Whip up comfort in a bowl with this family favorite recipe for Salsa Corn Chowder loaded with your choice of chicken, ham or veggies.
When it comes to fall comfort food, and particularly quick-fix soups and stews, there’s one childhood standout that gets my vote for the heartiest, tastiest of the bunch: Salsa Corn Chowder.
This dish is one of my earliest food memories, and it’s particularly fitting for this time of year because it was the dinner my mom would make us every Halloween. It was warm and loaded with tender shredded chicken (or ham), and it filled our bellies for the long night of trick-or-treating ahead.
Of course the only accompaniment to Salsa Corn Chowder was always mini corn muffins, which my mom would bake at the last possible minute so that they were popped from the muffin tin and served piping hot. Chowder and corn muffins. It doesn’t get much heartier or more comforting than that!
Best of all, this chowder keeps well in a slow cooker. So you can whip it up even a day in advance then transfer it to a slow cooker on the “warm” setting.
Keep it vegetarian-friendly with veggie stock (and a few extra veggies stirred in) or opt for shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey or honey-baked ham (my personal fave). And fresh or frozen corn both work well, so this is one chowder than can be dished out 365 days a year!
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (16-oz.) package sweet corn, thawed
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 (13 3/4-oz.) can chicken broth
- 1 (4-oz.) jar chopped pimentos, drained
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or diced (cooked) ham
Instructions
- Add the butter to a large stock pot set over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and cook, stirring, until transluscent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour, chili powder and ground cumin.
- Add the corn, salsa, chicken broth and pimentos to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove it from the heat.
- Add the cream cheese to a medium bowl then gradually add ½ cup of the hot mixture from the saucepan to the cream cheese, stirring until well blended.
- Add the cream cheese mixture and the milk to the saucepan and stir until combined.
- Add the cooked chicken (or ham) and stir to combine. Continue cooking until warmed throughout.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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This is one of our favorite recipes ever!!
Woohoo! Love hearing this, Melissa!
Hello, what do you mean by Salsa? Tomato salsa?
Yes!
Just made it. So easy, I stewed chicken on the bone for more flavor and then shredded it. It’s definitely a keeper. Had all the ingredients so I didn’t have to shop. Delicious!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Terri!
Yep, this is a keeper!
AMAZING! This was simple to prepare and came together in no time. The creaminess from the cream cheese balanced the spicy flavors from the chili powder and salsa. I will be making this again!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Elizabeth!
Kelly–We had the corn chowder tonight–Aunt Suzanne did the heavy lifting. Terrific as usual-
Talk to you later–Uncle Mark
Tried this last night. Very yummy and very hearty! I also tried it with a vegetable stock and left out ham. I loved that it took less than 30 minutes to make. Thank you!
This is delicious and took no time at all. the addition of cream cheese adds so much against the taste of the chili. great consistency and flavor. My mom’s reaction to having it this afternoon:
1) “Is this girl going to open a restaurant?”
2) “This makes being vegetarian a delight (substituted in vegetable stock/ left out meat) and makes me want to grow chili”
3) “She needs to send some of recipes and such to Opera, she’s so young and could get on the show” (don’t know where this came from- she doesn’t even watch it hah)
excellent