What can I use to thicken corn chowder?

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent , but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

What are the best potatoes for thickening soup?

Russets or all-purpose baking potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture. In soups, they will soak up the liquid and lose their shape. This makes them the ideal choice for making creamy soups or thickening a runny soup. Try using Russet potatoes to create the perfect Loaded Potato Soup.

Is it better to thicken chowder with flour or cornstarch?

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry . Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

Will heavy cream thicken corn chowder?

However, chowder can also get a bad reputation due to the large amounts of butter, bacon, and heavy cream that are often used to thicken it and add flavor . As a result, it can be a super-rich dish.

Do you cook potatoes before adding to soup?

There's no need to boil potatoes before adding them to soup . Just be sure to add them with enough time to cook without overcooking the other soup ingredients. For diced potatoes, this is typically 10 to 15 minutes.

Can you use instant mashed potatoes to thicken potato soup?

Honestly, if you just stir in a little instant mash, like Smash, your soup will thicken up in no time at all . Now, you may end up needing more than a spoonful, but it's best to add a little at a time, because remember, you can always add more of it, but you can't take it away.

How do I thicken my chowder?

You can start with 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 cup of liquid as a general rule of thumb. To make a smooth paste, combine the flour with a small amount of cold liquid. Stir the paste gradually into the soup. To allow the flour to thicken the mixture, cook and stir it for a few minutes.

How do you make chowder less watery?

Add flour or cornflour Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

How do you thicken corn chowder without cornstarch?

Other methods for thickening a chowder With a blender, you can use the corn — plus potatoes and other veggies — as a natural thickener by blending a small amount and adding it back into the soup . The starchiness from the corn and potatoes will lend you the same silky texture as heavy cream.

What is usually a main thickening agent of chowder?

Roux (pronounced roo) is a mixture of equal weights (parts) of flour and fat (usually clarified butter; chicken fat, bacon fat, and margarine are also used) cooked over medium heat and stirred constantly. Roux is the most common thickener for sauces and soups.

Chicken, Corn & Potato Chowder Recipe

Published: Jan 26, 2010 · Modified: Feb 26, 2024 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 57 Comments

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A few days ago, my husband dropped a few hints - Texas-sized ones - that he would be tickled if a bowl of chicken and corn chowder dropped from the heavens into his eager hands. Ask and you shall receive. Okay, so maybe I felt the need to make up for the frequent accumulation of papers that I have squirreled away in various parts of our house. Not cool when your husband is neat as a pin on a clutter-phobe's pincushion. Or perhaps it's the guilt over smashing his beloved Red Tail Ale pint glass. Whatever it was, my infractions of the "live in harmony" law were pardoned after the first slurp of this creamy, aromatic soup.

This chowder is based off of a recipe from Cooking Light Magazine. Even after considerable changes, I believe we can still call it light. As my husband is rather fond of southwestern flavors and a little heat, I added a can of chiles and a pinch of cayenne pepper. The original recipe called for 2% milk. However, since there was none to be found in my fridge, I substituted skim milk. To make up for the richness lacking in skim milk, I added a can corn to accompany the whole kernels. Oh yeah, and I added an extra strip of bacon. No excuses required for that. The robust aroma gave way to an intensely satisfying soup that indulged my husband's craving and warmed us to our toes.

Cook 3 slices of bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let drain on a piece of paper towel. Set aside.

To the bacon drippings, add 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts that have been cut into bite-sized pieces. In addition, add 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup diced red bell pepper, and 2 minced garlic cloves.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add one (4 oz.) can diced green chiles and cook for an additional minute.

Add 5 ¼ cups low-salt chicken broth and 2 cups diced, peeled russet potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Add 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn and 1 can (14 oz.) creamed corn, and stir well.

Pour ½ cup all-purpose flour into a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 2 cups skim milk. Add the milk mixture to the soup and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped scallions, grated Cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. If desired, break some tortilla chips over each portion of soup.

Printable Recipe

Chicken Corn Potato Chowder Recipe

This rich and creamy chicken corn potato chowder is flavored with green chiles and Cheddar cheese. Comfort food at its best!

4.50 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soups

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Healthy Dinner Recipes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 to 6 Servings

Calories: 716kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

3 bacon slices
1 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
1 4 ounce can diced green chiles
5 ¼ cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups diced peeled russet potatoes
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1 14 ounce can creamed corn
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
1 ½ cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese plus more for garnishing
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt & pepper
chopped scallions for garnish

Instructions

Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let drain on a piece of paper towel. Set aside.
To the bacon drippings, add chicken, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add diced green chiles and cook for an additional minute. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add frozen whole-kernel corn and creamed corn, and stir well.
Pour flour into a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in skim milk. Add the milk mixture to the soup and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1½ cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped scallions, grated Cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. If desired, break some tortilla chips over each portion of soup.

Nutrition

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Bethany
January 26, 2024 at 4:43 pm

I make this chowder fairly regularly and my whole family loves it! I usually add 3 cups of frozen corn instead of one and this time I also added 1 chopped carrot. We like our soups hearty. We have enough left over for the rest of the weekend! Yum!
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Patti
January 05, 2022 at 5:00 pm
Oh my goodness!! This is one of the best soups I’ve ever had. I’m not usually a potato soup fan but this is 100 times better than regular potato soup. Followed it to a T except used diced pimentos instead of green chilies and it was perfect!! Served it with a box mix of cheddar bay biscuits. We’re all stuffed!! Great recipe.
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Maret
July 11, 2018 at 3:20 am

Delicious soup! Have made it several times. sometimes using leftover cooked chicken. When corn was in season, I substituted the kernels of 4-5 ears of corn for both the frozen and creamed corn (I didn't have the latter on hand when I first made this). For some of the chicken broth, I cooked the cobs in water for extra flavoring then stirred in Better Than Bouillon. I added 1 stalk of celery. I didn't use all of the bacon fat...only about 1 Tbsp. Sometimes I add 1 zucchini for another vegetable. What surprises me about this soup is that it tastes delicious without all the cheese! So, I'd suggest if you are watching calories, add to taste. I've enjoyed just sprinkling the cheese on top of each serving to adding about 2/3 cup into the soup.
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Chicken, Corn & Potato Chowder Recipe - Cookin' Canuck (2024)