Southwest Corn Chowder

Southwest Corn Chowder

Southwest Corn Chowder is a pot of cozy goodness filled with fresh corn, buttery potatoes, poblano chiles, herbs and spices; all made in a rich broth of white wine, chicken stock, and a touch of Greek yogurt for creaminess. Top off with crispy bacon and fresh cilantro for the perfect healthy comfort food!

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My bff Meghan made a few small boxes one year filled with her favorite recipes to share with her closest friends and family. Some of these recipes dated back to her childhood and some were more recent. It was a collection of meals, soups, desserts, sides and even drinks she had gathered over the years. This box has been so special to me and there isn’t one recipe I haven’t loved.

This Southwest Corn Chowder happens to be one of my favorites from the recipe box. It’s the perfect thing to make when fresh corn is in season and the fall leaves begin to turn. It’s hearty with lots of vegetables and the broth is to die for!



What Gives This Chowder Its Southwest Flavor?

  • Poblano chile- Poblano chiles are mild in spice so if you’re sensitive to spicy foods, this is a good chile to add that gives jalapeno flavor without the heat.
  • Cumin- Cumin is a warm spice that’s used in many Spanish and Mexican dishes. This recipe has a modest amount but definitely makes a huge difference if it’s left out.
  • Cayenne- Cayenne pepper doesn’t add much flavor but gives this chowder an extra boost of heat. You can use as little or as much as you like, or omit it all together.
  • Cilantro- Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs that we use every week for different meals. Not everyone likes this unique tasting herb so leave it out if you’re not a fan and add fresh parsley instead; it will still be delicious!

Can I Use Frozen Or Canned Corn?

Absolutely! Fresh corn is a treat to have when it’s in season but frozen or canned corn will work just fine. If I’m going to use this short cut I like to use frozen roasted corn or canned fire roasted corn for added smokiness to the chowder. In the off season you can also find partially shucked corn on the cob in packages in the produce section of your grocery store.

Dairy And Non-Dairy Free Options:

Plain Greek yogurt is what I use to achieve a semi-creamy finish in this chowder. It not only adds some protein, but it has less lactose than using cream or milk. If you’re sensitive to milk products, this might be a good option for you. If you prefer a creamier, thicker chowder and don’t have an intolerance to dairy, heavy cream is the best choice. You can also use half and half or whole milk. If you need to eliminate the diary all together, unsweetened almond or oat milk will work. I like using oat milk because it’s creamier and thicker than almond milk resulting in a silkier outcome.

Additional Toppings For Southwest Corn Chowder:

This corn chowder is delicious as is but if you really want to splurge, here are additional toppings we love to add.

  • Sour cream
  • Monterey jack cheese
  • Avocado
  • Jalapeno slices
  • Green onion slices
  • Hot sauce

My Dutch oven is a kitchen essential I use almost weekly. I absolutely love how purposeful it is. It’s oven safe so I don’t have to dirty another dish if I need to finish off the meal in the oven. You can sear, fry, bake, slow-cook and make all kinds of soups and stews. Dutch ovens also hold heat for a long period of time so it’s ideal for keeping things warm when you don’t want your stove or oven going.


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Let’s eat!🤍

Southwest Corn Chowder

Southwest Corn Chowder is a pot of cozy goodness filled with fresh corn, buttery potatoes, poblano chilies, herbs and spices; all made in a rich broth of white wine, chicken stock, and a touch of Greek yogurt for creaminess. Top off with crispy bacon and fresh cilantro for the perfect healthy comfort food!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5
Calories 311 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 6 slices bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces reserve 1 tablespoon bacon grease
  • 1 small onion, chopped fine
  • 1 large carrot, diced small
  • 2 celery stalks, diced small
  • 1 small poblano chile, seeded and diced small
  • 1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • 3 cups fresh corn kernels removed from cob (4-5 ears) frozen or canned corn works as well
  • 1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock or water
  • 5 cups chicken stock I use better than bouillon roasted chicken base
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt see notes below for substitutes
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large Dutch oven or pot to medium heat. Add bacon pieces and cook until crispy, about 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain extra fat. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
  • Add onions and cook until soft. Add carrots, celery and poblano and cook until tender. Stir in salt, pepper and spices.
  • Raise the heat to medium high and add wine. Cook stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is evaporated.
  • Add potatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
  • Stir in corn and cook for 5 minutes. When corn is tender and heated through, turn heat down to low and remove pot from heat. Add yogurt or favorite milk product. Place back on heat and cook on low for 3-4 minutes. You don't want to boil at this point.
  • Stir in cilantro, serve, and top with crispy bacon.

Additional toppings:

  • Sour cream
  • Monterey jack cheese
  • Avocado
  • Jalapeno slices
  • Green onion slices
  • Hot sauce

Notes

Dairy and non-dairy free options- 
If you prefer a creamier, thicker chowder, and don’t have an intolerance to dairy, heavy cream is the best choice. You can also use half and half or whole milk. If you need to eliminate the diary all together, unsweetened almond or oat milk will work. I like using oat milk because it’s creamier and thicker than almond milk resulting in a silkier outcome.
Frozen or canned corn-
If I’m going to use this short cut or fresh corn isn’t in season, I use frozen roasted corn or canned fire roasted corn in place of fresh. 
 
This recipe serves between 5-6 people.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Keyword Bacon, Carrots, Celery, Corn, Greek yogurt, Herbs, Onions, potatoes



2 thoughts on “Southwest Corn Chowder”

  • 5 stars
    Welllll…… 😘 I will say this is for sure my favorite corn soup in the box. I also love love Effie’s ozark corn chowder in the box😉 I need to update the box with some of my favorite more recent recipes this Christmas ❤️

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