Chicken Corn Chowder

Name: Chicken Corn Chowder
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 48 min
Total time: 1 h 8 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 slices (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 1 medium (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 2 large ribs (120 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour; 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1½ pounds (2 large breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, left whole; 1 pound (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; ½ teaspoon (1 g) smoked paprika; 1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf; 4 cups (600 g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen, frozen kernels used straight from the freezer, or fresh kernels cut from about 5 ears; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature or cool from the fridge; kosher salt, to taste, starting with ¾ teaspoon; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 2 scallions (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, creamy one-pot chowder with tender poached chicken, sweet corn, buttery potatoes and smoky bacon. The potatoes thicken the soup naturally, so it stays rich without being heavy.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 48 min
Total: 1 hr 8 min
Makes: About 2.5 quarts (2.4 L), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

6 slices (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
1 medium (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
2 large ribs (120 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour
4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1½ pounds (2 large breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, left whole
1 pound (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
½ teaspoon (1 g) smoked paprika
1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf
4 cups (600 g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen, frozen kernels used straight from the freezer, or fresh kernels cut from about 5 ears
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature or cool from the fridge
kosher salt, to taste, starting with ¾ teaspoon
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
2 scallions (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot with lid
Wooden spoon
Slotted spoon
Cutting board and sharp knife
2 forks or tongs for shredding chicken
Instant-read thermometer
Potato masher (or the back of a sturdy spoon)

Steps

Before you start

Chop everything before you turn on the stove: the soup moves quickly once the bacon is cooked.
If using frozen corn, there is no need to thaw it; add it straight from the freezer.
If using fresh corn, you need about 5 medium ears; cut the kernels off the cob.
Use a heavy pot of at least 5 quarts so the soup can simmer without boiling over. This is a stovetop recipe; no oven is needed.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Cut the bacon, dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, and cube the potatoes.
- Trim the chicken breasts of any visible fat.
- Keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water if not using them within 15 minutes, then drain well before adding.
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Ready when: All vegetables are cut to even sizes so they cook at the same rate.
Tip: Cut the potatoes no larger than ½ inch (1 cm) so they turn tender in the time the chicken poaches.
2
Render the bacon
- Put the bacon in the cold soup pot and set over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes until the fat has rendered and the pieces are browned and crisp.
- Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot.
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Ready when: Bacon is deep golden and crisp, and about 3 tablespoons of fat remain in the pot.
Tip: Starting the bacon in a cold pot renders more fat and prevents it from burning.
3
Soften the vegetables
- Return the pot to medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery with ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 6 to 7 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, celery is tender when pressed with the spoon.
Tip: If the vegetables start to brown, lower the heat to medium-low.
4
Toast garlic and flour
- Add the garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute so it coats the vegetables and loses its raw taste.
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Ready when: The mixture looks like a thick, pale paste with no dry flour visible and smells toasty.
Tip: Keep stirring so the garlic doesn't scorch and turn bitter.
5
Add broth gradually
- Pour in about 1 cup (240 ml) of the broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until smooth and thickened.
- Add the remaining 3 cups (720 ml) of broth and stir again.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil, about 3 minutes.
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Ready when: The broth is smooth with no flour lumps and small bubbles break at the surface.
Tip: Adding the first cup slowly while stirring prevents lumps.
6
Poach chicken and potatoes
- Add the potatoes, bay leaf, and whole chicken breasts, nestling the chicken into the liquid so it is mostly submerged.
- Reduce the heat to low so the surface barely bubbles, cover, and cook for 16 to 18 minutes.
- Check the thickest part of the chicken with a thermometer.
- Remove the bay leaf.
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Ready when: Chicken reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part and a potato cube is easily pierced with a fork.
Tip: Keep it at a gentle simmer; a hard boil makes chicken tough and stringy.
7
Shred the chicken
- Turn off the heat.
- Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes, then shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
- Meanwhile, use a potato masher to mash about a quarter of the potatoes against the side of the pot, 6 to 8 presses, to thicken the soup.
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Ready when: Chicken pulls apart easily with no pink; the broth looks noticeably thicker with some potato bits remaining.
Tip: Shred the chicken while still warm; it pulls apart more easily than when cold.
8
Simmer the corn
- Return the pot to medium-low heat.
- Stir in the corn and bring back to a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is hot and tender and the soup lightly coats the back of a spoon.
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Ready when: Corn is bright yellow and tender, and the soup coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Don't overcook the corn; it should still pop sweetly when you bite it.
9
Finish with cream
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the cream and shredded chicken.
- Warm for 3 to 4 minutes until steaming hot, without letting the soup boil.
- Stir in about half of the cooked bacon.
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Ready when: The soup is steaming and creamy-white, with tiny bubbles at the edges but no active boil.
Tip: Boiling after the cream goes in can make the soup look curdled.
10
Season and serve
- Taste and add more salt, about ½ teaspoon at a time, and black pepper until the flavors are bright.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining bacon and the sliced scallions, if using.
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Ready when: The soup tastes balanced and well-seasoned, not flat.
Tip: Bacon and broth vary in saltiness, so always taste before the final salt.

Good to know

Tips

Mashing a portion of the potatoes is what thickens the chowder, so don't skip it; add more mashing for a thicker soup.
Poach the chicken whole rather than cubing it; it stays juicier and shreds easily.
Add the cream at the end over low heat so it stays smooth.
Chowder thickens as it sits; thin with a splash of warm broth or milk when reheating.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 8 up to 2 days ahead, keeping the shredded chicken in the soup, and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat until steaming, then add the cream and bacon as in step 9. Keep the bacon separate so it stays crisp.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months, though the potatoes become slightly softer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming (165°F/74°C); add a splash of broth or milk if too thick. Do not boil.

Substitutions

heavy cream → half-and-half or whole milk. Lighter; use half-and-half for a similar result. Whole milk is thinner, so mash a few more potatoes.
boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Same weight; simmer 20 to 22 minutes until they reach at least 165°F (74°C), though thighs are more tender at 175°F (79°C).
Yukon Gold potatoes → russet potatoes. Russets break down more and give a thicker soup; reduce the mashing.
thick-cut bacon → 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus extra ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika. For a bacon-free version; use butter for sautéing the vegetables and increase the salt slightly.