This Potato Corn Chowder recipe is creamy, thick, flavorful and easy to make in the slow cooker/crockpot. This hearty and delicious corn chowder features tender chunks of potato and creamy corn. Top it with crispy bacon for the ultimate chowder recipe!
Corn and Potato Chowder
This flavor packed potato corn chowder recipe can be made with fresh or frozen corn. You can enjoy this chowder on cool summer nights while corn is at peak season or in the middle of winter when you need a bowl of comfort food to warm you up from the inside!
I love easy crock pot soup recipes that can be made with minimal effort. Just like my Creamy Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup, this corn chowder recipe is what I call “dump and go”. Place all the ingredients in your crock pot and go about your day. Dinner will be ready and waiting for you when you need it! How amazing is that?
What is a Chowder?
A chowder is a thick and rich soup usually made with cream, milk and sometimes a roux (a combination of flour and butter). Chowders are often chunky in texture and incredibly creamy. Seafood chowders, corn and potato chowders are among the most popular.
How To Make Your Corn Chowder Thick?
Some chowder recipes use a roux as a base to make the soup thick. In this corn chowder recipe, however, I take advantage of the starch in the potatoes to give this hearty chowder soup a creamy and thick consistency.
To do that, I like to remove some of the potatoes from the soup, mash them and then return them to the crock pot. This method not only provides a thick texture but also lots of creaminess. It also helps reduce the amount of cream you need to use yet still provides richness to the soup.
How To Make Potato Corn Chowder
- I like to use russet potatoes for this chowder recipe because of their creamy texture. Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. They don’t have to be perfect, some of them will be mashed to give this soup a thick consistency without using a roux (flour and butter mixture).
- I use frozen corn for convenience but fresh or canned corn works also.
- Place the potatoes, corn, garlic, thyme and stock into the slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper and chicken bouillon. The bouillon is optional but I highly recommend it. It adds a lot of extra flavor to this simple corn chowder.
- Cover and cook!
- When the potatoes are tender, I remove a big scoop of potatoes and mash them with a fork. Then, I stir in the mashed potatoes back into the chowder. This helps thicken the the soup without having to add flour – keeping this creamy chowder recipe gluten free.
- Add some heavy cream and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Be ready for the most delicious, soul warming, comforting potato chowder ever!
Take this slow cooker soup to the next level by topping it with smoky and crispy bacon! I share all my secrets for perfect bacon in this post How To Cook Bacon in the Oven! No mess, crispy bacon every time!
What Kind Of Potatoes Do You Use For Chowder?
Potatoes not only make this chowder rich and delicious, it also helps making this soup extra creamy. I prefer using starchy potatoes to make this tasty soup. Russet potatoes are a great option as well as Idaho potatoes. An all-purpose potato like Yukon Gold can also be used.
Potato Corn Chowder Recipe Tips
- If you like a thicker chowder, after adding the cream cook the chowder a little bit longer than the 30 minutes specified in the recipe.
- Keep this chowder recipe vegetarian by using vegetable stock.
- You can use homemade chicken stock or store bought. Here’s my recipe for Basic Chicken Stock. Homemade is always best and has the best flavor. Make it in big batches and freeze it for later use!
- You can use half and half to cut on the calories but you need such a little amount of cream, you might as well use the real deal!
Take A Look At Other Delicious and Easy Soup Recipes
- Easy Thai Tom Yum Soup
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Cabbage Roll Soup
Slow Cooker Potato Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 ounces frozen corn*
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 4 ½ cups chicken stock, homemade or store bought
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground chicken bouillon (optional but highly recommended)
- ½ to 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 ounces bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped
Instructions
- Place the potatoes, the corn, onion, garlic, and thyme in the slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth over. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the chicken bouillon (if using). Stir well.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours or on high for 3 – 4 hours or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
- Scoop out some of the potatoes onto a plate. Mash the potatoes with a fork and return to the crock pot, stirring them in to thicken the broth.
- Stir in heavy cream cover, and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve hot garnished with bacon
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