Creamy Corn Chowder with Crispy Bacon Recipe

Luxurious Creamy Corn Chowder with Crispy Bacon Recipe

Crafting a delightful corn chowder with crispy bacon promises pure comfort on chilly evenings.

Kernels of sweet corn blend seamlessly with rich, velvety broth that warms you from the inside out.

Smoky bacon pieces add a delectable crunch to each spoonful.

Hearty ingredients come together in a symphony of flavors that dance across your palate.

Creamy textures and savory notes create an irresistible combination you’ll want to savor slowly.

Each ingredient tells a story of rustic, homemade goodness that feels like a warm embrace.

Simple yet sophisticated, this chowder invites you to experience a bowl of pure culinary joy.

Prepare to fall in love with every incredible bite.

Cozy Up to Creamy Corn Chowder with Crispy Bacon

  • Savor Rich Comfort: This corn chowder delivers pure satisfaction with minimal kitchen effort.
  • Customize Your Bowl: Personalize the chowder by adding extra toppings like shredded cheese, jalapeños, or croutons for a custom culinary experience.
  • Crowd-Pleasing Potential: Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or casual gatherings where everyone craves a hearty, warming meal.
  • One-Pot Wonder: Simplifies cooking with a single pot method, reducing cleanup and making meal preparation stress-free for home cooks of all skill levels.

What You’ll Need for Creamy Corn and Bacon Goodness

Protein Base:
  • Bacon: Provides a crispy, smoky flavor and renders fat for cooking.
  • Chicken Broth: Adds depth and savory foundation to the chowder.
Vegetables:
  • Corn Kernels: Brings sweetness and classic chowder texture.
  • Potatoes: Adds heartiness and helps thicken the soup.
  • Onion: Provides aromatic base and subtle sweetness.
  • Garlic: Enhances overall flavor profile with its pungent taste.
Creamy Elements:
  • Butter: Adds richness and helps create smooth texture.
  • Heavy Cream, Milk: Creates luxurious, velvety consistency.
  • Flour: Serves as thickening agent for the chowder.
Seasonings:
  • Salt, Pepper: Balances and enhances the overall taste of the chowder.
Optional Garnish:
  • Green Onions, Chives: Adds fresh, mild onion flavor and visual appeal.

Stirring Up Creamy Corn Chowder with Ease

Step 1: Crisp Up The Bacon

Cook chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat until golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon pieces onto a paper towel-lined plate, keeping the delicious bacon fat in the pot.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

Add butter to the bacon fat. Once melted, toss in:
  • Chopped onions
  • Minced garlic

Sauté onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its fragrant essence.

Step 3: Create A Flavor-Packed Roux

Sprinkle flour into the pot and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes.

This helps eliminate the raw flour taste and creates a smooth base for the chowder.

Step 4: Build The Chowder Foundation

Slowly whisk in chicken broth, ensuring no lumps form.

Add:
  • Corn kernels
  • Diced potatoes

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes become tender.

Step 5: Enrich With Creamy Goodness

Pour in:
  • Heavy cream
  • Milk

Simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing the chowder to thicken and develop a luxurious texture.

Step 6: Season And Serve

Season with salt and pepper to match your taste preferences. Ladle the chowder into warm bowls.

Top with the crispy bacon pieces and sprinkle fresh green onions or chives for a beautiful finishing touch.

Bacon-Boosted Tips for Corn Chowder Lovers

  • Swap dairy milk with plant-based alternatives like almond or oat milk for a vegan-friendly version.
  • Dice potatoes uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the chowder.
  • Reserve some whole corn kernels to add at the end for extra texture and fresh corn flavor.
  • Use thick-cut bacon for maximum crispiness and deeper smoky flavor in the dish.
  • Let the chowder simmer slowly to develop rich, layered flavors and achieve perfect creamy consistency.

Corn Chowder Mix-Ups You’ll Want to Try

  • Spicy Southwest Corn Chowder: Add diced jalapeños, cayenne pepper, and top with cilantro for a zesty Mexican-inspired version.
  • Seafood Corn Chowder: Replace bacon with fresh shrimp or lump crab meat, creating an oceanic protein-rich variation.
  • Vegetarian Corn Chowder: Substitute bacon with smoked paprika and use vegetable broth, adding roasted bell peppers for depth.
  • Herb-Infused Corn Chowder: Incorporate fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage during cooking for an aromatic herbal profile.

Pair It Right with Creamy Corn Chowder

  • Brew Perfect Pairings for Corn Chowder
  • Crisp White Wine Match: Select a buttery Chardonnay with light oak notes that complements the creamy texture and balances the rich bacon flavors.
  • Rustic Bread Companion: Serve warm, crusty sourdough or country-style bread to soak up the delicious chowder and add delightful textural contrast.
  • Refreshing Side Salad: Prepare a light green salad with tangy vinaigrette to cut through the chowder's richness and provide a fresh, zesty counterpoint.
  • Craft Beer Selection: Choose a smooth wheat beer or blonde ale with subtle malt characteristics that enhance the corn's sweetness and bacon's smokiness.

The Best Way to Store Corn Chowder and Bacon

  • Refrigerate: Store the chowder in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Cool completely before sealing to prevent bacterial growth.
  • Freeze: Pour cooled chowder into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion. Freeze for up to 2 months. Avoid freezing garnishes like bacon.
  • Reheat Stovetop: Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of chicken broth or milk to restore creamy consistency if needed. Avoid boiling to prevent separation.
  • Microwave: Heat in short 30-second intervals, stirring between each to distribute heat evenly. Add a touch of milk to maintain smoothness and prevent scorching.

Got Questions About Corn Chowder? Let’s Dish

  • Is this chowder healthy?

While delicious, this chowder is rich in calories due to heavy cream, bacon, and butter. It’s best enjoyed as an occasional comfort meal rather than a regular diet dish.

  • Can I make this chowder vegetarian?

Yes, replace bacon with smoked paprika for depth, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and substitute bacon with crispy mushrooms or roasted vegetable bits for crunch.

  • What type of corn works best?

Fresh corn kernels provide the most flavor, but frozen corn is an excellent convenient alternative. Avoid canned corn as it lacks the fresh, sweet taste needed for this chowder.

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Creamy Corn Chowder with Crispy Bacon Recipe

Creamy Corn Chowder with Crispy Bacon Recipe


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4.7 from 22 reviews

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Description

Creamy corn chowder with crispy bacon delivers a comforting symphony of sweet corn and smoky bacon in every spoonful. Hearty kernels nestled in a silky broth promise a satisfying meal you’ll savor down to the last delicious bite.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

  • 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk

Flavor Enhancers:

  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

Seasoning and Thickening Agents:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup green onions or chives, chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Render bacon in a large pot over medium heat until golden and crisp, allowing fat to accumulate in the pan.
  2. Transfer crispy bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the flavorful bacon drippings.
  3. Melt butter into the bacon fat, creating a rich base for sautéing aromatic vegetables.
  4. Sauté onions until they become soft and translucent, approximately 4-5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its fragrant essence.
  5. Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture, stirring continuously to create a smooth roux and eliminate any raw flour taste.
  6. Slowly pour chicken broth into the pot, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps from forming.
  7. Add corn kernels and diced potatoes, ensuring even distribution throughout the liquid.
  8. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes become tender and easily pierced with a fork.
  9. Pour in heavy cream and milk, gently stirring to incorporate and create a luxurious, creamy texture.
  10. Continue simmering for 5-7 minutes, allowing the chowder to thicken and develop deeper flavors.
  11. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting to personal taste preferences.
  12. Ladle the steaming chowder into serving bowls, garnishing with reserved crispy bacon bits and optional chopped green onions.

Notes

  • Choose thick-cut bacon for extra crunch and deeper flavor that elevates the entire chowder’s taste profile.
  • Roast corn kernels briefly before adding to intensify natural sweetness and add subtle caramelized undertones.
  • Swap dairy for plant-based alternatives like coconut cream and almond milk to create a vegan-friendly version without compromising rich, creamy texture.
  • Use starchy potatoes like Yukon Gold for better thickening and smoother consistency in the chowder.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
  • Method: Simmering
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6
  • Calories: 384
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Sodium: 450 mg
  • Fat: 25 g
  • Saturated Fat: 14 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 34 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 9 g
  • Cholesterol: 70 mg
Truc Tran (Kris)

Truc Tran (Kris)

Senior Food Editor

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert

Education

  • Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) at TasTAFE
  • Culinary Arts at Kendall College (Australia Branch in Sydney)
  • Vietnamese Cuisine Head Chef at HNAAu School (Vietnam, International Joint Training Program)

Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.

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