Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder

Something we’ve yet to make on this website that only takes a few minutes to prep while having over 350 grams of protein in the whole recipe? A high protein Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder! It’s absolutely delicious, uses simple ingredients, and will last you the entire week.

Start this one with your slow cooker. If you don’t have one? Buy one! It’s seriously the best meal prep appliance you can buy. I think I paid $30 (or less) for mine and I’ve had the same one for over a decade with ZERO issues. Link below!

Add right into it, 3 pounds of either fat trimmed chicken breast or thighs (I’m going thighs), 2 cups of a chicken broth, 1 chopped up yellow onion, 2 cans of cream-style corn, 1 1/2 cups of other corn like Mexican style or regular frozen corn, 1 can of green chilis for some kick, 1 can of drained & rinsed pinto beans, 1 1/2 pounds of chopped up potatoes, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

What potatoes? Red potatoes or Yukon gold are my favorite here. Yukon for “creamier” or red potatoes if you want “firmer” chunks that don’t break down as easily.

You might also be wondering, why thighs? Two reasons: they were on sale this week, and they easily stay tender and add a rich, savory flavor.

Add in anything else you want here. Think diced bell peppers, celery, carrots, or a pinch of your favorite spices, and so on. The variation we made is a southwestern style. Here are some of my other favorite variations:

Corn Chowder Variations

Make these variations by using the “base” recipe. The base recipe here would be made by reducing your smoked paprika to 1 teaspoon and by removing the Mexican style corn, green chiles chili powder, and ground cumin.

• Bacon and Cheddar: Bacon bits or a few slices of crushed up bacon, 1 cup sharp cheddar added in with your cream or milk at the end, and 2-3 green onions.
• Sweet Potato: Use sweet potatoes instead of regular, 3 cups chopped spinach, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• Thai: Use coconut cream instead of half and half or milk, 2 tablespoons red curry paste, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, 1 juiced lime, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

Give everything a quick mix then cover and your turn slow cooker on low heat for 6-7 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.

Want to lower the sodium in the recipe? Look for lower sodium alternatives. You should be able to easily find them for all your canned ingredients!

Once your chicken reaches 165F/73C , it’s time to shred it. You know the drill, grab a couple forks and pull your chicken apart or remove everything and hit it with a hand mixer on low (the easiest method).

Creamy Corn Chowder

Two steps for your creaminess. The first and before you add your chicken back in, blend some of your soon to be chowder either right inside your slow cooker with an immersion blender or scoop it out and put it into a blender, a couple cups worth is fine. This step is also optional, it’ll just help add to your creaminess.

The second step? Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1 cup of cold milk and add that right into your slow cooker followed by 1 cup of a plain Greek yogurt. If that’s too much work or you don’t have those ingredients, simply add in 2 cups of half and half. Mix everything together and let it cook on high heat for around 20-30 minutes!

Pro tip: Use less or more broth depending on how thick or thin you want your slow cooker chicken corn chowder.

After you portion it out, keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can reheat it either on the stovetop or in the microwave over/on medium heat until you reach your desired eating temperature. No stovetop or microwave available? It tastes great cold too!

Top this slow cooker chicken corn chowder with shredded cheese, cilantro, chives, bacon bits, sour cream, the choice is yours. Use “toppings” that complement the variation of chowder you made. Speaking of choice, cream or tomato chowder? Drop which one you prefer in the comments below!

Ready for dessert? How about some Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough!?