Description
Fiesta Chicken Corn Chowder is a creamy, cheesy soup bursting with Mexican-inspired flavors. Made with tender chicken, sweet corn, bell peppers, and a blend of spices, this one-pot chowder is finished with melty cheeses and versatile toppings like sour cream, cilantro, and avocado. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, it comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauté Base
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1 pound chicken breasts, chopped (or 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup flour
Broth and Corn
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 (14.75 oz) cans cream-style corn
- 1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups fresh or frozen)
- 1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (4 oz) can mild diced green chilies
Cheese and Toppings
- 4 oz block cream cheese, very soft
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- Hot sauce to taste
- Sour cream (highly recommended)
- Additional shredded cheese for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
- Avocados for garnish
- Tomatoes for garnish
- Tortilla chips for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics and chicken: Melt the butter in the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the chopped chicken, onions, jalapenos, and seasonings including cumin, salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, and oregano. Sauté for 3 minutes until the chicken starts to cook and the vegetables are fragrant.
- Add bell peppers, garlic, and flour: Stir in the chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, and flour. Cook while stirring constantly for 2 minutes to form a roux that will thicken the chowder.
- Incorporate broth: Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in 3 cups of the chicken broth, mixing thoroughly to avoid lumps.
- Mix cornstarch slurry and add remaining ingredients: Whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth until smooth; add this mixture to the pot. Then stir in the cream-style corn, whole corn, drained diced tomatoes, and diced green chilies.
- Simmer the chowder: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. If using shredded rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken, add it now. Let the chowder simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend flavors and thicken the soup.
- Add cheeses: Reduce heat to low, then stir in the very soft cream cheese until melted and fully incorporated. Next, add shredded sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses in handfuls, stirring continuously until all the cheese is melted and the chowder is creamy.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with desired toppings such as hot sauce, sour cream, extra shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, avocado slices, diced tomatoes, and crunchy tortilla chips.
Notes
- This chowder is great for quick weeknight meals, ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Using shredded rotisserie chicken is a convenient shortcut that cuts down cooking time.
- If you prefer a spicier chowder, keep the jalapeno seeds and increase hot sauce to taste.
- You can substitute cream-style corn with fresh corn blended slightly to maintain creaminess.
- Feel free to customize toppings based on preference; avocado and tortilla chips add nice texture contrasts.
- No heavy cream is needed—the cheeses and cream cheese create a rich, creamy texture naturally.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
