It’s almost time for me to head home for the holidays, which means it’s almost time for SHRIMP CORN CHOWDER. This creamy, dreamy, spicy (or not spicy) as you like Shrimp Corn Chowder recipe is easy to make and comforting to eat. If your family devours it with the same gusto ours does, it will warm and fill you in the best possible way.
This easy Shrimp Corn Chowder recipe was inspired by the corn crab chowder that my grammy serves at Christmas Eve dinner. At our Christmas Eve feast, we have one major rule: do not, under any circumstances, have more than one bowl of the chowder. If you do, you are sure to ruin your appetite for the delicious dishes to come.
Fact: no one keeps this rule, because it’s impossible. Every year, we each give ourselves a reasonable ladleful and savor it as slowly as we can, then everyone coyly side-eyes each other, waiting to see who will break first and go back for a second helping so that everyone else can follow suit.
Maybe it’s our recent cold snap, but I’ve been craving this comforting chowder more than usual this year. I’ll gladly sacrifice my pride for the second-helpings chowder cause!
Like Grammy’s recipe, this Shrimp Corn Chowder is luxuriously rich and creamy, absolutely loaded with seafood (no wimpy chowder here!), and tastes decadent enough to serve at a special holiday meal. Unlike her recipe, however, but like Corn Chicken Chowder, it’s wholesome and easy enough to prepare on an average weeknight. And, it’s the inspiration for my classic Corn Chowder.
Believe me, I adore my grammy’s corn chowder and its unapologetic quantities of butter and cream; it’s just not something I can eat every week…which is why I break the rule and have two bowls on Christmas Eve. This Shrimp Corn Chowder, however, is a different tale.
The Key to Lightening Up Shrimp Corn Chowder
To create a thick, rich chowder base that didn’t rely on heavy cream, I started by making a roux with flour, a touch of butter, and nonfat milk (for a step-by-step visual, check out the video at the bottom of the post), then added a can of cream-style corn.
The creamed corn gives the shrimp corn chowder body and a light, subtle sweetness that’s beautifully balanced by a kick of cayenne pepper. For good measure, I added a splash of half-and-half at the end, but honestly, the Shrimp Corn Chowder hardly needs it.
If you’d like a spicy corn chowder, you can up the amount of cayenne, or do what my family does and pass a bottle of hot sauce around the table so that each person can doctor it to his or her preference.
To hasten the prep time for the Shrimp Corn Chowder, and make it more affordable for everyday enjoyment, I replaced the lump crab meat in my grammy’s recipe with frozen shrimp. Frozen shrimp is a go-to in many of my healthy shrimp recipes, including Garlic Shrimp with Quinoa, Garlic Shrimp Pasta, and Healthy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles.
When combined with other flavors as it is here, the shrimp tastes fresh, not at all “fishy,” and is a total timesaver. In fact, the shrimp cooks right in the pot along with the rest of the chowder in fewer than three minutes.
Although this Shrimp Corn Chowder recipe is fit enough for a weeknight meal, in keeping with a soup’s first mission to comfort (and to stay in good graces with Grammy), I did make one other addition: a topping of salty, crispy bacon (also a nice add to Seafood Chowder).
The bacon’s smoky flavor and crunch is divine combined with the juicy pink shrimp. I’m confident that my grammy would approve, and that you and your family will too!
What to Serve with Shrimp Corn Chowder
- Bread. For the ultimate dipping potential, serve this chowder with a tasty loaf from your local bakery or this Crock Pot Bread.
- Salad. A light, fresh salad like Anytime Arugula Salad would pair nicely with this rich soup.
- Tater Tots. A side of homemade Tater Tots would be a delicious and hearty side.
Other Warm and Comforting Chowders
- Cauliflower Chowder
- Crock Pot Corn Chowder
- And all of these delicious Crockpot Soups!
Shrimp Corn Chowder
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Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 small green onions thinly sliced, with white and green parts divided
- 2 stalks celery diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ⅔ cups nonfat milk
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels about 3 ears if using fresh
- 1 can cream-style corn (15 ounces)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper plus additional to taste
- 1 pound frozen peeled & deveined shrimp any size you like, thawed
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ⅓ cup half-and-half
- Hot sauce optional for serving
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a dutch oven or large, deep saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Lightly pat dry and set aside for serving. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat.
- Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Set aside 1/4 cup of the sliced green onion tops for serving, then add the rest of the green onions. Add the celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the top of the onion mixture, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, a few splashes at a time at first, stirring out any lumps. Stream in the rest of the milk, then add the corn kernels, cream-style corn, and cayenne. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Let bubble until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and continue cooking just until the shrimp are done, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the thyme and half-and-half. Serve hot, sprinkled with reserved bacon, green onion tops, and a dash or two of hot sauce as desired.
Video
Nutrition
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My husband wasn’t thrilled about me doing this recipe thinking it wouldn’t be as good as in restaurants. At the end of the meal he and my 5 year old were scrambling for the remaining chowder and asking when next I would make it. To say this recipe and meal my exceeded expectations is an understatement. Nothing changed in the recipe except for a little more milk. Absolutely love and will be a staple in my household.
Love to hear that! Thank you Shanta!
I am coming this chowder tonight but have no creamed corn. Can I use cream and more corn instead?
Hi Pat, you could try to actually puree some of your corn to get a creamy like texture. Or add more corn and use some heavy cream. I haven’t tested either way so I am unsure what the result would be. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
I have blended steamed corn instead of using cream of corn and it works just fine :)
Thanks so much for the feedback, Tiffany!
Hi Erin,
I have to make a meatless soup – would it be OK to make this recipe without the bacon or should I add another seasoning, maybe smoked paprika, to give that flavor? If so, how much would you recommend?
Thanks
Hi Sharon, it’s fine to leave it off. Let me know how it goes if you end up using smoked paprika! Enjoy!
Can you freeze this recipe? I like to cook in large batches and freeze small containers because I bring food to two other households
Hi Emily, I don’t love to freeze chowder due to how the texture is when it is unfrozen, but yes it could be frozen.
SO good! My only comment would be to have a bit more flavor – add paprika and used some chicken broth.
Thanks for the feedback!
Hi Erin!
First off, this soup is amazing, I’ve made it and my husband and I LOVE it.
I didn’t see mention of this in the article, but can this soup be frozen as an easy make-ahead lunch?
Hi Jessica! So glad you enjoy the chowder! I don’t love to freeze chowder due to how the texture is when it is unfrozen, but yes it could be frozen.
This weekend we are making about 3 gallons of this – for a large crowd – any rec’s on ratios?
Hi Christina, I’m not sure what the serving size would be on 3 gallons, I’ve never attempted to make that much of it before. You’ll likely need to do at least 3x the recipe. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
We absolutely love this Shrimp Corn Chowder. I have celiac disease so I use gluten free flour but, other than that, follow the recipe as-is. Such a delicious chowder to warm up on a cool day – making for the 1st time this season right now!!
Great to hear, Sarah! Glad it worked well!
I left out the bacon but added a little smoked paprika and red pepper flake when I added the cayenne. I also didn’t have 1/2 and 1/2 so I used heavy cream. Added another 1/2 cup corn because we like it corn heavy. It was delicious! Thank you
YAY glad to hear it Judy!
I loved my first attempt but I think I may want to add a bit of pop/flavor to it. I am curious how Paprika or a chili powder marinade on the shrimp would fare before making this again? I loved smoked paprika but last time I put thin slices of Tasso as a topper which is very smoky so I am afraid of adding more smoke. :)
FYI I also made cream corn cayenne biscuits which my guests dropped in the chowder and ate with.. was a HUGE hit!
This sounds DELISH Brandon! Are you looking for more of a kick? If so an extra pinch of cayenne or some hot sauce might do the trick. I’m not sure how much bang you’d get from marinading the shrimp vs. just adding the spices to the chowder, but it would be a fun experiment. Please let me know how it turns out!
Hi Erin! So here is what I did.. But firstly, I LOVE this recipe. The only real core change I make is I use shallots and forgo the celery since celery and I are enemies. :) So to knock it up a bit this past weekend I added sliced up chili peppers in adobo sauce and shishito peppers. I stirred most of these in during the ‘add garlic’ portion. I also added roasted baby blue/white potatoes to each individual bowl and topped with smoked Tasso. Also, this goes great with a ‘cream corn biscuit’ that I split and sit along the side that ends up meshing well with the chowder!
LOVE hearing about this, sound INCREDIBLE! Thanks for taking time to report back!
So good! Went by the recipe, added pepperika instead of cayenne. Did not have cream style corn, added sour cream instead. Made x1, should have made x2. This is now my cold weather dish 👍
So glad to hear you enjoyed the chowder, Jim! Thank you!
I made this today and it is delicious! A cold day and warm chowder…great combination.
I did use canned whole kernel corn and used Old Bay seasoning. This recipe will be shared!! Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it, Marge! Thank you!
I made this for a contest. Following some of the comments, I used half chicken broth/half milk, added a couple small potatoes, smoked paprika and Italian seasoning instead of thyme. The recommendation to add hot sauce was a good one, even though I don’t like hot food. Just a little kick. It was outstanding! Will definitely make again and I hope to bring home a winner! Thank you!
So great to hear, Sally! Good luck!
Could I substitute cornstarch for the flour? My husband doesn’t eat any flour.
Hi Kristi, I have tried it specifically in this dish, but normally hat would be a good substitute. Let us know how it goes if you do try it!
Can you use frozen cooked shrimp?
Hi Steve, you probably could. You’d want to make sure you thaw them first and just stir them in at the end just long enough to warm them through. Enjoy!
Loved it. Very Good and easy.
Thank you Kimberly!