I’ve been making that corn chowder since the summer my husband and I got married so…12 years (side note: how???) and I’ve never really veered too far off course because I love it so much. But then…one day…it happened. I decided to mix it up. I didn’t have any bacon (gasp!) and I had a can of chipotles left over from this chicken (plus about half the chicken, which, spoiler alert, comes into play as well). It ended up being fabulous; my kids thought it was a little on the spicy side, but my husband and I loved it.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken broth – Your favorite broth will do, be it canned, boxed, homemade, or mixed up from Better Than Bouillon. Broth from bouillon cubes would work in a pinch, but you’ll get much better flavor from one of the previous options. Corn – This recipe calls for a can of corn. Feel free to replace it with fresh or frozen corn kernels if you wish. Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce- You can find canned chipotle peppers in the Latin foods aisle of your grocery store. To reduce the level of spice in the final chowder, remove the seeds. Garlic, onion, and bell peppers, and potatoes – This is a great place to use up whatever varieties of these you have on hand! Fresh garlic is best. Any variety of onion and any color combo of bell peppers will do. Red, gold, or russet potatoes would all work. Leftover chicken – Rotisserie chicken works well here, or leftover grilled chicken breasts or thighs. If you don’t have any leftovers, you can make a couple of quick Air Fryer Chicken Breasts. Flour – This chowder is thickened using wheat flour and has not been tested with alternative options. If you need to make this gluten free, you can try using your favorite thickener (corn starch, arrowroot powder, etc.) mixed with a little bit of chicken broth and add it at the very end of cooking. Chipotle Tobasco Sauce – This is optional, for serving. You can typically find it on the condiment aisle of your grocery store. Vegetarian Option – If you’d like to make this vegetarian, simply replace the chicken broth with veggie stock and omit the chicken.
Instructions
My family doesn’t like spicy food. Are they going to eat this? The spice here is not overwhelming. That said, you control level of the spice! Feel free to reduce the amount of minced chipotle chilies and then taste test at the end as you add the adobo sauce back in to make sure the spice level is right for your family. You could also sub chipotle chili powder to taste, which is a little easier to control.
Serving Suggestions
The great thing about chowder is that is can be a one bowl meal if you choose. Serve with a simple side salad or sliced fruit. If you’re looking for something more, consider whipping up some Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits or One-Hour Dinner Rolls.
Did You Make This?
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