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Pioneer Woman Corn Chowder

Pioneer Woman Corn Chowder

Erin Table for Seven
This recipe for Pioneer Woman Corn Chowder is bound to become a new simple family favorite, and it will most surely become one of mine. It is extremely creamy (but lighter up), full of sweet corn, meaty sausage, creamy potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, and onions for a symphony of soothing flavors and textures in every mouthful, and it is outrageously lightened up.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 563 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound hot Italian sausage casings removed, see notes for substitutions
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 2 ½ cups Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced into 1/4-1/2” cubes
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional for spicy
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 (14.75 ounce) cans cream style corn
  • 30 ounces fresh corn frozen (not thawed) or canned
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon each dried oregano, dried thyme, and salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth

Instructions
 

  • Put one tablespoon of oil into a large Dutch oven or soup pot and cook it over medium-high heat until it reaches the desired temperature.
  • Continue to sauté the mixture after adding the sausage, onions, carrots, and celery. Do this until the sausage is thoroughly cooked and the onions have reached the desired consistency.
  • Continue to sauté the mixture for another 30 seconds after adding the potatoes, garlic, and red pepper, if using any of those ingredients.
  • After incorporating the flour, proceed to continue cooking for an additional minute while stirring (it will be thick).
  • At this stage, you should mix in the creamed corn, the corn, the chicken bouillon, the bay leaves, and any other ingredients that you choose to use.
  • After whisking together cornstarch and one cup of chicken broth, add this mixture to the other ingredients. The remaining amount of chicken broth has to be added.
  • After raising it to a boil while the lid was on, take it off and reduce the heat so that it is just barely simmering.
  • Simmer, uncovered, for fifteen to twenty minutes, or until the potatoes have reached the desired degree of softness, making sure to stir the mixture regularly to avoid it from burning on the bottom.
  • After stirring in the half-and-half, bring the mixture to a low simmer. Toss the bay leaves out the window. If you’re interested, give it a taste, then thereafter season it with salt and pepper to your preference.

Notes

  • Use spicy Italian sausage in your cooking: This pioneer woman corn chowder dish may be made with chicken, bacon, or any other type of protein; however, juicy, savory sausage is by far the best addition you can make.
  • Don’t skip mirepoix: This pioneer woman’s recipe for corn chowder features the traditional trinity of carrots, onions, and celery, which are sautéed in drippings that are rich in flavor. They are referred to be the “holy trinity” of cooking because they produce a richness and depth of taste that cannot be achieved by any other method. If you really can’t get your hands on any of these materials, please don’t skip this step.
  • Customize veggies: You may use whatever vegetables you have on hand, in addition to the mirepoix, or you can mix them up for some added fun! Green beans, zucchini, cabbage, bell peppers, etc. Be aware that the majority of veggies only need to be cooked for ten minutes – you can see my specific instructions in the section under “Variations.”
  • Vegetable size: Cut the carrots and celery into pieces that are approximately a quarter of an inch thick so that they will cook properly.
  • Consistency: This pioneer woman corn chowder may be made more or less “chunky,” or more or less creamy, depending on your preference. Simply add more broth or half-and-half at the very end of the cooking process to achieve a soup with less chunkiness. Please refer to the part that discusses how to make it more creamy. 
Recipe Variations
Potatoes
Swap potatoes with rice or cauliflower to reduce carbs. Ideas:
  • Rice for potatoes: Simmer 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice for 8-12 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on how long it takes to boil your soup, so check the rice occasionally until done. Warm 2 12 cups cooked rice towards the end of cooking.
  • Barley replaces potatoes: Barley has a lovely texture. You should use pearl and simmer for 30 minutes, therefore you may need to add an extra cup of broth since more liquid will evaporate. 
  • Lentils replace potatoes: 1 cup rinsed brown or green lentils. Simmer the lentils for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender yet firm. Again, longer simmering may require more broth.
  • Quinoa replaces potatoes: For more protein, simmer rinsed and drained quinoa for 25 minutes.
  • Substitute cauliflower for potatoes: 2.25 cups chopped cauliflower. Add cauliflower during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Protein differences
Although I’m obsessed with Italian sausage in this recipe, you may use other proteins:
  • Rotisseries: Lightly seasoned rotisserie chicken is a mix of light and dark meat. Perfectly tender and slurpable. Shredded rotisserie chicken is needed. Heat the chicken and half-and-half in corn chowder.
  • Breasts Or Thighs: I prefer boneless or bone-in chicken thighs to breasts. Dark chicken meat is juicier, richer-tasting, and more tender than chicken breasts. Bone-in chicken breasts are best, although boneless will work. 
  • Chicken Thighs/Breasts: Chicken Thighs Or Breasts, Sear each side in 1 tablespoon of oil in a soup pot, then remove. Add the chicken back to the broth and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until tender enough to shred. Remove, shred, and add back to the soup with the half-and-half.
  • Chicken leftovers: Add 2 12 cups leftover chicken to corn chowder with half-and-half.
  • Bacon: Remove crispy thick-cut bacon from the pot. Save 5 tablespoons of drippings to cook mirepoix and roux. Add bacon toward the end of cooking.
  • Ham: Finish cooking and heat ham. Ham is salty, so reduce the recipe’s salt and add to taste.
  • Meatballs Turkey: Mimic Italian sausage with Italian seasoning, fennel, and red pepper flakes.
  • Sausage: Kielbasa, Polish or Chicken Sausage Whole Carrots/Onions/Celery, Then Plate. Slice or chop, then add to soup with broth to simmer with potatoes.
Vegetables
I recommend carrots and celery, but you may also add:
  • Mushrooms: Most flavorful are Cremini/baby Bella mushrooms.
  • Capsicums: Every Color Is Delicious! Ten minutes before serving, add them.
  • Yams: Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
  • Pumpkin: Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
  • Broccoli: Last 10 minutes of cooking, chop into bite-size pieces.
  • Zucchini: Last 10 minutes of cooking, quarter zucchini. Thinly slice zucchini so it doesn’t get soggy.
  • Asparagus: Canned green beans taste better fresh. Add in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
  • Greens: Cover the pot for 1-2 minutes to wilt spinach or cabbage towards the end of cooking.
Alternate
  • Beans: Beans sweeten, creamy, and meaty.
  • Cheese: You can make this corn chowder cheesy. Cheese makes everything better, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Stir with sharp Cheddar, smoked Gouda, Parmesan, or Swiss or Gruyere near the end of cooking.
  • Change Spices: Switching seasonings change the flavor profile. Cajun with black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne. You can also increase the smoked paprika or other seasonings.
  • Spicier: Substitute seeded, diced jalapeno for red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 563kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 22gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 665mgPotassium: 1283mgFiber: 7gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 3918IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 3mg
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