Crock Pot Corn Chowder
Have you ever not realized just how badly you needed something until after you experienced it? For me, this weekend was filled with those fresh, sweet moments of relief, including this healthy recipe for Crock Pot Corn Chowder.
In last week’s lemon cream cheese bar recipe post, I mentioned that Ben and I have been tackling a slew of overdue housing projects, but I left out a few of the less enjoyable details. Nearly the entire time we completed them, Ben was living in his office from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. He’d arrive home, and we would work until midnight, at which point I became incoherent and went to bed, and Ben pulled out his laptop and went back to office work for another hour or two. The next day, we would both woke up at 6 a.m. to repeat the same routine. All work and no sleep—a recipe for a weary heart (and grouchy attitude) that even my constant coffee refills couldn’t seem to suppress.
This up-all-night, work-until-you-drop is not how we typically spend our evenings, nor what we want our lives be like. We pushed ourselves to finish our projects before Memorial Day weekend so that we could truly relax and focus on the first two people to stay in our newly redone guest bedroom: my younger sister Elaine and her fiancé Joey. They just got engaged three weeks ago, and it was so special to have them here in Milwaukee to celebrate.
I suspected I was going to need a break after two non-stop weeks of sleep deprivation, but I didn’t realize just how good it would feel to ignore my alarm and spend hours relaxing with some of the people who I love most in the world. I felt as if I were on a mini vacation. For three days, I barely touched my laptop, spent every waking moment outside, and when my phone battery died, I didn’t bother to recharge it. It was glorious.
Whether they last two nights or two months, we all go through periods where we are so busy and overwhelmed by work, cooking something healthy and homemade for dinner feels unattainable. It’s chaotic nights and weeks like these that make me feel so grateful for easy recipes like this Crock Pot Corn Chowder with Chicken.
All you need to do to make this Crock Pot Corn Chowder is dump the ingredients in your slow cooker and turn it on. The recipe prep is less than 10 minutes, and at the end of it, you’ll have a creamy, comforting, and healthy to soup to serve.
The inspiration for this Crock Pot Corn Chowder is an old recipe belonging to a dear friend’s mom. I’ve kept my favorite parts of it (the red peppers, sweet corn, and rosemary), but added an extra kick of cayenne pepper, chicken to make it heartier (vegetarians, feel free to omit), and Greek yogurt to make it lusciously creamy.
I also used frozen corn in place of fresh corn to make recipe more budget-friendly, keep it accessible in non-summer months, and shorten the prep time. That said, with summer’s sweet corn season upon us, you can certainly use fresh corn instead.
My friend’s original healthy corn chowder recipe is made on the stovetop in 20 minutes flat (assuming you have chicken that’s already cooked), but I chose to adapt it to the slow cooker for maximum flexibility on busy days. If you prefer to make this Crock Pot Corn Chowder on the stove like the original, I’ve included recipe directions for that too.
Tools I used to make this recipe:
Crock Pot Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs — trimmed of excess fat
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 32 ounces corn — fresh, frozen, or canned (if using canned, drain first)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion — about 1/2 large onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3-4 cups low-sodium chicken stock — or vegetable stock, divided
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt — non-fat, 2% or whole, depending upon your preference, plus additional for serving
- 1 red bell pepper — cored and chopped (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
- Sliced green onion — optional, for serving
Instructions
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Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, rosemary, and cayenne. Top with the corn, onion, and garlic. Pour in 3 cups of the chicken stock, reserving the remaining cup. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
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Remove the chicken from the chowder and set aside on a plate to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces or shred with two forks.
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With an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is thickened, leaving the texture fairly chunky. If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor in a few batches, being careful not to burn yourself.
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Stir in the remaining chicken stock until the chowder reaches your desired consistency, then the Greek yogurt, chopped bell pepper, and reserved chicken. Serve warm, topped with additional Greek yogurt and green onions.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (1 (of 6)) — Calories: 285, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 261mg, Carbohydrates: 34g, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 12g, Protein: 22gDid you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
If you like this Healthy Crock Pot Corn Chowder, don’t miss these other sensational soup recipes:
Slow Cooker Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Slow Cooker Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese Soup
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
About Erin Clarke
I’m fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food taste incredible. Wearer of plaid, travel enthusiast, and firmly convinced that sweets and veggies both deserve a place at the table. MORE ABOUT ERIN…
Oh yeah, I could totally dig into this!!!
I would have never thought of using Greek yogurt for a soup…but I LOVE this! I am all over corn chowder and I am loving this healtified version!
I need it too, Erin. … I seriously need a little break from all the cookies I have been baking and eating…your chowder looks wonderfully comforting and tasty.
Yay so glad for you that Ben will be done with Finals today!
This chowder looks so good, Erin! So good! Love the extra boost of cayenne! You are the greek yogurt substituting Queen!
This looks fab Erin! I definitely need a break from sugar, butter, and flour.
This looks hearty and healthy! Enjoy some time with your man this weekend! Yay for finals being over!
Thanks so much Trisha! I can’t wait!!!!
im so glad you will have your man back..although you might miss spreads on breakfast..corn chowder is something I need to fuel more on too.
I was just saying the other day that I could go for some corn chowder! I’ve never actually made it before, but I love that you’ve lightened it up..I’ll have to try this!
Lily, if you’ve never made corn chowder, this recipe is a great place to start. It’s so easy, it should be criminal!
I love ALL THE CORN! Looks so delicious!
High fives for corn Heather!!!! This chowder is certainly not shy about it :) Thanks so much.
yay! I’m so glad Ben is done! You guys have a blast and enjoy yourselves :) :)
O.k. O.k……what did Ben do? First time on here…..
These looks delicious Erin! I can use all the healthy recipes I can get with all the holiday treats I’ve been scarfing down. And hurray for Ben being done with finals. That is a LONG time to be studying in the library! Hope he did well on his exams : )
Thank you so so much Natalie! We won’t know how the grades came out for a few weeks, but at least the finals are over. And I totally agree with you on the need for healthy recipes at the moment. Since this soup is good for me, a bowl of it for dinner means I can have at least 3 extra cookies, right?
Yay for the end of finals!!! And a big heck yea for this soup!
I am so glad you get your hubby back and are able to cuddle up together in this cold weather! This soup is like a huge hug.
What a yummy, easy corn chowder! This looks so warm and comforting, Erin! Totally my kind of winter meal.
Erin: Regular reader, first-time commenter here. This post struck me because I may potentially be in the unique position of seeing both perspectives here. I graduated from law school two and a half years ago, and my fiance is in the process of applying to med school (so I could potentially end up being the med student’s wife). I’m sure you miss Ben when he’s holed up in the library for days at a time, but it sounds like you’re so supportive and he’s lucky to have you! That being said, your feelings are completely natural; keep doing what you’re doing and making the most of the rare free time you two have together. Just wanted to share a little extra support for those inevitably tough days! :)
First of all, hi!!! I’m so glad you commented. It’s great to hear from you! Also, I can’t thank you enough for your kind, encouraging words. I’m going to go back and read this comment next time I’m feeling down :) Best wishes to your fiance as he applies to different programs. I think it’s really neat that (as a former graduate student in a very demanding program yourself) you’ll be able to understand his perspective much more clearly. I hope everything goes well for you both and wishing you a very happy holiday! Thanks again.
Congratulations to Ben, and I’m happy for you to be together! If distance (in this case, absence) makes the heart grow fonder, then you two should be crazy in love! :)
YOU SAID IT! hahaha. Thanks so much! These next few weeks are going to be a welcome break (and I hope Ben is prepared for a slew of date nights ;-) )
Yay for final exams being over!! Have fun celebrating! :)
This chowder sounds perfect!
Yay! I’m glad Ben is done today! I hope you have something fun planned! And this chowder sounds awesome – my husband is a HUGE chowder fan (well, and so am I) – we need to give this a try!
Thanks! Hopefully I’ll be reading your blog in the future with an eye out for tips on handling a spouse who lives at the library (as opposed to just for recipes). Keep up the great work and happy holidays to y’all too!
PS: Love that you regularly interact with your readers. :)
Thanks Carling!!!
Corn chowder is one of my favorite dinner soups, so I am all over this! Looks amazing! Enjoy your holiday, be sure to relax!
Oh man, my all-cookie diet lately could really use an infusion of this healthy chowder. Looks yummy! (PS Congrats on getting your man back from all the studying! I’ve been there and I know it’s no picnic — but it makes the time you have together afterward so much more special :))
Steph, you said it perfectly. We’re going to enjoy every minute of this break! Thanks so much. I hope you, the hubs, and baby girl to be have a warm happy holiday! xo
This corn chowder sounds awesome and so comforting. Love the cayenne and greek yogurt in here too. Yay, so glad to hear Ben is done his finals, hope you guys enjoy the weekend and the holidays together :)
Kelly, cayenne and greek yogurt are two of my pantry staples. Thanks so much and I hope you have very happy holidays too!
You are such a good wife! Thank goodness for finals, being , well, finally done! :) This chowder looks amazing and so creamy. You can get greek yogurt in everything. I’m impressed- and hungry!
You are too good to me Mary Frances! You haven’t seen me on the days when I make Ben clean the bathroom ;-) Have a very happy holiday with family and friends!
Oh my gosh – we can commiserate over our mutual BENS’ and their finals. I am so glad he’s done and I hope your Ben’s finals went well, too! I was stress eating everything in the house – now I’m finally in a OMG give me all the REAL healthy food I can find, mode. Whew! This is right up my alley.
Hang in there love! Happy Christmas!
Thanks so much Megan! I hope you and your Ben get to enjoy some well-earned time together soon. Have a wonderful Christmas, and we can recover from our stress eating in Jan ;-)
This is such a great recipe for the cold winter nights! I can’t wait to try this out for my hubby :)
Yay, I’ve finished my final exams today too! Let’s celebrate it with some of this lovely chowder! (and some of those snowballs cookies too ahem). I hope that his exams went fantastic!
You both have a wonderful Christmas! :–D
Snowball cookies are a MUST Consuelo. Congrats on being done with your finals too! CHEERS :-)
This looks absolutely delicious. I love that you’ve lightened it up by eliminating the cream!
I had some corn chowder last week and realized that I don’t have it often enough! Love this healthy recipe in the midst of all the sugar! And all the healthy changes you made. Looks delicious!
Loving this idea of a healthy corn chowder!!
Especially since it’s now holidays.. officially known as the time to eat everything in my fridge!
{Teffy’s Perks} X
Story of my life right now Teffy! Sincerely, Erin “I just ate six cookies and finished the last of the milk” C.
Yay yay yay! So glad that you and Ben get a break together! Study and work definitely get in the way of the important things in life, methinks (*sigh* if we could only make millions from blogging!). Liking the look of this chowder. Hearty healthy goodness! x
This looks amazing!!!
Love your blog! Hope you have both enjoyed Ben’s break. Couple of questions for you…not a rosemary fan here…would the soup suffer horribly if I left it out? Also-I need to bring soup to an event this weekend and this looks really good (minus rosemary that is:-)…need to keep it warm in a crockpot…will that work for this type of soup? I realize it might not but wanted your thoughts. Thanks!
Thanks so much Sheila!! You can ABSOLUTELY make this without the rosemary. Either omit it or feel free to swap in an herb you enjoy (if you like basil or oregano, either would be great.) In terms of making this in the crockpot, I’m not sure of cooking the entire soup in it (I’ve never tried so I can’t advise specific directions), but you can absolutely make it on the stove ahead of time, then transfer it to the crockpot to keep it warm or reheat it. I hope that helps! Enjoy, and if you do try it, I’d love to hear what you think.
Thanks Erin! My plan was simply to reheat in crockpot. I f I have time, I am going to do a test run with basil…and if I don’t have time for a test run, will still be trying it just for me!
You bet!! I hope it works out for you Sheila. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
When do you add the chicken?
Hi Kaylen! Right at the end–stir it in along with the rosemary, final cup of chicken stock, bell pepper, cayenne, and Greek yogurt.
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I made this recipe for Super Bowl Sunday and it was a huge hit! It has been delicious as leftovers too. It was very filling and satisfying, yet felt healthy and didn’t just sit in your stomach like many chowders do. Plus, it was easy to make, and with a 9 month old crawling around, quick and easy is critical! I highly recommend this one; great job, Erin!
KATIE YES! I’m so so excited you guys enjoyed this chowder, and I’m honored that it made the cut for your Super Bowl spread. I think you described it perfectly :) Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your review too!
This came out so yummy! The only thing I omitted the red bell pepper as I didn’t have one and the cayenne. Instead, I threw in some chopped pickled jalapeños. It was delicious and spicy. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I really do appreciate your healthy alternatives to some of my guilty pleasures.
Cindy, I’m so excited that you tried this recipe, and I think the adaptations that you made sound super tasty! Thank you for giving it a try and for taking time to leave your review here. I’m honored to be a tiny part of your kitchen :)
Great recipe for a creamy chowder. The second time I made it, I added chili powder to enhance the flavor. It really made the taste a little more complicated. Great website :)
Meghan, I’m so happy to hear that you have been enjoying the chowder, and the chili powders sounds like a great addition. Thanks so much for your kind words about my website too! It truly means a lot.
I almost never just cook a recipe to the letter, but I’m tired today so I just followed it and it tastes AMAZING! I can’t believe how good this is for something so simple. It was quick and easy and definitely going in my “go-to” recipe folder. My family will love this!
I’m so excited to hear that Zylo!! Thanks for trying the recipe and taking time to leave this review.
Hi Erin,
I am not normally a big fan of chowder – probably because none of them I’ve ever tried have been tasty.
But, as you know, slow cooker meals come in very handy, so I decided to make this.
It tastes amazing! I love the combination of the veggies – I did increase the garlic a bit because we love the garlicky flavor, but the recipe is fabulous – thanks for sharing!
Christine, I’m sooooooo happy to hear this. Thank YOU for sharing your kind review!
I love slow cooker meals in the summer and all that corn looks delicious!
Seriously, Erin, is it your goal to compel me to make every one of your recipes? My friends already think I’m becoming a stalker or at the very least a groupie, because I talk about them so much already. (I even did a blog post yesterday about your Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon). I’m definitely trying this corn chowder!
hey girl this looks so yummy!
I need a slow cooker STAT! This chowder is so gorgeous and I love the use of corn- it’s such a summer staple :)
This is beautiful and so perfect for summer!
I am so deeply in impressed by your commitment to housework! (She says while surrounded by stacks of cookbooks in an office that still has no furniture). Congrats on getting it done, taking a break, and enjoying time with the fam. Also, YUM. xo
This looks so delicious! I have a lactose intolerant husband and son..any substitute for Greek yogurt? Or I could omit and it would be thinner, I guess…suggestions?
Keep these great post coming! Thank you!
Hi Laura! You could use a soy based yogurt if it’s similar in taste/behavior to plain Greek (sorry I can’t vouch—I’ve never tried it!) or just omit it. The chowder will still be tasty without :)
I love these ideas now that I spend most of my days working in a kitchen, I could have this waiting for me when I got back – perfect .Chowders are amazing
I have looked all over for this recipe and can’t find it. I can find the list of ingredients, but no instructions. I saw a comment about when to add the chicken??? That confused me…..
Hi Brenda! The recipe is located in the recipe box, which is in between the blog post and comments section. It includes a list of ingredients, as well as the recipe directions.
New to your blog! I am making this recipe this week with farmer’s market fresh corn. I can’t wait! It sounds so good!
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Hi there, do you think you could use chicken breasts rather than thighs? Or maybe a mix of the two would work well? I was also thinking of adding some regular potatoes to make the chowder more substantial. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Hi Samantha, chicken breasts cook more quickly than thighs, so you’d want to check them early. I think small-diced potatoes would be great, as long as you doesn’t mind the texture of them puréed with the corn. Since the chowder will be thicker, you may need to add more chicken broth at the end to get the right consistency. I hope you love it!
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Made this tonight. Subbed boneless/skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs, added half of the red pepper before cooking, and used 2 tsp of fresh rosemary. It took a little longer to cook (I cooked on high due to time) because the corn was frozen, and the chicken breasts and chicken stock were at refrigerator temperature. All-in-all about 3 hour cook time on high. Wonderful recipe!
Kyle, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to share the adjustments you made and how it went!
Would it be possible to freeze some of this?
Hi Eleanor, yes, this freezes like a dream and is best thawed overnight in the fridge.