Corn and Potato Chowder with Bacon

Name: Corn and Potato Chowder with Bacon
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 47 min
Total time: 1 h 7 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp (1 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (or use ½ tsp dried); ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warm; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; 1 leaf (½ g) dried bay leaf; 4 cups (about 20 oz) (560 g) corn kernels, frozen (no need to thaw) or cut from 7–8 fresh ears; 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream; kosher salt, to taste, about 1 tsp (6 g) to start; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste, about ½ tsp to start; 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, creamy American-style chowder built on crisp bacon, tender Yukon gold potatoes and sweet corn. Mashing a few potatoes thickens it naturally, so you get a silky base with plenty of chunky bites.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 47 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 12 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 generous bowls)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

6 servings

8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp (1 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (or use ½ tsp dried)
½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warm
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
1 leaf (0.5 g) dried bay leaf
4 cups (about 20 oz) (560 g) corn kernels, frozen (no need to thaw) or cut from 7–8 fresh ears
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
kosher salt, to taste, about 1 tsp (6 g) to start
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste, about ½ tsp to start
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Chef's knife and cutting board
Slotted spoon
Whisk
Potato masher
Paper towel-lined plate
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Cut the bacon, potatoes, onion and celery before turning on the heat. The vegetables go in quickly once the pot is hot.
Use a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy pot. Thin pots scorch the milk and flour more easily.
If using frozen corn, you can add it straight from the freezer. There is no need to thaw it.
Keep the heat at medium-low once the milk goes in. Boiling can make dairy look grainy.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Cut the bacon, onion, celery, potatoes and garlic as listed.
- Strip the thyme leaves from the stems.
- Set the milk and cream out so they lose their chill.
- Keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water if you are not cooking right away, and drain them well before they go in the pot.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All vegetables are in even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Tip: Cut the potatoes to a uniform ½-inch size. Larger chunks stay hard while smaller ones fall apart.
2
Render the bacon
- Put the bacon in the cold pot and set it over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- If the bacon is browning faster than the fat is melting, or the pot starts to smoke, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- When the pieces are crisp, remove them with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot (save the extra for another use).
- Leave the pot on the heat.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bacon pieces are deep golden brown and crisp, and the fat in the pot is clear and gently bubbling.
Tip: Starting the bacon in a cold pot renders more fat and prevents it from burning before it crisps.
3
Soften the aromatics
- Add the onion and celery to the bacon fat.
- Cook, stirring often, for 6 to 7 minutes.
- Scrape up the browned bits on the bottom as the vegetables release moisture.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no raw crunch, and only lightly golden at the edges.
Tip: If the pot looks dry or the bits start to scorch, lower the heat slightly and add a splash of broth.
4
Toast garlic and flour
- Add the garlic, thyme and smoked paprika.
- Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, so the flour coats everything and forms a thick, pasty layer.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The flour smells slightly nutty and no dry white streaks remain.
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown. Bitter garlic will flavor the whole pot.
5
Whisk in the broth
- Pour in about ½ cup (120 ml) of the broth while whisking or stirring vigorously to make a smooth paste.
- Add the remaining broth in two or three additions, stirring until the mixture is smooth before adding more.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The liquid is smooth and slightly thickened with no flour lumps.
Tip: Adding broth gradually is what prevents lumps.
6
Simmer the potatoes
- Add the potatoes and bay leaf.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Stir once or twice so nothing sticks.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A fork slides into a potato cube with no resistance, but the cubes still hold their shape.
Tip: Keep it at a gentle simmer. A hard boil breaks the potatoes down unevenly.
7
Mash for body
- Turn the heat to low.
- Press a potato masher into the pot 8 to 10 times, mashing about a quarter of the potatoes against the bottom.
- This thickens the chowder and leaves plenty of whole chunks.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The broth looks creamy and opaque, with a mix of mashed bits and whole cubes.
Tip: Mash lightly. Over-mashing makes the chowder gluey instead of silky.
8
Add corn and dairy
- Stir in the corn, milk and cream.
- Raise the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Keep the chowder at a bare simmer with small bubbles at the edges.
- Do not let it boil.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The chowder is steaming hot, the corn is tender, and the soup coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: If the chowder is thicker than you like, thin it with a splash of milk. If it is too thin, simmer 3 more minutes.
9
Season and rest
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Stir in half of the crisp bacon.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then taste and adjust.
- Turn off the heat and let the chowder rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes so it thickens slightly and the flavors blend.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The chowder tastes well seasoned and sweet, smoky and savory in balance.
Tip: Season at the end. Bacon and broth vary in saltiness, so tasting last prevents over-salting.
10
Serve
- Ladle the chowder into warm bowls.
- Top each with the remaining crisp bacon and a sprinkle of sliced chives.
- Serve right away.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bacon stays crisp on top of the hot chowder.

Good to know

Tips

Mash only a portion of the potatoes. The mashed ones thicken the chowder, and the whole cubes keep it chunky.
Keep the chowder at a gentle simmer after adding milk and cream. Boiling can make the dairy look curdled.
For a deeper corn flavor, blend 1 cup of the corn with ½ cup of the milk until smooth before step 8, then stir it in with the rest of the corn and milk.
Serve with oyster crackers or crusty bread for a full meal.

Make ahead

"Make the base through step 7 (the mashed potatoes in broth, before the corn and dairy) up to 2 days ahead. Cool it, refrigerate it in an airtight container, and store the bacon separately. To finish, warm the base in the pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it reaches a gentle simmer with small bubbles at the edges, about 8 minutes. Then continue with step 8 (corn, milk and cream) and the steps after it as written. Re-crisp the bacon in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes if it has softened.

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: cool and store the finished chowder in an airtight container for up to 4 days, with the bacon stored separately so it stays crisp. Freezer: potato-based dairy soups can turn grainy, so freezing is not recommended. Reheat: warm in a pot over low to medium-low heat, stirring often, to 165°F (74°C), adding a splash of milk if it has thickened. Do not boil."

Substitutions

Yukon gold potatoes → Red potatoes. Use the same weight. They hold their shape well but make a slightly less creamy chowder than Yukon golds.
heavy cream → Whole milk or half-and-half. Use the same amount. Whole milk gives a lighter chowder, and half-and-half falls in between.
low-sodium chicken broth → Vegetable broth. Use the same amount for a lighter flavor. The chowder will still be smoky from the bacon.
corn kernels → Fresh corn kernels. Cut from 7–8 ears to get 4 cups. Simmer the stripped cobs in the broth for 10 minutes for extra corn flavor and discard them before adding the broth to the pot.