Creamy chicken corn chowder made with tender chicken, hearty potatoes, and crispy bacon. This dairy-free chowder recipe is so easy to make and comes together in around thirty minutes. It’s also naturally gluten free so a great option for just about anyone!

The Best Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder with Bacon

Hearty soups and stews are some of my very favorite recipes to make for dinner. They usually only require one pot, have a combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, and usually make plenty so there are leftovers available the next day.

This creamy chicken and corn chowder is no exception! It is filled with tender chicken, hearty potatoes, yellow corn, and crisp bacon. Not only is it delicious, this chowder is also completely dairy-free and made with only real food ingredients.

Watch How to Make This Recipe

Healthy Chicken Corn Chowder Ingredients

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: My preference for this recipe is boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They remain tender even after simmering for a bit which is why they are my first choice.

Bacon: The smokey flavor works great in the chowder and the crispy bacon bits are perfect for serving on top.

Celery and Onion: The base of any good soup or chowder.

Yellow Potatoes: These creamy potatoes are perfect to use in the chowder.

Green Chiles: You can leave these out if you prefer but they add great flavor.

Yellow Corn: Feel free to use white corn instead if that is all you have

Full Fat Coconut Milk: The secret to a creamy chowder that is still dairy free is full-fat coconut milk. This coconut milk is shelf-stable and sold in a can.

Dried Herbs and Spices: Plenty of dried herbs and spices give this soup tremendous flavor.

Recipe Variations

Swap the coconut milk: don’t want to use coconut milk? you can easily swap it for half and half instead!
Make it Vegetarian: leave out the bacon and chicken altogether and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this chowder vegetarian friendly.
Make it Spicy: add some crushed red pepper flakes to the chowder to give it a little kick.
Make it Cheesy: stir in a bit of shredded cheddar at the very end to make a cheesy corn chowder.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How to Make This Dairy Free Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe

Step One: Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the bacon to the pot. Cook for four to six minutes until the bacon is crisp.

Step Two: Next, add the diced chicken thighs to the pot. Cook for four to six minutes until the chicken has browned.

Step Three: After the chicken has cooked, add the diced onion, diced celery, and garlic to the pot. Let everything cook for a few minutes until the onion starts to become translucent.

Step Four: Add diced potatoes, dried oregano, green chiles, bay leaves, dried parsley, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir until well combined.

Step Five: Pour in the full fat coconut milk and chicken broth. Stir until well combined, and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the chowder simmer for twenty to twenty-five minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

Step Six: Once the potatoes are tender, add in the corn and stir until well combined. Next, create a slurry my whisking together the arrowroot starch with 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth. Stir the slurry into the chowder, it should start to thicken. Once thickened, stir in three-fourths of the cooked bacon and one-fourth a cup of green onion.

Step Seven: Give the chowder a taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the chowder in bowls and topped with sliced green onion and the remaining crispy bacon.

Can I Use Frozen Corn In This Chowder?

Yes! If you do not have fresh corn you can use frozen corn. Just add the frozen corn in at the end and let it heat through.

Can I Use Canned Corn?

Absolutely! Just be sure to drain it fully before adding it to the chowder.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Want to make this recipe in the slow cooker? Here’s how to do it:

Step One: Cook the bacon until crisp and then set aside.

Step Two: Next brown the chicken thighs. After the chicken has cooked, add the diced onion, diced celery, and garlic to the pot. Let everything cook for a few minutes until the onion starts to become translucent. Transfer to the chicken and veggie mixture to base of your slow cooker.

Step Three: Next, add the diced potatoes, dried oregano, green chiles, bay leaves, dried parsley, cumin, salt, pepper, coconut milk and chicken broth to slow cooker. Stir until well combined. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until the potatoes are tender.

Step Four: Once the potatoes are tender, create a slurry with the arrowroot starch and a bit of water. Add the slurry to the chowder and stir to thicken. Next, stir in the corn and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the chowder has thickened and corn is warmed through.

Step Four: Once the chowder has thickened to your liking, stir in three-fourths of the cooked bacon and one-fourth a cup of green onion.

Step Five: Season to taste and serve with your favorite toppings!

How to Serve

This hearty chowder is great on it’s own and topped with bacon and green onions. If you want to add a little extra deliciousness to the chowder, you can also top your chowder with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Chowder

I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth to better to control the amount of salt in the dish.
As I mentioned before, I love using chicken thighs in this recipe but feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken breast if you prefer.
Don’t have yellow potatoes? This recipe will also work with diced russet potatoes as well.
Two tablespoons of arrowroot starch should thicken the chowder nicely, however if you prefer your chowder on the thicker side, feel free to add more arrowroot starch to the chowder one teaspoon at a time until it has reached your desired consistency.
Dice the potatoes roughly the same size so that they cook evenly.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: You can store store this chowder in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three to four days.

Reheat: My preference is to reheat this chowder on the stove in a small sauce pan or in the microwave. Both ways will work well!