Corn Chowder with Bacon and Potatoes (One Pot)

A ladleful of creamy corn and potato chowder topped with bacon bits and chopped green onions.

Corn Chowder with Bacon and Potatoes (One Pot)

This creamy corn chowder is loaded with fresh sweet corn, crispy bacon, Yukon Gold potatoes, red bell pepper, and a silky half-and-half broth. I simmer the stripped corn cobs right in the pot for extra corn flavor, and everything comes together in one Dutch oven in just over an hour. Make it in the oven, in an Instant Pot, or in a Slow Cooker.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword corn chowder

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 396kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn kernels cut off, cobs reserved
8 slices thick-cut bacon diced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 g)
4 scallions white parts diced, green parts thinly sliced and reserved for garnish
3 stalks celery diced
1 medium yellow onion diced
1 large carrot peeled and diced
5 cloves garlic minced
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (950 ml)
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (450 g) peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
14.75 ounces canned creamed corn (418 g)
1 medium red bell pepper diced
3 cups half-and-half (720 ml)
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Reserved crispy bacon for garnish
sliced scallion greens for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the bacon. Heat a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the pot.
Add the butter, scallion whites, celery, onion, and carrot to the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the flour is incorporated and the raw flour smell has cooked off.
Simmer the potatoes and cobs. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring, then add the reserved corn cobs and potatoes. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Carefully remove and discard the corn cobs and bay leaf.
Stir in the corn kernels, creamed corn, red bell pepper, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, until the corn and bell pepper are tender.
Finish with half-and-half. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half-and-half. Cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chowder is hot, creamy, and slightly thickened. Do not boil (keep it below about 185°F / 85°C).
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon and sliced scallion greens.

Notes

I provide step-by-step photos below this recipe card if you need a visual guide.
Use a big enough pot: This makes almost 5 quarts of chowder, so a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven gives you room to stir without spills.
Cut the corn cleanly: Stand each ear upright inside a large bowl (or on an upside-down small bowl inside a large one) so the kernels don't fly across the counter.
Corn cobs: If the cobs don't fit in your pot, snap them in half before adding them to the broth.
Frozen corn: Use 4 to 5 cups of thawed frozen corn in place of the fresh kernels. Skip the cobs and simmer the potatoes in the broth on their own.
Potatoes: Yukon Gold or red potatoes hold their shape best. Russets break down and make a thicker, less chunky chowder.
Keep the potatoes small: Cutting them into ¼-inch cubes helps them cook evenly in 15-20 minutes.
Season at the end: Bacon, broth, and creamed corn are all salty. Taste after the half-and-half goes in, then adjust.
Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour, or skip the flour and thicken at the end with 1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked into 2 tablespoons cold water. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Don't boil after adding the half-and-half. High heat can make the dairy separate. Keep it on low and just let it warm through.
How do I make it thicker? Mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot, or add the cornstarch slurry above.
Why did my chowder curdle? It got too hot after the dairy went in. Keep it below a simmer once you add the half-and-half.
Special Tools: Large Dutch Oven (6-quart or larger) | Sharp Chef's Knife | Cutting Board | Large Mixing Bowl | Ladle

How to Make Corn Chowder in a Slow Cooker

Cook the bacon and vegetables first: In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and set it aside. Cook the butter, scallion whites, celery, onion, and carrot in the bacon fat until softened, then stir in the garlic and bay leaf.
Make the roux: Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the broth until smooth, scraping up the browned bits.
Fill the slow cooker: Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the remaining broth, potatoes, and corn cobs (break them in half if needed to fit).
Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours, until the potatoes are tender. Remove the cobs and bay leaf.
Add the corn: Stir in the corn kernels, creamed corn, bell pepper, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.
Finish with half-and-half: Stir in the half-and-half and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes, just until hot. Garnish with the bacon and scallion greens.

How to Make Corn Chowder in an Instant Pot

Use an 8-quart Instant Pot (or halve the recipe for a 6-quart).
Using the sauté function, cook the bacon, then the vegetables, garlic, bay leaf, and flour as written. Whisk in the broth, scraping the bottom well to prevent a burn notice, then add the potatoes and cobs.
Pressure cook on HIGH for 4 minutes, let it release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release. Remove the cobs and bay leaf, switch to sauté, and simmer the corn kernels, creamed corn, bell pepper, and seasonings for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat, stir in the half-and-half, and let it warm through for 5 minutes before serving.

Storage Tips

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat and add a splash of broth, since the chowder thickens as it chills.
Freezing: Dairy and potatoes can turn grainy when frozen. For best results, freeze the chowder before adding the half-and-half, then stir it in after reheating. Freeze the bacon separately.

Nutrition