If you’re looking for the perfect summer soup, look no further! This Loaded Corn Chowder is everything a chowder should be: creamy, rich and DELICIOUS. It is a simple and savory mix of corn, onion, celery and shredded chicken with a thick potato base seasoned with a little bit of oregano.
I do have a confession to make though..I don’t recall ever trying corn chowder in my life before I made this recipe! I’m not typically a soup-in-the-summer type of person, but this recipe came about because I was craving a warm creamy soup. I figured some type of chowder would be “summery” enough, and this is what I came up with! After a few tweaks I would say this recipe is PERFECT.
NON-GMO CORN?
Let me start by saying that consuming GMO vs. NON-GMO foods is a very controversial topic. Genetically modified (GM) corn has been linked to some negative health concerns that I think are worth knowing about.
There is an increasing amount of information connecting GMO’s with potential health and environmental issues. The Center for Food Safety states that there are 6 potential health concerns linked to GMO’s, including toxicity, allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance, immune suppression, cancer and loss of nutrition. Additionally, following a few studies done on rats, genetically modified corn has been linked to some specific health issues including: unexplained tumors, kidney disease, liver failure and hormone gland abnormalities. Despite this information, many governing organizations like the World Health Organization claim that GMO products are safe for the public to consume. With the growing amount of information proving otherwise, I am very weary of them. As a personal choice, I have started to buy all non-GMO corn products and suggest you do the same!
With the information above, I am just scratching the surface of this topic. There is A LOT of information out there on GMO’s and if you are curious about the subject, I suggest doing your own research on the topic. You can find more information on GMO’s here, here and here.
Substitutions & Notes
Corn: As I wrote above, I highly suggest using non-GMO corn. You can also use regular corn. I use canned corn in this recipe but you can substitute fresh or frozen as well. I also suggest using non-GMO cornstarch.
Almond Milk: If you want a substitute for almond milk, the only other nut milk I suggest using is cashew milk. You can also use soy milk or cows milk if you’re not dairy free.
Immersion Blender: An immersion blender is the best way to blend this chowder but if you don’t have one you can still have a great outcome. One option is to place about half of the soup in a blender and pulse a few times and then combine with the rest again. The other option is to not blend the soup at all and leave it with a chunky texture. If you choose this option, I suggest cutting the potatoes into tiny pieces so the chunks aren’t too big.
Chicken: I use boiled chicken breast, but you can also use baked or pan fried chicken.
I would love to know what you think of this recipe! Please share comments and pictures of how it turns out for you! Happy cooking, friends!
Xo,
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 russet potatoes
- 30 oz. corn (non GMO)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 2 cups plain unsweetened almond milk
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- Chop up the onion, celery and potatoes. Shred the chicken and have your ingredients ready by the stove.
- Place the onion, celery and olive oil in large pot along with about 4 Tbsp olive oil on medium high heat. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Next, add the corn and continue to sauté another 5 minutes until they begin to brown.
- Add in the chicken broth, potatoes and oregano. Let simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Stir periodically to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pot.
- Once the potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork, add in the shredded chicken, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- In a separate bowl, measure out the corn starch. Add about 1 Tbsp of almond milk and stir, then another tbsp until it is smooth. Stir in the remaining amount of the milk. Add to soup and stir immediately. This will help thicken the soup within seconds.
- Once thickened, turn the burner to low heat.
- With an immersion blender, blend the soup for about 15-20 seconds. Blend as much or as little as you want depending on desired consistency.
This corn chowder was delicious! Very tasty and filling!