White Chicken Chili Corn Chowder. (2024)

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This simple one pot Creamy White Chicken Chili Corn Chowder is a new favorite. Made with sweet yellow corn, potatoes, poblano peppers, jalapeños, and shredded chicken. Salsa verde is the ingredient that makes this chowder really shine. It’s spicy, creamy and so delicious. Top each bowl of chili with the works – crispy homemade bacon bits, cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt, and avocado too. Great on its own, but even better with a side of homemade beer bread.

I have a handful of recipes on this site that I actually make over and over again because we love them so much. I make my 5 indigent honey butter beer bread at least once a month. And more like once a week in the fall. And in the soup department, the only two recipes I make on repeat are my white chicken chili and my chipotle corn chowder.

We just love them so much. I make the corn chowder every single summer and fall. It’s that one summer soup you have to make every season. It’s the perfect chowder.

And my white chili? Well, that really is one of my family’s all-time favorite recipes. I make it multiple times throughout the fall and winter. We love it.

And you all, we really love this chili chowder. I took both recipes and made them into one to create the absolute best white chicken chili.

I’m obsessed with the recipe and I already know I’ll be making it over and over again throughout the fall. It’s delicious and easy to prepare, so we have to love that!

Details

Step 1: crisp up the bacon

Crisp up the bacon in a soup pot. I love to dice mine super small to make homemade bacon bits. They’re so yummy on top of the chili chowder. You can’t skip these!

Pull the bacon out and save for topping the chili.

Step 2: cook the chicken

To the pot, add in the onion and garlic. Let those cook a bit, then add in the potatoes, corn, and chicken. Season that all up with cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder.

Pour over the broth and let the chicken simmer until it’s cooked throughout and shreds easily. This only takes about 15 minutes.

Step 3: purée the soup

Now pull that chicken out and shred it.

Before you add the chicken back to the soup, purée some of the soup to make it very creamy. I love to leave in a few pieces of corn, then purée the rest.

Step 4: finish the soup

Once the soup is creamy, you can add the chicken back. Mix in the green peppers, the milk, salsa verde, and some cheddar cheese.

Let the broth simmer until it’s thickened up, becomes very creamy, and the cheese has melted. At this point, the soup will be smelling so DELICIOUS.

Step 5: the toppings

The toppings are the real secret here. Most chili is delicious, but what makes a chili recipe over the top good are really yummy toppings. So you have to do them all!

I layer as follows: a thick layer of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt, cubed avocados, and fresh green onion, plus cilantro. Then, those bacon bits over it all.

I also love to add beer bread on the side for dipping, it’s a chili/chowder must. Every bowl of soup can benefit from a good simple slice of warm homemade beer bread. It’s delish.

Simple as can be, but every spoonful is so delicious. Think a little spicy, a touch creamy, filled with chicken, peppers, cheese, and all those toppings.

Looking for other corn recipes? Here are some favorites:

Crockpot White Chicken Chili Burrito Bowls

Ingredients

▢ 6 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
▢ 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
▢ 4 cloves garlic, chopped
▢ 4 cups yellow corn kernels (from about 4 ears corn)
▢ 1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
▢ 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
▢ 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
▢ kosher salt and black pepper
▢ 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
▢ 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
▢ 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, and chopped
▢ 2 cups milk
▢ 4 ounces cream cheese, melted
▢ 3/4 cup salsa verde
▢ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
▢ 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
▢ avocado, cheddar, and yogurt, for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and reserve for topping.
2. To the pot, add the onion, cook until fragrant, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5-10 minutes, until very fragrant. Add the corn, potato, and chicken, then stir in the broth. Season with more salt and pepper. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Pull the chicken out and shred using 2 forks.
4. Transfer 3/4 of the chowder to a blender and blend until mostly smooth. Return to the pot. Stir in the poblano, jalapeño, milk, cream cheese, salsa verde and cheddar. Cook 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. If needed, thin with additional milk.
5. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired, with bacon, yogurt, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Eat and enjoy!

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