Chipotle Chicken Corn Chowder (Slow Cooker)

This Chipotle Chicken Corn Chowder recipe is probably my favorite soup recipe. There’s two reasons why I love it so much – it has the best flavor and it’s also incredibly easy to make. It’s packed with tender chicken, sweet corn, hearty black beans, potatoes, and bell pepper, all infused with the smoky flavor of chipotle. Finish it with your favorite toppings and you’ll see why I love this soup so much.

Ready to cozy up with a bowl of deliciousness? Let’s get everything prepared and ready to throw in the crock pot. Prepping the bell pepper, potatoes and chicken are all you really have to do. After that, you just throw everything else in, turn it on and let the slow cooker do the rest!

WHAT IS CHIPOTLE CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER?

A traditional chicken corn chowder is typically made with chicken, corn, potatoes and sometimes bacon, all in a creamy broth. This chipotle chicken corn chowder is just like the classic, but we take out the bacon and add additional seasonings, including chipotle chili powder, to give it a rich, smoky flavor. The addition of these seasonings also opens up more possibilities with toppings, such as fresh squeezed lime, cilantro and crushed tortilla strips – which you wouldn’t find on a traditional corn chowder.

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken – You can use either boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, whichever is your preference. I use chicken breasts in mine.
• Garlic – Because it makes every recipe better! 🙂
• Bell pepper – I typically use a red one, but any color will do.
• Potatoes – I prefer to use baby gold ones in this recipe, but you could use red or russet potatoes too.
• Black beans – Make sure to drain and rinse them before adding to the slow cooker.
• Tomatoes – A can of Rotel, fire-roasted tomatoes or diced tomatoes will all work. My preference for this soup is Rotel, because it has green chiles in it. However, if you use a can of diced tomatoes only, you can also throw in a small can of diced green chiles. This is optional, but my soup includes it since I usually use Rotel. Whichever can you choose, you want to make sure to add the whole thing, including any juices.
• Cream style corn – There’s actually no cream in cream style corn. The “creaminess” comes from pureed corn kernels. Cream style corn usually combines about half pureed corn and half whole corn kernels. We love it in this soup!
• Corn – You can use either canned or frozen (no thawing required). I love the vacuum-packed cans of corn, like this Del Monte one. They retain some of the crispness that you get with fresh corn.
• Chicken broth – I like to use a better quality broth for my soups. Swanson is a good brand and has a richer flavor than generic brand broths.
• Chipotle chili powder – This is the main star of all the seasonings. The chipotle flavor adds so much to this soup.
• Smoked paprika
• Cumin
• Salt
• Heavy cream – If you want to cut back on the fat and/or dairy in the recipe, you can use half and half, but it will be slightly less creamy. The flavor will still be just as delicious though!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Spray your crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker EXCEPT the chicken and cream. (Add the garlic, bell pepper, potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, cream style corn, corn, chicken broth, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and salt.)

Stir to mix everything well.

Using tongs, carefully lay the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, so the mixture doesn’t splash on you. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.

Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. (It should be tender and fall apart easily.) Place shredded chicken back in the slow cooker.

Add the heavy cream and stir well. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings to your liking.

Ladle into a bowl, add your toppings, like a squeeze of lime juice and cilantro, and enjoy! (See above for additional topping suggestions.)

TIPS & NOTES

The spice level can be easily adjusted in this. It all comes from the chipotle chili pepper seasoning. The recipe calls for two teaspoons, but if you’re sensitive to spice, start with just one teaspoon. (You can add more at the end if you need to.) If you prefer it extra spicy, try a full tablespoon.

I highly recommend not skipping out on the toppings, especially the lime juice! If you don’t have time to prep any other toppings, at least add some fresh lime. It compliments this soup really well. However, there are so many other toppings that take this corn chowder to another level such as freshly grated cheese, sour cream, avocado and crushed tortilla strips. (See above for full list of topping suggestions.)

For another delicious slow cooker soup recipe, be sure to check out my Chicken Curry Soup! It’s hearty, wholesome and packs lots of veggies into one bowl.