Potato Corn Chowder
Hearty, creamy, and loaded with the perfect blend of flavors, this potato corn chowder recipe is a comfort food dish to enjoy when the temperature drops.
Oh, how I love this potato corn chowder recipe from my dear friend, Tina. This is my only chowder recipe. Tina is family and I wanted to thank her for sharing it with me years ago. I put my own spin on it and it is still as good as ever. In fact, it’s a long-time family favorite. I enjoy making my corn chowder when we have company or on cooler days. It’s the ideal comfort food to warm you up when it’s cold.
Chowder has never seemed a Southern dish to me, but I sure do enjoy this one. It’s the name that makes it seem non-Southern I guess. I picture folks coming in from lobster fishing (or catching… or whatever it is you do to get lobsters) wearing thick sweaters and speaking like the Kennedys. That’s what watching too many commercials will do to ya!
Anyway, don’t be overwhelmed by the slightly long list of ingredients to make this potato corn chowder recipe. Y’all know I wouldn’t have a recipe with THAT many ingredients if it wasn’t good! We just need lots of delicious vegetables to make it hearty and filling. In fact, the green onions and the sweet juicy corn are my favorite parts of this chowder. Just in case that question was burning in your mind: “Christy, what are your favorite ingredients in this chowder?”
Then there are shelf-stable ingredients that combine for just the right blend of flavors. Yep, I promise there is no weird stuff that you wouldn’t be able to use again in another recipe! Most importantly, it’s a super easy recipe to follow and you’ll be enjoying a delicious bowl of chowder in no time. By the way, this is vegetarian-friendly too. Simply substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth and you’re off to the races!
Now, let’s make some potato corn chowder. Gosh, I just adore this recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Onion
- Red potatoes
- Jalapeno peppers (optional but would recommend, adds a nice bit of flavor)
- Paprika
- Frozen
- Milk
- Green pepper
- Chicken broth
- Flour
- Salt
- Butter
- Crushed pepper flakes
- Green onions
- Dijon mustard
How To Make Potato Corn Chowder
First, chop the bell pepper, onion, green onion, jalapeno, and potatoes.
You can also use a jalapeno from a jar if you like, or leave it out entirely. But the little bit of heat adds great body and flavor to this.
Melt your butter in a stockpot over medium heat so you can saute all of this goodness in it. Saute white onion and bell pepper on medium-high heat until tender.
For those of y’all just now joining the Southern Plate Family, I wanna say two things. First of all, WELCOME! We’re so glad you’re here. Secondly, yes, you can use either real butter or margarine if you like. I fully understand that budget is a necessary component in ingredient choice. No judgment here.
Add potatoes and chicken broth (or vegetable broth) to the stockpot.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, cooking for about 15 minutes.
Add chopped jalapeno, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika.
Then add in the frozen corn.
Add 1.5 cups of milk. Bring this just to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add in the chopped green onion.
Add flour and the remaining milk together and give this a good stir to blend until it’s smooth.
After gently boiling your potato corn chowder for 15 minutes, pour in the milk/flour mixture and stir again. Cook this for about two minutes, or until thick and bubbly.
And you’re done! Doesn’t this quick potato corn chowder look YUMMY?
Feel free to add crumbly bits of bacon and cheese to the top as well and serve with some crusty bread.
Storage
- Store leftover potato chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
- While you can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months, the consistency won’t be the same once thawed.
Recipe Notes
- You can use canned corn or fresh corn if you like, I just prefer frozen. Speaking of, here is a little grocery tip. If you are ever out and about and need to pick up something cold but don’t have a cold bag with you for your car, just pick up a bag or two of frozen corn. This acts as a wonderful ice pack, usually costs about a dollar per bag, and is always handy to have in your freezer.
- While potato and corn are the hero vegetables, you can really add whatever you like. For example, many corn chowder recipes include diced carrot and celery instead of bell pepper.
- To make this vegan corn chowder, you can easily use vegetable stock, coconut milk or almond milk, and the oil of your choice instead of butter.
- If you want to make this corn chowder heartier, add the protein of your choice when you add the potatoes:
- cooked and crumbled sausage
- leftover diced chicken pieces or rotisserie chicken
- leftover ham
- salmon or garlic shrimp
Recipe FAQs
How do you make potato corn chowder in a crockpot?
If you’d prefer to use a slow cooker, I’d still saute the bell pepper and onion initially and then add all other ingredients to your crockpot. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. About 15 minutes before it’s done, add the flour/milk mixture to thicken the chowder.
What do you serve with corn chowder?
Serve your potato corn chowder with a grilled cheese sandwich, homemade dinner rolls, garlic bread, homemade cornbread, or a simple tangy salad like my tomato, onion, and cucumber salad. You can also add different toppings. I mentioned cooked bacon and shredded cheddar cheese above, but other options include chopped fresh parsley or chives, chopped jalapeno, or croutons.
You may also enjoy these hearty cold-weather recipes:
Our Family’s Southern Chicken Stew Recipe
Italian Sausage Soup With Gluten-Free Sausage
Cauliflower Soup Recipe With Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 chopped green bell pepper
- 1 can chicken broth 14.5 ounces
- 2 large red potatoes, cubed
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cups frozen corn
- 3 cups milk divided
- 4 green onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a medium-sized stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and then saute the onion and bell pepper until tender. Then add the broth and cubed potatoes.2 tablespoons butter, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped green bell pepper, 1 can chicken broth, 2 large red potatoes, cubed
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the jalapeno, salt, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add the corn and 1.5 cups of milk. Bring just to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the green onion.1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 3 cups frozen corn, 3 cups milk, 4 green onion, chopped
- Combine the flour and remaining milk and mix well. Gradually add this to the chowder. Boil while stirring constantly, for two minutes or until thick and bubbly. Serve hot. Top with bacon and cheese, if desired.3 cups milk, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Nutrition
It’s better to aim for the Stars and miss,
than to aim for the ditch and hit it.
Submitted by Donna. Submit your quote or read more by clicking here.
I BASICALLY MAKE THE SAME RECIPE — BUT I USE CHICKEN , COOKED , PLENTY OF IT &&&&&& IT”S CALLED CHICKEN CORN SOUP .. — A PENNA. AMISH , GERMAN RECIPE – SO GOOD !!!!!!
I was just getting ready to add that I would put chicken in that recipe as I live in SE Ohio with aheavy Amish and German influence.
I don’t know what’s better… the recipe, or the running commentary… you just honestly make me LOL.
As for cold southerners… I truly believe that no one is worse than a cold northerner/now southerner. Grew up in NJ my whole life, moved to VA for 10 years (which is almost southern), BACK to nj for 2 very long years, and now a Southernern in FL. you are RIGHT. I have one turtleneck i wear about 5x a year. I will defend my right to wear flip flops and shorts into december. But once I make the switch to long pants/shoes/socks/long sleeves, I’m DONE. I’m freezing right up til March.! lol
Yum yum yum! I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Christy! Not sure where you were in Canada in January, but I can tell you the part that I live in makes most Canadians start a-shivering in July just imagining it.
I know what you mean about Southerners and Winter … I remember being in Arkansas in November in 65 degree weather and people were pretty much in straight “you people are crazy” mode when they heard we were going to sit in the hot tub for a while.
Anyway, back to the Chowder. It’s a favorite of mine as a hearty soup, and I often make it over an open fire on the lake in summer … being outdoors all day makes you hungrier, and there’s no good reason to go home at noon when you’re out fishing. It does get as hot in summer here as it gets cold in winter. Okay, maybe not … but 105 F is considered a normal temperature here in July, although 80~95 is more common.
Anyway … I’m going to try this a second time. Back to the Chowder. I see a few people talking about adding bacon bits at the end. You’re half way there. What you need to do is cut up some bacon into small pieces and fry that, for about 1 minute or so. 2 slices would be fine. Then you add the butter to your skillet, and your onions, (I add celery), peppers, and saute away.
The other thing is you can make a chowder from anything, it doesn’t have to be clams, although people who live near the ocean eat it that way. It’s not really a “red meat” dish, but chicken, turkey, fish, shrimp, probably crayfish … you get the idea.
And, aside from potatoes and bacon, in my kitchen chowder always has corn, and a little shredded carrot. The carrot is really there mostly for appearance.
Great site … I came her looking for a Southern Gravy recipe. Found one, too.
Stay warm down there. Summer’s on it’s way.
Thanks for this recipe! It’s supposed to be fall (in the south, it may feel like summer!) I too am in soup mode! I can understand the bacon & cheese to serve (everything is better with both!)
ok Christy! If u don’t eat seafood and ur from the south, then do u not eat crawfish? I mean that’s like the southern sin here in Louisiana if u don’t eat crawfish! (I know ur not from Louisiana, but ur just a skip and a hop away!)
We loved this…the pot was licked clean. My 17 year old son actually did the cooking, it was a very easy recipe for him to follow. He also added 1/2 a pound of bacon. This recipe got two thumbs up from this northern Illinois family.
I wound up making this last night instead of back on the 2nd. It came out really delicious, and my husband loved it! I wound up taking the idea of bacon and running with it. I cooked about 1/2 a pound of chopped up bacon in a separate pot, and added it to the chowder at the same time as the corn and green onion. I got the kind from Wal-Mart that’s covered in pepper. And of course once that bacon was cooked up I put the grease in a jar I started after moving to GA. I keep mine in the fridge though. My grandma used to keep hers on the top of the stove. Anyway, the chowder was awesome and all that peppered bacon really gave it good flavor and peppery-ness. Thank you for sharing this great recipe, Christy!