Soups make a great easy dinner idea, that’s why we love ’em! For more soup recipes you need to reach for check out Roasted Garlic Potato Soup, only a few ingredients needed and easy to customize. Or try one with south of the border flavors like this Mexican Lentil Soup with sliced chorizo.

Up close bowl of chicken corn chowder with details of potatoes, chicken, corn, celery, and green onions. A striped towel is wrapped around the bowl and there is a second bowl of chowder in the background.

Hearty Corn Soup

This recipe takes normal corn chowder and gives it a major protein boost by adding in chunks of chicken, that means it is going to help keep you satiated and fuller longer.

Along with all that chicken, there are a bunch of veggies added…chopped onion, celery and potatoes.

And, of course, there is corn!

Frozen corn, or even canned corn, work great in this soup for the winter months. But, when the summer rolls around, I highly recommend picking up some fresh ears of corn. Cut the corn right off of the cob, then use the back of your knife to get all of the juices and all the little corn bits.

Above view of a bowl of chicken corn chowder with two black spoons, a striped towel is between that bowl of chowder and second bowl that isn't completely in the picture.

The base of this soup is a combination of broth and low fat milk to bring down the calorie count, but a touch of cream still keeps it creamy and rich.

And you can get it on the table even faster by making it with rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken you have in the fridge.

Loaded with flavor, this creamy soup, is going to bring your temperature back up.

Why You’ll love this Recipe

It’s hearty: This soup will stick to your ribs and keep you full for a while.
Full of veggies: There are a bunch of vegetables in there.
Simple: No complex ingredients here, just easy to find ingredients.

Ingredients to Make Corn Chicken Chowder

Corn: In the summer months when corn is at its juiciest, I highly recommend using fresh corn on the cob. You”ll need about 3-4 ears. Just cut it straight off the cob. Canned or frozen corn work when fresh corn is unavailable.
Chicken: Use a couple chicken breasts or 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Broth: I like to control the salt content in my food, so I opt for low sodium broths and add salt. Use chicken broth or vegetable broth or stock.
Milk: Low fat milk is used to cut back on some calories while still giving a creamy texture.
Heavy Cream: A small amount is used to provide thickness.
Seasonings: This recipe uses dried basil, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. I don’t recommend using just plain paprika, it will not give the same amount of flavor as smoked.

All of the ingredients needed to make corn chicken chowder.

These are the basic ingredients that are needed to make this recipe. The full ingredient amounts and instructions are at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.

How to Make Corn Chicken Chowder

STEP 1: Cut the raw chicken breasts into chunks. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and ground pepper. Melt the butter and add in chicken. Cook, flipping the chicken.

STEP 2: Push the chicken to the side of your pot and add onions and celery to the open side. Cook until soft. Add a little broth if the vegetables start drying out.

STEP 3: Add garlic and sprinkle flour over everything.

The first four step by step instructions to make this chowder recipe. A pot with cooking chicken, the chicken pushed to the side of the pot and cooking the onions with the celery, sprinkling in the flour, and then adding most of the ingredients.

STEP 4: Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Then add milk and cream.

The last step to make this chowder recipe. Which is adding the cream and milk, stirring and bringing to a boil.

STEP 5: Bring the mixture up to a boil, then drop the heat until the potatoes are fork tender. Serve hot, salt and pepper to taste.

How to Serve

This chowder is best served hot off the stove with a sprinkling of green onions and a touch of shredded cheese. Crumbled bacon and chopped red bell pepper are also popular toppings.

On the side, we love crackers or this fresh French bread or stuffed garlic bread. For veggies we love fried okra, a salad or some air fryer zucchini. A splash of lemon juice or pepperoncini juice will add the perfect amount of acid to bring out the flavors.

Cooking Tips and Tricks

How to thicken the soup. If you prefer a thicker consistency, these are my three recommendations: – Number one is to add 2-3 cups of the cooked soup (you will have to pull out any chicken) to a blender. Blend until pureed and add back to soup pot. Be careful doing this as hot soup will get even hotter in the blender. – Number two is to mix together one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water. Add into the soup and stir until combined. – Number three pull some of the cooked potatoes out of the soup and mush them up, then just stir them back in.
Less spicy: The cayenne pepper adds a kick of spice, if your kids don’t like things spicy at all just omit it.

Above view of two bowls of chicken corn chowder with a striped towel and a small bowl of green onions.

Recipe Variations and Modifications

Use leftover chicken breast or rotisserie chicken
Add in bacon. Cook up 4-6 strips of bacon before anything else, set on paper towels to drain. Cook the vegetables and chicken in the bacon grease and omit the butter. Add 3/4 of the bacon to the soup and use the rest for topping.
Greek yogurt: Stir in some greek yogurt for thickness and more protein.
Add in more vegetables: When adding the potatoes and corn, add in diced carrots or red bell pepper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Could I make it dairy free? Although I have not tried it, you could keep this dairy free by only using broth and a dairy free milk like almond milk or coconut milk (this will really change the flavor). It could be thickened with a sugar free, plain version of yogurt if you can find one. If you try it, let me know in the comments how it turns out.

Can I make it vegetarian? Yes, use vegetable broth and leave out the chicken. It can be replaced with chickpeas or beans if you like.

How to Store & Reheat

How to store it? Let the soup cool and put in an airtight container. It should last about 3 days in the fridge.

How do you reheat? I recommend heating on the stove over medium low until soup is heated through. You can also heat it in the microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds, stir, then keep repeating that until it is heated through.