The Coziest Potato Corn Chowder

Hearty, creamy, and loaded with flavor, this Potato Corn Chowder recipe is the ultimate comfort food dish to curl up with when the cold weather has you reaching for a blanket. It’s got a velvety-smooth texture with tender potato chunks and sweet pops of corn and other veggies, making it the ultimate antidote to a cold, grey day!

A spoon scooping potato corn chowder in a blue bowl.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

  • Recipe Name: Potato Corn Chowder
  • Serves: 4
  • Main Ingredients: butter, chopped onion, chopped green bell pepper, chicken broth, red potatoes, cubed, jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped, paprika, salt
  • Why You'll Love It: 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.

Hearty, Filling, and Full of Southern Flavor

Oh, how I love this potato corn chowder recipe from my dear friend Tina. It’s the only chowder recipe I make, apart from my Country Chowder. I’ve added my own spin to it, and it’s just as delicious as ever.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the slightly long list of ingredients. 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. Believe it or not, my favorite parts are the green onions and the sweet, juicy corn.

Then there are shelf-stable ingredients that come together to create the perfect blend of flavors. Yep, I promise there is no weird stuff that you wouldn’t be able to use again in another recipe! Just a tasty Southern dinner that’s great for entertaining guests or warming up on a chilly day.

Reader Review

“I made this last week, omg, it was amazing! I never made corn chowder before, it is so good my kids loved it too, I made it the next day again for my elderly parents, they loved it as well. You always have the best recipes, I love reading your stories about your life. Thank you so much for sharing!” – Joany

Ingredients for potato corn chowder, featuring butter, onion, green bell pepper, chicken broth, red potatoes, jalapenos, paprika, salt, red pepper flakes, frozen corn, milk, green onions, and all-purpose flour.

Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Onion
  • Green bell pepper
  • Chicken broth
  • Red potatoes
  • Jalapeno pepper (optional but would recommend – it adds a nice bit of flavor!)
  • Paprika, salt, & red pepper flakes
  • Frozen corn
  • Milk
  • Green onions
  • All-purpose flour

Things I’ve Learned Making This Chowder

  • Don’t rush the sautéing step. Taking your time to get the onions and bell pepper nice and tender makes a big difference in the final flavor.
  • Cut my potatoes into small, even chunks so they cook at the same rate, and you get a bit of potato in every spoonful.
  • A heavy-bottomed stockpot works best for soups and stews like this. It distributes heat evenly and prevents sticking or burning on the bottom.
  • Keep the heat low when you add the milk. Bringing it to a boil too quickly can cause it to scorch on the bottom of the pot.
  • I love topping mine with shredded cheddar, crispy bacon bits, and a dollop of sour cream. It takes it to the next level!

Dipping crusty bread into a bowl of potato corn chowder.

How To Make Potato Corn Chowder

1. Sauté

Start by chopping your veggies. Then melt some butter in a medium-sized stockpot over medium-high heat.

Toss in your onion and bell pepper and sauté them until they’re tender.

2. Boil & Simmer

Then, go ahead and add your broth and cubed potatoes.

Bring to a boil. Once it’s bubbling away, turn down the heat, pop the lid on, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Chopped red potatoes in a pan with broth, onions, and green bell peppers.

3. Add Remaining Veggies & Spices

Next, stir in the jalapeno, salt, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Jalapenos, red potatoes, and spices in a pan.

Toss in the corn and 1½ cups of milk. Bring it just to a boil, then let it simmer for 15 minutes, giving it a stir every now and then. Once that’s done, throw in the green onion.

4. Add Flour & More Milk

Now gradually add the flour and the rest of the milk, stirring constantly as it boils for two minutes or until thick and bubbly.

And you’re done! Serve hot, top and with bacon and cheese, if you wish.

Doesn’t this quick potato corn chowder look YUMMY?

Corn chowder in a blue bowl with a piece of bread on the side.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your potato corn chowder with a grilled cheese sandwichhomemade dinner rollsgarlic breadhomemade cornbread, or a simple tangy salad like my tomato, onion, and cucumber salad!

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover potato chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Note that the chowder will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of milk when reheating to thin it out.

Close-up of a spoonful of potato corn chowder.

Potato Corn Chowder FAQs

What’s the best potato for chowder?

Yukon Gold or Red potatoes are both great choices for chowder. Yukon Golds offer a buttery flavor and will slightly cream the broth as they cook, while Red potatoes hold their shape and give you those firm, chunky pieces. I personally use Red potatoes in this recipe because I love a thick, hearty chowder with plenty of texture!

Can I make this potato corn chowder vegetarian/vegan?

Yes, this potato corn chowder can easily be made vegetarian or vegan! To make it vegetarian-friendly, just substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth, and you’re off to the races! To make it vegan, use vegetable stock, coconut milk or almond milk, and the oil of your choice instead of butter.

How do you make potato corn chowder in a Crockpot?

If you’d prefer to use a slow cooker, sauté the bell pepper and onion first, then add the 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 other ingredients can I add to potato corn chowder?

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. 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

Did this chowder warm you right up? Rate it below and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
A spoon scooping potato corn chowder in a blue bowl.

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.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chowder, corn, potatoes
Servings: 4
Calories: 364kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
  • 2 large red potatoes cubed
  • 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 cups frozen corn
  • 3 cups milk divided
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter, then sauté the onion and bell pepper until tender. Then add the broth and cubed potatoes.
    2 tablespoons butter, 1 onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth, 2 large red potatoes
  • 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 1½ 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, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 3 cups frozen corn, 3 cups milk, 4 green onions
  • 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, ½ cup all-purpose flour

Notes

Store leftover potato chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Note that the chowder will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of milk when reheating to thin it out.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

106 Comments

  1. Christy, I’ll have you know that the world champion clam chowder for 3 years running, comes from…

    wait for it…

    Florida!

    Yep, a little restaurant in Cedar Key has won for the last 3 years, beating those up-north chowder snobs at their own game.

  2. I made this and threw in a lb. of hot sausage , cooked and drained. Dee-lish!
    You are so right about southerners being pansies. My oldest daughter lives in Chicago. When I went to visit 2+ years ago in early February to see her in a performance, they were in the midst of a freeze alert. OMG! The wind chill factored to -40 (temp was 4 degrees) I have never felt cold like that IN MY LIFE! The day I left, (4 days later) temps finally got up to double digits. When I got off the plane in Huntsville, it was 42 and balmy by comparison…I thought “Lawd, I could run butt nekkid in this fine weather!” Love Southern Plate…your recipes are rivaled only by your commentary! Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!

  3. Delicious!! I just made this for dinner, adding some smoked sausage to it, and it was a hit. Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes.

  4. This looks YUMMY.

    “I am having the darndest time spelling jalapeno today for some reason.” Maybe your fingers knew those weren’t jalapenos? But I don’t know if Trappey’s Hot Peppers are hotter than jalapenos or not, since I don’t know what kind they use in those jars (tabasco peppers maybe?). But they’re smaller than jalapenos, by at least half (living in “Little Mexico”, we have some honkin’ huge jalapenos, so I might not even use even one entire jalapeno LOL).

    The few times Houston has shut down schools due to a rare ice storm, notherners laugh and laugh. But would you want your children on big city roads with a bunch of folks that’ve driven on ice and snow maybe 3-4 times in their lives?

    My store had a sale on tilapia, so I asked a young man that was nearby what he thought of tiliapia. He said he liked it MUCH better than catfish, which tasted swampy to him (hahaha!) So I bought the tilapia and fried it just like I do with catfish, served with my homemade tarter sauce. Me and hubby thought that tilapia was the blandest fish we ever tried! I guess we like swampy ROFL!

  5. This was the first corn chowder recipe I ever attempted. It is tasty and a nice change from the many tomato based soups and stews that we love. Thanks for another hit Christy!

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