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Southern Corn Chowder 3

Easy Southwestern Corn Chowder

Camila Benitez
This Southwestern Corn Chowder recipe is perfect for late summer. The corn is fresh, and the soup is rich and velvety. The chowder can be made ahead of time and reheated or made in one pot on the stove. This recipe is versatile and can be easily adapted to your liking. Add more or less corn, use different types of cheese, and add diced potatoes or other vegetables. The possibilities are endless!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Tools

Ingredients
  

For the Corn Chowder

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups fresh corn kernels , scraped from 4 to 5 raw cobs
  • 1 pound red or Yukon gold potatoes , cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 medium yellow onion , diced
  • 1 red bell pepper , diced
  • 1 small poblano pepper, anaheim pepper or jalapeno , seeds, and ribs removed, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon Knorr Chicken Flavored Bouillion , adjust to taste
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin; feel free to reduce the amount if desired
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ⅓ cup sour cream , heavy cream, or half and half
  • 3 scallions , dark green parts only, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1 lime , cut into wedges, for serving
  • 4 slices bacon , sliced into 1-inch pieces, optional

Instructions
 

For the Southwestern Corn Chowder:

  • Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, poblano, and red bell pepper, and sauté until they become soft and fragrant for about 7 minutes. Add the flour and cook, constantly stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the water, 1 cup of milk, chicken bouillon, cumin, coriander, and potatoes; bring to a boil; the soup will seem thick. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, occasionally stirring, so the potatoes don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, until the potatoes are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes; if your potatoes are not tender at this point, continue simmering until they are
  • Meanwhile, in a blender, puree the remaining 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of corn until smooth. Add the milk and corn mixture to the soup and the remaining 2 cups of corn and simmer until corn is tender (do not let the cream boil), about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, and stir in the sour cream, scallions, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with lime wedges. Garnish with chopped bacon, if using.

For the Bacon Garnishing:

  • Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the fat has rendered and the meat is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease.

Notes

How to Store & Reheat
To store: Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate them within two hours of cooking. Properly stored, it can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat: Use a microwave or stovetop. Heat it in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring in between until it's heated through. On the stovetop, gently reheat it over low to medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. Add a splash of milk or water if it thickens too much during reheating. Enjoy your delicious corn chowder a second time!
Make Ahead
Corn chowder can be made up to three days in advance and covered in the fridge. Then, reheat on the stovetop over low or medium heat when ready to serve, adding water to loosen the consistency.
Note: If you're making it in advance, I recommend you wait to add the sour cream, cilantro, and scallions until ready to serve it. That way, they'll stay fresh, and their flavors will be at their peak.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Southwestern Corn Chowder
Amount per Serving
Calories
377
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
21
g
32
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
 
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
9
g
Cholesterol
 
37
mg
12
%
Sodium
 
370
mg
16
%
Potassium
 
883
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
 
41
g
14
%
Fiber
 
5
g
21
%
Sugar
 
13
g
14
%
Protein
 
10
g
20
%
Vitamin A
 
1296
IU
26
%
Vitamin C
 
60
mg
73
%
Calcium
 
157
mg
16
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.

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