Corn Chowder with Bacon (Printable)

Creamy corn chowder with smoky bacon, tender potatoes, and sweet corn, perfect for warming meals.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups sweet corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or drained canned)
03 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 3 cups chicken stock (use gluten-free if needed)
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions

# Method:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving approximately 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
02 - Add the diced onion and celery to the pot and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add diced potatoes, corn, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Stir to evenly coat the vegetables with the seasonings.
05 - Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and whole milk. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without boiling.
07 - Using an immersion blender, partially puree the soup in the pot until desired consistency is achieved. Alternatively, blend 2 cups of soup in a standard blender and return to the pot.
08 - Stir in half of the cooked bacon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each portion with remaining bacon and chopped chives or green onions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The bacon fat does the heavy lifting, so you're really just letting the vegetables cook in something that already tastes incredible.
  • You can make it with frozen corn and still have people asking for the recipe.
02 -
  • Don't skip the partial blending step—it's what separates this from chunky vegetable soup and turns it into something creamy and cohesive without being wallpaper paste.
  • If you add the cream or milk and then boil it hard, it can separate and look broken; keep the heat moderate once the dairy goes in and your soup will stay silky.
03 -
  • Don't dice your potatoes too large or they won't cook through in the time the soup needs to simmer; aim for pieces about half an inch on each side.
  • If you want extra richness without making it feel heavy, add a pat of cold butter along with the cream instead of just heavy cream and milk—it adds a silky mouthfeel that tastes almost luxurious.
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