Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder

It's supposed to be cold and rainy here all weekend.  (Hello, crock pot dinner and football games!)  I love my slow cooker but I don't use it nearly as much as I think I should.  It would certainly save me valuable time doing dinner prep but I just don't pull it out of the cabinet very often.  Part of the reason that I don't use it very often is that when I think slow cooker - I think pot roast and potatoes and pork shoulder.  And that's not really my jam. 😂 

This Chicken and Corn Chowder recipe was a great reminder that crock pots are good for more than just roasts. 🥣 Fall is soup season and this is the perfect transition from salads to hearty, warm winter soups.  I scooped out my bowl of soup before adding the cream to save on calories but the rest of my family loved the rich, creamy Chicken and Corn chowder recipe as written.  

Whether you've got a football game to watch this weekend, a yard full of leaves to rake or just a weekend of relaxing on the couch, this recipe is perfect.  It comes together quickly and you can just sit back and enjoy the amazing aroma of chowder while it simmers in the slow cooker all afternoon.  The hardest part of this whole recipe was NOT lifting the lid on the crock pot every hour to take in the amazing aroma.  

​There's nothing better than having a meal ready to eat at 6:00 without last minute prep work.  I'll admit that it still feels strange to prep dinner at 10:00 AM but I'm determined to get in the habit of using my slow cooker more so I better get used to it.  Believe it or not, I managed to get this chowder in the crock pot while I was simultaneously making french toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast.  (It's actually kind of amazing that we didn't end up with celery in our eggs.)  Whatever works. 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 slices pancetta, diced
1/4 cup minced celery
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups frozen corn
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt. 

Toss potatoes, bacon, celery, shallot, garlic, sugar, pepper and bay together in slow cooker.  

Layer chicken over potato mixture and scatter corn over chicken.

Add chicken broth.  Do not stir.  

Cover and cook 7-8 hours on low. 

Discard bay leaf.  Remove chicken and shred.

Transfer 2 cups chowder to blender and process until smooth.

Return blended chowder to slow cooker along with shredded chicken.  

Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with fresh parsley. 

If you like a creamier chowder - stir cream into chowder. 

Check out all of my other slow cooker recipes using the categories side bar on my blog.  There are awesome recipes like Mediterranean Chicken and Farro and  Acorn Squash.  If you've got a great recipe that you make in your slow cooker - I'd love for you to share it with me.  I love new recipes.

Ciao!

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