This crockpot corn chowder is packed with hearty vegetables and finished with crispy bacon, making it irresistible.
Fresh veggies like potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and corn are slow-cooked in a rich and creamy chicken stock, then topped with bacon and chives.
You’ll Love This Corn Chowder Recipe Because…
- The sweet corn and the creamy soup broth meld together perfectly.
- The base of this soup is so creamy, rich, and flavorful.
- Creamy potatoes make this soup a little extra hearty.
- Crispy bacon adds a smoky, crispy, crunch.
Ingredients
Corn: Frozen, canned, fresh, or even creamed corn works perfectly in crockpot corn chowder. Frozen corn doesn’t need to be thawed, canned corn should be drained and rinsed, and if you are using creamed corn, use only half the amount of whole milk.
Vegetables: The trifecta of onions, carrots, and celery is called a ‘mirepoix’ and the combo is widely used as a savory base for many dishes.
Bacon: Choose any kind of cooked bacon you prefer. Diced ham, frozen mini meatballs, or sliced summer sausage are all great options in corn chowder.
Chowder Base: Milk or heavy cream mixed with the pureed veggies will make this chowder nice and thick. Feel free to use any dairy-free alternative, and if the chowder isn’t thick enough, add more slurry in Step 2 if needed.
How Do You Make Corn Chowder?
- Sauté chopped carrots, onions, and celery (recipe below).
- Transfer to crockpot along with potatoes, seasonings, and broth. Cook.
- Stir in corn, milk, and cornstarch roux and cook one hour longer.
- Mash up potatoes and vegetables to thicken. Add bacon.
Recipe Tips
- Make an even thicker crock pot corn chowder by adding more slurry to the chowder or more mashed potatoes.
- A dollop of sour cream over each portion will also instantly thicken a bowl of chowder.
- Serve with cornbread biscuits topped with melted garlic butter.
Leftovers?
Crockpot corn chowder can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Freeze cooled portions in zippered bags for up to one month. Thaw soup on medium-low on the stovetop and adjust seasonings before serving again.
Chowder Goes Great With…
Did you enjoy this Crockpot Corn Chowder Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.
Crockpot Corn Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut in ½-inch cubes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups frozen corn
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
- 4 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled
- chives finely diced
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat add vegetable oil and sauté carrots, celery, and onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to 6qt crockpot and add potatoes, chicken stock, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hours.
- In a small bowl combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry. To the crockpot stir in corn, milk, and the cornstarch slurry. Stir and cook one more hour on high.
- Using a potato masher, mash potatoes and vegetables to thicken soup (you can mash as much or as little as desired). Top with crumbled bacon and chopped chives.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Part of the instructions say cook 4hours plus 1 hour . However the instructions at the end say 6-7 hours on low. Which would it be ? Thank You
Hi Sandra, we cook on low for 6-7 hours (step one) with one additional hour on high (step two). Or you can cook this recipe on high for 4-5 hours with still one additional hour on high in step 2. I hope that helps!
This recipe was a total fail for me. I followed it exactly and the cooking time just seemed to be totally off. The potatoes are cooking SO SLOWLY – and I even cut them into pretty small pieces. I know it’s not a problem with my slow cooker, as I’ve been making plenty of other recipes with no problem. I cooked it on low for 4 hours and when I went to put in the corn and milk the potatoes had barely softened. It’s now been on high for 4 more hours and they still aren’t soft enough for me to mash. All I’m left with now is a thin, milky looking soup with lots of corn and undercooked potatoes.
What is one serving size? Made this today! Use cream of chicken soup instead of cream/half & half
Hi Sasha, that sounds like a delicious substitution. For a serving, it is approximately 2 cups.
I’m making this today because my oldest son is coming home for the weekend & he loves corn & I have some in my freezer that needs to be used up so that’s one of the meals he’s getting. Thanks for the great recipe. Excited to try it!! It’s very close to my cream of potato, leek & bacon recipe.
Sounds like he’s going to love this one too Janice! Enjoy!
We love this soup! My family is not usually soup lovers, but this recipe is definitely a go to for us. I actually use heavy cream for the dairy and add a pinch of sugar as well.
So happy to hear that Paige!
Too much thyme for me it overpowered
the soup. Wouldn’t make it again.
Very disappointing.
Sorry to hear that Julie, we really love this chowder recipe. Did you use thyme leaves? Ground thyme can be stronger.
What should I substitute with for a dairy free recipe?
I’ve not tried this with dairy free ingredients, but maybe another reader has and can help Tabitha!
A friend of mine has used coconut milk or cream for soup before. it does have a slight coconut taste but barely noticeable.
Great tip Janice!
Do you use dried thyme leaves or ground thyme?
I’d use thyme leaves for this recipe K. Enjoy it!
Can you freeze leftovers?
Due to the dairy in this soup I wouldn’t recommend freezing it once made. If you would like to freeze some soup, remove the portion you’d like to freeze prior to adding the milk.
To prepare, heat defrosted soup to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch, evaporated milk, and butter as directed. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Enjoy Barbara!
Can you add chicken in the crockpot with the? And would you cook for longer?
Hi Dee, chicken can take 4-5 hours to cook on low in the slow cooker. So it should be done if you put it in the crockpot right at the beginning, you will want to check the internal temperature has reached 165°F before serving and extend your cooking time as necessary. Since this soup is mashed I would remove the chicken before mashing or add cooked shredded chicken to the soup once mashed.
What size crockpot do you use?
Hi Robin, we used a 6 QT crockpot for this recipe.