Corn Chowder with Bacon and Roasted Serrano Peppers is a hearty, creamy soup that is packed with flavor. The roasted serrano peppers add a little kick of heat, the bacon contributes a hint of smoke and the fresh sweet corn provides a wonderful texture. It's easy to make and is a great way to enjoy the flavor of sweet summer corn. And, this corn chowder is even better the next day.
Try my other recipes for Texas Grilled Corn Ribs, Chicken Tortilla Soup and Cast Iron Skillet Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread.
Ingredients
- Serrano peppers
- Potato
- Thick-cut bacon
- Yellow onion
- Celery
- All-purpose flour
- Fresh corn
- Garlic
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Cumin
- Nutmeg
- Cayenne pepper
- Fresh cilantro
- Heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Peel and dice the potatoes, chop the onion, celery and bacon, and carefully cut the kernels off the corn cob and set aside.
Rub the serrano pepper with cooking oil and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil under medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until the skin is blackened on all sides. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Wrap the charred pepper in a paper towel and let it steam for 10 minutes to help loosen the skin. Once cooled, rinse the pepper under cold water while gently rubbing off the blackened skin. Remove the stem and seeds, then dice the pepper.
Place the diced potatoes in a small pot and add enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Add a pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender then drain.
While the potatoes are boiling, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet.
Add the chopped onion and celery to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and celery mixture, stirring to combine. This will help thicken the chowder.
Now, add the corn kernels to the skillet. Cook until the corn kernels are tender, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot and turn off the heat.
Reserve ¾ cup of the corn mixture. Using a ladle, carefully transfer the remaining mixture to a blender. Add the drained potatoes and add 1 cup of chicken stock. Blend until smooth then pour the puree into a large pot.
Add the diced serrano pepper, remaining chicken stock, cumin, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, fresh cilantro, cooked bacon, and reserved corn mixture to a large pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Then, simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and ladle the corn chowder into small bowls. Garnish with a little bit of chopped cilantro and serve.
Cook's Note
Reheating chowder with heavy cream over medium or medium high heat can cause it to separate. For the best result, only add cream to the portion of corn chowder that you are serving. If you are NOT serving the full batch, carefully ladle part of the chowder into another pot and set aside to cool and then refrigerate. Add a proportionate amount of heavy cream to the remaining chowder and stir. When ready to enjoy the leftovers, reheat the chowder over medium heat, then stir in the remaining cream and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
Variations
This recipe was made with a dash of cayenne pepper, but a small amount of chili powder would also work. Other green chiles like a jalapeño pepper, Anaheim pepper or poblano pepper could be substituted for the serrano pepper. If you choose a large pepper, like an Anaheim or poblano, use a small portion of the pepper, maybe only half, and discard the rest.
The corn chowder in this recipe was made from fresh corn, but it doesn't have to be. Frozen corn works well for this recipe.
For a bit of brightness, you can add ¼ cup of fresh lime juice at the end just before adding the heavy cream.
Storage
Store leftover chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Final Thoughts
This recipe combines the sweetness of fresh summer corn with crispy bacon and the subtle heat of serrano peppers, resulting in a rich, flavorful corn chowder. The next time you’re in the mood for a comforting and rich chowder, give this recipe a try. Enjoy!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Corn Chowder with Bacon and Roasted Serranos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 each serrano pepper
- ¼ lb bacon thick-cut, diced ¼"
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 ears fresh corn shucked and kernels removed
- 1 medium potato peeled and diced small
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth divided
- ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
Instructions
- Rub the serrano pepper with cooking oil and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook under the broiler, turning over once, until blackened on both sides. Wrap the charred pepper in a paper towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. Using gloves, rinse under cold water and gently rub off the blackened skin. Remove the stem and seeds and dice.
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and place on a paper toweled lined plate to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease and discard. Paper towels work well for this.
- Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and celery then add the corn kernels, diced potatoes, garlic and 1 cup of chicken stock and cook until the corn kernels are tender, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Reserve ½ cup of the cooked corn mixture. Using a ladle, carefully transfer the remaining corn mixture to a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth, about a minute.
- Pour the puree into a large pot. Add the serrano pepper, remaining chicken stock, cumin, nutmeg, cayenne, cilantro, cooked bacon and reserved corn mixture. Stir to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Reheating chowder with heavy cream over medium or medium high heat can cause it to separate. For the best result, only add cream to the portion of chowder that you are serving. If you are NOT serving the full batch, carefully ladle part of the chowder into another pot and set aside to cool and then refrigerate. Add a proportionate amount of heavy cream to the remaining chowder and stir. When ready to enjoy the leftovers, reheat the chowder over medium heat, then stir in the remaining cream and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
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