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This Jalapeno Corn Chowder is an ultra creamy and hearty soup that’s packed with flavor! It merges the sweet corn with spicy jalapenos for a deliciously comforting soup! There’s chunks of crispy bacon and tender potatoes throughout for the ultimate comfort meal.
For more delicious soup recipes, try my tried and true heirloom tomato soup and chicken tortilla soup!
I loaded up on corn at the Farmer’s Market this past weekend and couldn’t wait to get home to make corn chowder! As with many of my recipes, ya’ll know I love to put a twist on classic dishes, so I added some jalapenos for heat!
In addition, there’s poblano peppers, fresh thyme, onions, and some heavy cream for extra flavor and richness. Oh, and don’t forget the bacon – it’s a must!
This Jalapeno Corn Chowder is insanely delicious and I think that you’ll agree! When you make it, let me know what you think in the comments. 🙂
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients and easy to make!
- You can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn to enjoy year round!
- Ultra creamy and rich!
Ingredients
- Bacon – the crispy bacon adds so much flavor. A little salty, a lot of savory, and lots of smoky flavor. It’s a must!
- Onion – for a burst of flavor
- Poblano peppers – poblano peppers have a little more heat than a bell pepper without being too hot (if that makes sense). They’re rich and earthy with a subtle sweet flavor, similar to a green bell pepper.
- Fresh Jalapenos
- Corn – I love using fresh corn when it’s in season, however, you can also use canned or frozen corn here.
- Russet potatoes – the potatoes are what thicken the soup giving it its hearty and velvety texture. You’ll want to make sure that you wash and peel them prior to adding to the pot.
- Chicken broth – chicken broth adds so much flavor, but you can also add vegetable broth for a vegetarian option.
- Heavy cream – for that rich creamy taste, heavy cream is a must! You can achieve similar results with whole milk too, similar to my loaded baked potato soup.
- Sharp Cheddar cheese – the sharpness of the cheese balances out the sweet flavors of the corn and the spicy jalapenos. You can also use smoked gouda to a touch of smokiness.
- Honey – for just a touch of sweetness to play up the corn flavor.
Variations
- Dairy Free option – you can swap out heavy cream for coconut milk. Cheddar cheese and butter are both low in lactose, but if you’re sensitive to dairy, you can omit the cheese entirely and use 2-3 tbsps olive oil instead of butter.
- Gluten Free option – use cornstarch instead of flour.
- Vegetarian option – Omit the bacon to make this dish vegetarian.
- Adjust heat level – by adding red pepper flakes, additional jalapenos, and/or cayenne pepper. Taste as you go and adjust accordingly.
- Use sweet potatoes instead of russets for a sweet take on the soup!
How to make Jalapeno Corn Chowder
Step 1: If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off of the cobs and set aside.
Step 2: Add bacon to a large pot or dutch oven over medium low heat. Allow the bacon to crisp up, then add onion, poblano peppers, celery, and corn and seasonings. Continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables become tender.
Step 3: Add garlic, thyme, corn, and the potatoes and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender, stirring occasionally so that the bottom of the pot doesn’t burn.
Step 4: Once the potatoes are soft, add about 1/2 of the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot and add heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and honey. Continue to cook until the soup has melted, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Garnish with basil, chives, sour cream, cilantro, and sliced fresh jalapenos.
Tips
- Add chicken! If you have any leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, you can chop it up and add it to the soup. I personally LOVE using my smoked chicken recipe to add in.
- Use fresh, canned, or frozen corn! I prefer to use fresh corn when it’s in season (summer), however, you can make this jalapeno corn chowder year round by using frozen (about 3 cups, no need to thaw) or 2 15 oz canned corn (drained) instead.
- Taste as you go. Rule of thumb – you can always add more but it’s hard to take away when it comes to cooking.
- For an ultra creamy soup, add about 4 oz cream cheese to make this ultra rich and hearty.
How to Serve
I love to dunk a piece of fresh bread into the chowder when it’s steaming and fresh out of the pot! Another favorite is to serve with my grandma’s cornbread or corn cake for something sweet on the side! Top the chowder with some chives, corn chips, a little sour cream, and fresh jalapeno make this the best corn chowder. It’s the perfect meal!
I also love to serve this dish with a side of guacamole or mango habanero salsa and tortilla chips or a house salad or roasted asparagus to keep things light!
The chowder is also exceptional as a side with my California Chicken Club! For drinks, serve with my AMF drink or white wine sangria to get the party started.
Recipe FAQs
A chowder is a type of thick, creamy soup traditionally made with milk or cream and thickened with ingredients like potatoes. The richness and thickness distinguish chowders from other soups, which may be thinner and broth-based.
Corn chowder can curdle if the dairy is heated too quickly or to too high a temperature, causing the proteins in the milk or cream to coagulate and separate. This can also happen if you use a low fat milk as the fat content is not high enough to bind the ingredients together. This recipe has adequate fat and also uses flour to prevent the chowder from curdling.
Yes, you can make corn chowder ahead of time. Prepare the chowder as usual, then let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally to maintain its creamy texture.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze corn chowder, but it’s important to note that the texture may change slightly upon thawing due to the dairy content. To minimize this, allow the chowder to cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers or freezer bags. When ready to eat, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring frequently to help restore the creamy consistency.
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Jalapeno Corn Chowder
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 6 slices Bacon
- 1 Yellow Onion, (chopped)
- 1 stalk Celery, (sliced)
- 2 Poblano Peppers, (diced)
- 2 Jalapenos, (seeds removed and sliced)
- 4 ears Corn, (3 cups of frozen corn OR 2 15 oz canned corn, drained)
- 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt, (more or less as desired)
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 3 cloves Garlic, (diced)
- 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, (diced)
- 2 large Russet Potatoes, (skin removed and cut into chunks)
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 tbsp Honey
Instructions
- If using fresh corn, remove the corn kerns from the cob and set aside.
- Add bacon to a large pot or dutch oven over medium low heat. Allow the bacon grease to render and crisp up, about 8-10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add onion, celery, poblano peppers, and corn and season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables become tender. Add garlic, thyme, potatoes, and butter. Continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until the butter is fully melted, then add flour and stir until incorporated.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender, stirring occasionally so that the bottom of the pot doesn't burn. Once the potatoes are soft, add about 1/2 of the soup to a food processor or use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
- Pour the soup back into the pot and add heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and honey. Continue to cook until the soup has melted, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust as desired. Garnish with chives, sour cream, cilantro, and sliced fresh jalapenos.
Notes
- If you have any leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, you can chop it up and add it to the soup. I personally LOVE using my smoked chicken recipe to add in.
- I prefer to use fresh corn when it’s in season (summer), however, you can make this jalapeno corn chowder year round by using frozen (about 3 cups, no need to thaw) or 2 15 oz canned corn (drained) instead.
- Avoid adding too much heat. Taste as you go. Rule of thumb – you can always add more but it’s hard to take away when it comes to cooking.
- For an ultra creamy soup, add about 4 oz cream cheese to make this ultra rich and hearty.
- Dairy Free option – you can swap out heavy cream for coconut milk. Cheddar cheese and butter are both low in lactose, but if you’re sensitive to dairy, you can omit the cheese entirely and use 2-3 tbsps olive oil instead of butter.
- Gluten Free option – use cornstarch instead of flour.
- Vegetarian option – Omit the bacon to make this dish vegetarian.
- Adjust heat level -by adding red pepper flakes, additional jalapenos, and/or cayenne pepper. Taste as you go and adjust accordingly.
- Use sweet potatoes instead of russets for a sweet take on the soup!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
