Chicken corn chowder is a favorite, hearty cold weather soup. Add some chipotle peppers, adobo sauce and a bit of pumpkin for a whole new easy slow cooker cold weather favorite!
Originally published in October 2014; updated September 2018
There is nothing more soul-warming than a chunky chowder filled with potatoes, corn, and chicken; except one made smoky-spicy with Chipotle en Adobo, and creamy with the fall addition of pumpkin puree.
An easy recipe to put together in a slow cooker, this chowder greets the cold weather chill with gusto!
The recipe is gluten-free or gluten-filled based on the flour used.
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What is the Difference Between a Soup and Chowder?
Simply put, a chowder is a type of soup that is thick with chunky ingredients. 'Chowder' is most often associated with clams, closely followed by corn.
The true definition of a chowder is a rich stew often made with milk or cream, usually containing seafood or vegetables, and including potatoes and onions. It is often thickened by broken up crackers or bread as well.
If you love loads of texture, chowders are the soup for you!
What is in this Chicken Corn Chowder?
Loads of tasty ingredients go into making this Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Corn Chowder the mouthwatering comfort food recipe it is!
Chowder staples of potatoes and onions, chunks of chicken, corn (fresh or frozen) and pureed pumpkin make up the main flavor components.
The soup base is a combination of cream and chicken stock, thickened with a bit of flour (regular or gluten-free).
The spicy ingredient is some canned chipotle pepper with some of the adobo sauce from the can. It brings a bit of spice and a smoky flavor that make this chicken corn chowder really special.
NOTE to gluten-free eaters: always check the ingredients on the can of Chipotle in Adobo as some brands do add wheat.
Why make THIS Chicken Corn Chowder?
This recipe has all the qualities of a great chowder. It’s thick, rich, and hearty with satisfying textures.
In addition the pumpkin adds a depth of flavor as do the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce.
Now the favorite chicken corn chowder comfort food delivers exciting flavor, a bit of spicy and a beautiful color too.
Pumpkin in the Chicken Corn Chowder: A note of Encouragement for Pumpkin Haters
I know there are pumpkin haters out there. And to you I say 'don't fear the pumpkin in this chowder'!
A secret about winter squash for those who are lesser fans is that combining the sweetness of the squash with the smoky, spiciness of chipotle, tames the flavor.
You can taste it but this chicken corn chowder does not taste 'pumpkin-y' in a way pumpkin haters fear.
When I first made the recipe and later asked my kids what they thought of the pumpkin in the recipe they looked at my quizzically and asked 'there is pumpkin in here?!'.
Testimonial from a Pumpkin Hater
I have a long-time reader and friend who was dubious and frankly resistant to trying this recipe when it was first published. It took a lot of convincing to get her to try it.
She even needed to hear from my daughter that it didn’t taste pumpkin-y before making the recipe the first time.
She loved the chowder and now emails every time she makes it for visiting friends or family, which is often, recounting how much she loves the recipe. She also passes out the recipe to others like candy on Halloween. Love that.
Trust me and try it if you normally steer clear of savory pumpkin recipes. I think you will be happily surprised with this chowder.
How to Make it - Step by Step:
Step 1: The onions are sautéed in a skillet and set aside.
Steps 2-4: Cubed potatoes and corn are added to the slow cooker, (3) tossed with flour and (4) layered to cover the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 5: The onions are scattered on top of the potatoes and corn, followed by the chicken.
Step 6: Next the combined broth and pureed pumpkin. Last the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce are added to the slow cooker.
The chicken corn chowder is cooked on HIGH for 4-6 hours until the potatoes are softened. The cream is poured in and salt and pepper added to taste.
The Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Corn Chowder is ready to be served and may be garnished with a bit of cooked, crumbled bacon and torn cilantro leaves if desired.
Check out our Easy Dinner Recipes section for more great recipe ideas!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
- Chicken Adobo (Fillipino recipe)
- Jalapeno Corn Chicken Chowder
- Potato Corn Chowder - Instant Pot recipe
- Instant Pot Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes
- Easy Chicken Soup recipes
- Tex Mex Potato Soup (Instant Pot recipe)
Recipe
Slow Cooker Spicy Pumpkin Chicken Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 cup Red Onion , chopped
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Red New Potatoes , scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cup Frozen Corn Kernels
- ¼ cup Flour (gluten-free or regular)
- 6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Rotisserie Chicken , shredded (home cooked chicken may also be used)
- 1 15- ounce can Pumpkin (unseasoned); or the equivalent homemade
- 1 canned Chipotle Pepper , diced
- 1 teaspoon Adobo Sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers)
- ¼ cup Heavy Cream
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Optional Garnish: crumbled bacon and torn cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Add the chopped onions and sauté until the onions are translucent. Set aside.
- Add the potatoes and corn to the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the flour and toss to fully coat the potatoes and corn. Spread evenly on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add the sautéed onions evenly on top of the potatoes and corn, followed by the chicken.
- Combine the broth and the pumpkin; gently stirring to combine them. Top with the chopped chipotle pepper and adobo sauce in the slow cooker.
- Cook on high between 4-6 hours until the potatoes are soft. Stir in the cream. Salt and pepper for taste. Add garnish if desired and serve.
- Garnish with crumbled bacon and torn cilantro if desired!
laurie damrose says
This looks really good.I love the Pumpkin in it.
Patricia Wiedemer says
You say heavy cream, how much? Also, is there and alternative for the heavy cream?
Toni Dash says
Hi Patricia. One quarter cup (1/4 cup) heavy cream. I have only made the recipe as described and the cream gives the recipe a bit of richness without going overboard. You certainly could experiment with milk, dairy or plant-based, to meet your dietary needs. Would love to hear back from you if you do! Thanks!
Amy says
Do you think that the heavy cream could be replaced with cashew milk to make it a bit healthier?
Toni Dash says
To be candid I’m not as familiar with the flavor profile of cashew milk vs other plant milks but with only 1/4 cup, I think it would be fine. The chipotle give a smoky flavor so the cream just provides a bit more creamy texture. I’d love to hear back from you Amy if you make the substitution on how you liked it!
Lauren says
Is there a reason you used cooked chicken? 4-6 hours on high would more then cook any raw chicken thoroughly.
Toni Dash says
Hi Lauren. Originally when I began making this recipe I was making it more in the style of how I’d do it on the stove and using the slow cooking to blend the flavors and cook the potatoes. I also have found often when cooking chicken, especially white meat in the slow cooker, it can develop more of a stewed chicken texture and flavor and I wanted to avoid that for this recipe. Having said that I did do a search after seeing your comment and there certainly are recipes in which the chicken is cooked while slsow cooking so if you wanted to give that a go I’d love to hear about the results! I’ve always made it this way with fantastic results and reader feedback about their success with the recipe too!
Melissa says
Are you only supposed to use one chipotle pepper or the entire can?
Toni Dash says
Just 1 chipotle pepper from a can!
Melissa says
Awesome! Thanks for your response. I made this chowder yesterday and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! This recipe will definitely be a staple in my favorite dishes to preapre and enjoy! YUMMO!
Much love to you for this creation!
Toni Dash says
So glad you loved it Melissa! It’s a favorite of mine too! Thanks for leaving your comment, I really appreciate it.
Tanya says
Amazing! I live in Barbados and had to make a few adjustments to the recipe, Instead of Potatoes I’ve used Cassava, which melt in your mouth once done cooking. Canned pumpkin here is beyond expensive, but locally grown belly pumpkin cost pennies, so I’ve just cooked and used that. And the Chili’s, those, are nearly impossible to find here, so I’ve had to omit and replace the Adobe sauce with Adobe jar Spice.
Even with the adjustments – it’s my absolute favourite slow cooker dish yet. At 9 am I’m already waiting for lunch knowing I’m gonna the leftovers then. Thanks for posting!
Toni Dash says
Tanya I love getting your comment. I’m so glad your perseverance in the face of ingredients not being available created a dish you love so much. My only thought is, why wait until lunchtime?! No reason not to have the leftovers for breakfast!
Colleen Cayes says
I have now made this three times, and I’ve raved about it to friends and shared the recipe. Who knew anything with the word “pumpkin” in it would become my favorite? Thank you for broadening my culinary and gustatory horizons.
Paul says
How many servings does this make?
Toni Dash says
Hi Paul. As noted the recipe makes 10 cups of chowder. Since this is the type of food people tend to eat in multiple ways (small portion with a half sandwich, larger main dish portion with a side, etc) I felt knowing the full recipe yield would make it easier to plan. I myself tend to eat smaller portions so a cup would be good for me; my sporty kids would gobble down a larger 1 1/2 cups easily in a sitting (and maybe still have seconds of a smaller helping!).
Paul says
Thanks, Toni!
Paul says
Wanted to reply back after cooking this recipe last weekend in Joshua Tree National Park. Only had a coleman two burner to work with so I nixed the slow cooker and made with pre cooked chicken and potatoes.
Turned out absolutely amazing! Very good recipe.
A few modifications that I made… Upped the portion to 1.5x original, added roughly 0.5 tbsp of smoked paprika, added additional cream (to taste), and a little extra chili and sauce. Served with sour cream, tortillas and cheese.
Was a big hit!
Toni Dash says
Paul thank you for taking the time to let me know! It’s a recipe I love too. Generally slow cooker recipes have less liquid due to no evaporation so adding more of that helps too. Now after reading your description I am finding myself very, very hungry!
sue/the view from great island says
This is a natural, and the chipotle pepper makes it!
Jodee Weiland says
Toni, this soup looks so delicious and hearty! I love the texture and ingredients both. It looks so inviting and is perfect for fall…thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Toni Dash says
Thank YOU Jodee for your generous praise! The wind is howling outside today and the skies are a moody charcoal color. Think I’m making another batch of this! Enjoy your Sunday.