Let me tell you about this soup that will change your life. You know those days when you come back from work tired and you still need to cook? This chicken corn chowder is your friend. Just put everything in your slow cooker before you go out, and when you come back home, your house will smell like heaven, and your dinner will be ready.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8 people
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 1.5 kg boneless chicken (breast or thigh, any one)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 medium potatoes, cut into small pieces
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Corn and Cream:
- 3 cups sweet corn (fresh, frozen, or tin)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup fresh scent leaves or parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Step 1: Cut Everything Small
Cut all your vegetables into small pieces. Make sure they are about the same size so they can cook well together. Nothing too fancy, just normal cutting.
Step 2: Put Everything Inside
Put the chicken, potatoes, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic inside your slow cooker. Add the thyme, oregano, paprika, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper well.
Step 3: Pour the Stock
Pour the chicken stock on top of everything. It might look like the liquid is small, but don’t worry, the vegetables will bring out their own water when cooking.
Step 4: Let It Cook
Cover it and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours. The chicken should be so soft that you can break it with a fork easily.
Step 5: Break the Chicken
Remove the chicken and use two forks to break it into small pieces. It should be very soft by now. Remove those bay leaves, too.
Step 6: Make It Thick
Mix the flour with a small amount of the hot liquid from the pot until it is smooth. Pour this back into the pot with the broken chicken and corn.
Step 7: Add the Cream
Pour the cream inside and mix everything. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes on LOW until it becomes thick.
Step 8: Final Touch
Add the butter and let it melt. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if you need. Add the fresh leaves just before you serve.
Tips That Will Help You
Want More Flavor? Fry your chicken small before putting it in the slow cooker. It takes just 5 minutes extra, but the taste will be very sweet.
Make It Thick: If you want it thicker, use a spoon to mash some of the cooked potatoes inside the pot before adding cream.
About the Corn: Fresh corn is very sweet, but frozen corn is also good. If you use tin corn, wash it first.
Make It Hot Small: Add small pepper sauce or ground pepper. It goes well with the sweet corn.
Easy Changes You Can Make
No Cream? Use coconut milk instead of heavy cream and palm oil instead of butter. Still very sweet.
More Vegetables: You can add bell pepper, hot pepper, or even fried bacon. All is good.
Different Meat: If you have leftover chicken from yesterday, you can use it. Just add it in the last 30 minutes.
No Flour? Just leave the flour and let the potatoes make it thick naturally.
What to Eat It With
This soup is complete by itself, but you can add:
- Bread for dipping
- Put fried bacon, cheese, or more scent leaves on top
- Small sour cream makes it sweeter
- Simple salad on the side
How to Keep It
In the Fridge: It can stay for 4 days. It even tastes better the next day.
In Freezer: Good for 3 months, but the texture might change small because of the cream and potatoes.
How to Warm Again: Warm it slowly over the fire and add small stock if it becomes too thick.
Questions You Might Ask
Can I use chicken thigh instead?
Yes! Thigh meat is more tasty and softer. Same cooking time.
I don’t have a slow cooker, what do I do?
Use a big pot on your stove. Fry the vegetables first, then add everything else and cook for about 45 minutes.
Can I prepare everything before?
Of course! Cut everything the night before and just put it in the slow cooker in the morning.
How do I know when it is ready?
The chicken should break easily with a fork, and the potatoes should be soft when you press with a fork.
Can I double the recipe?
Sure! Just make sure your slow cooker is big enough for everything.
Conclusion
This soup is one of those foods that just makes life better. It brings everybody together and makes everyone happy.
