Bacon Corn Chowder Recipe

4.79 from 47 votes

Try my easy Bacon Corn Chowder soup in winter as well as in the summer with seasonal corn. This delicious and easy corn chowder with bacon is loaded with potatoes, corn, bacon, and so much more. I must say it is one of the ultimate comfort foods!

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

6 slices bacon crisped & crumbled; divided in half
1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken broth/stock
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried chives
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled & diced
1 cup half and half
6 cups corn kernels (approx. 8 ears of fresh corn) or a 28.8 oz. bag of frozen corn
garnish with crumbled bacon chopped fresh parsley and a couple of dashes of Smoked Paprika or nutmeg

Instructions

Cut bacon into lardoons (1/8” slices) and cook until almost crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, and discard all except 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet.
6 slices bacon
Cook diced onion in the bacon grease until onion is translucent.
1 medium sweet yellow onion
Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
2 garlic cloves
Dust cooked onions with flour and stir to mix well.
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pour in the vegetable/chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, chives, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and diced potatoes. Stir well.
Bring liquid to a boil and boil for 10 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to fall apart. With a potato masher, mash the mixture until approximately half the potatoes are mashed.
4 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken broth/stock, 2 bay leaves, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/4 teaspoon dried chives, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
Add half and half and corn kernels. Mix thoroughly.
1 cup half and half, 6 cups corn kernels
Taste the chowder and season with more salt, if needed.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat to thicken. Be careful the milk in the chowder doesn’t scald.
To serve, place soup in bowls. Top with crumbled bacon, fresh chopped parsley, and a couple of dashes of nutmeg or smoked paprika. Enjoy!
garnish with crumbled bacon

Notes

Add pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken in place of bacon for variety.
For a vegetarian chowder, leave out the bacon and use vegetable broth.
Adjust heat/spiciness per taste.

Nutrition