll love the thick and creamy broth, tender bites of corn, and the kick of heat that makes this corn chowder stand out from the crowd.
There's no need to wait until soup season to enjoy this corn and potato chowder. The fresh flavors make it a fantastic summer soup too! Top it off with crumbled salty bacon and shredded cheddar cheese to make this chowder truly irresistible.
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Why This Recipe Works
1. It's quick and easy to make! This soup takes under an hour from start to finish.
2. Perfect for meal prepping! Make a big batch early in the week to enjoy potato and corn chowder all week long. As it sits, the flavors only get better!
3. It's loaded with nutrients. With potatoes, corn, onions, and celery, this soup is a delicious way to eat your vegetables!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Potatoes: I love using red potatoes for this soup because they help make the texture super creamy, especially when diced into really small pieces. Also, leave the skins on, as this is where all the nutrition lives!
- Corn: We use a can of corn kernels and a can of creamed corn for this recipe, Do not drain the corn kernels! The juices add so much flavor to this chowder, while using creamed corn adds an unbeatable natural creaminess.
- Celery: Adds a peppery flavor to the soup while also increasing the vegetables!
- Onion: I use yellow onions, but you can also use white or Spanish.
- Chicken bullion cubes: Adds chicken flavor without diluting and thinning the soup.
- Green chilies: I love the extra kick of spice the green chilis add to this soup. You can always leave them out if you prefer a mild chowder.
- Evaporated milk: This helps to make this chowder extra thick and creamy.
- Butter: If you like your soups extra salty, use salted butter. If you're watching your salt intake, use unsalted -- the choice is yours!
- Flour: Mixed with the evaporated milk to really help thicken the soup into the hearty chowder you love!
- Bay leaves: Adds a slight bitterness that helps keep this soup from becoming too heavy.
- Paprika: For a subtle sweetness.
- Salt: Use table salt or sea salt, whichever you prefer.
Be sure to see the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and directions.
🛒 Variations
- While I use red-skinned potatoes, you can use a variety of potatoes for this potato corn chowder. Russet or Idaho potatoes will work, but for these varieties, make sure you remove the skins first, as they'll add a grainy texture to the soup.
- If you want to bite into big chunks of fluffy potato, chop them into ½-inch cubes or bigger. Dicing them smaller will make the soup creamier with less chunks.
- The green chiles are optional, but I highly recommend them for a little kick of spice and flavor. If you want your chowder to be mild, just leave them out or you can use a mild green chili for flavor but no heat.
- To make this potato and corn chowder extra decadent, top it with a couple of slices of crumbled bacon and a handful of shredded cheese!
- For a vegetarian version, just swap the chicken bullion with vegetable bullion.
🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1-3: With a sharp knife, cut the celery into slices, the potatoes into bite-sized cubes, and dice the onions. Set aside.
Step 4-5: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced celery and diced onion to the saucepan and sauté 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
Step 6-7: Add the water, diced potatoes, both cans of corn, chicken bouillon cubes, green chiles, paprika, and bay leaf. Mix until well combined.
Step 8: Bring everything to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender.
Step 9-11: Add the flour to a small bowl. Slowly stir a small amount of evaporated milk into the bowl of flour and whisk until a smooth and thick paste forms. Gradually stir in the remaining evaporated milk and continue to whisk until well combined.
Step 12-13: Slowly stir the milk mixture into the chowder. Increase the heat and bring to a boil while stirring the pot continuously. The chowder should slightly thicken as it boils.
Once it has reached your desired thickness, remove it from the heat and serve.
To make this a complete lunch or dinner, top it with chopped bacon and shredded cheese and serve with crackers, crusty bread, or dinner rolls.
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQs
Corn soup has a thinner, brother texture, while chowder is a thick, stick-to-your-spoon type of soup. This potato and corn chowder is thick and creamy, thanks to the evaporated milk, flour, creamed corn, and finely chopped potatoes.
If your chowder is thinner than you'd like, let it boil longer after adding the evaporated milk and flour mixture. If it's still too thin, you can add a cup of the soup to a blender to slightly puree, then stir it back into the soup.
💭 Expert Tips
- If you've thickened your corn chowder too much, just add a little half-and-half or chicken broth to the pot and stir until it's thinned out slightly.
- This soup makes great leftovers! Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, cover the soup in a microwaveable safe container and microwave for 2 minutes or until heated through. Because of the evaporated milk, I don't recommend freezing this soup as the texture will change and not be as creamy after it's thawed.
- Serve this chowder at a party! For a fun party food, add the soup to a crock pot on warm, surrounded by optional garnishes including bacon crumbles, shredded cheese, green onions, chives, sour cream, and cilantro or parsley.
If you tried this potato corn chowder or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Equipment
- Large Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter, salted
- 2 stalks celery, slice
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2½ cups water
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream-style corn
- 1 10.5 ounce can whole kernel corn, undrained
- 1 4 ounce can dice green chiles, mild
- 2 cubes chicken flavor bouillon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 12 ounce can Carnation evaporated milk
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Put 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan and melt it over medium-high heat.
- Add the 2 stalks of sliced celery and the diced onion to the saucepan and sauté until 2-3 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the 2 ½ cups of water, 2 cups of diced potatoes, both cans of corn, 2 chicken bouillon cubes, can of green chiles, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and bay leaf. Mix until well combined.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the 2 Tablespoons of flour to a small bowl. Slowly stir in a small amount of evaporated milk into the bowl of flour and whisk. A smooth and thick paste will form. Gradually stir in the remaining evaporated milk and mix until well combine.
- Slowly stir in the milk mixture into the chowder.
- Increase the heat and bring to a boil stirring continuously. The chowder should thicken slightly.
- Once it has reached the desired thickness, remove from the heat and serve.
- Top with chopped bacon and shredded cheese.
Notes
- If you've thickened your corn chowder too much, just add a little half-and-half or chicken broth to the pot and stir until it's thinned out slightly.
- This soup makes great leftovers! Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, cover the soup in a microwaveable safe container and microwave for 2 minutes or until heated through. Because of the evaporated milk, I don't recommend freezing this soup as the texture will change and not be as creamy after it's thawed.
- Serve this chowder at a party! For a fun party food, add the soup to a crock pot on warm, surrounded by optional garnishes including bacon crumbles, shredded cheese, green onions, chives, sour cream, and cilantro or parsley.
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