Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta

5 from 3 votes

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Some nights you’re just too tired to cook, the weather is dictating it’s a comfort food dinner night and you look in the refrigerator and decide to get creative. Well at least I do and t hat’s how this Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta came about.

Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta1

Cooking is another creative outlet and not work at all. I love to come up with new flavor profiles, mix and test different ideas and tastes.

The night before I had a bonanza of fresh corn on the cob and grilled up several ears for leftovers. At first I was thinking of doing a new cornbread or fritters, but ended up making a chowder. Typically a cream based soup, this gets bumped up in flavor with mashed chipotle, heartier with red and yellow potatoes and savory with rendered, crispy pancetta. All these goodies round out a full meal soup dinner and we were happy campers.

Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta2

In a microwave safe bowl add the diced potatoes and cover with water. Cook for 6 minutes on high. Drain and set aside. Crush the chipotle and put in a small bowl. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Set aside.

If using fresh corn, grill two ears and allow to cool before removing corn kernels. Stand the ear of corn on one end and with a sharp knife cut downward on four sides, allowing the corn kernels to fall from the cob. You could also microwave the ears of corn wrapped in microwave safe plastic wrap and cook on medium for 5 minutes and 5 minutes stand time. Allow to cool before removing corn kernels. You could also use a cup of canned or frozen. Choices and possibilities! Set aside.

Render the pancetta over a low heat to cook and get crispy. You can do this ahead of time, too and also swap out the pancetta for some bacon. It’s just what I had on hand in the refrigerator that night.

Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta3

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the flour and cook on low for 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock and whisk to break up any lumps. Bring to a boil, turn to simmer.

Add the crushed chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, garlic and onion. Cook for 3 minutes.

Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta4

Add the cream and thyme tied with kitchen string. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cooked potatoes, cut corn kernels, half of the pancetta and cook for 3 minutes more.

Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta5

Remove thyme bundle, discard. Ladle soup into bowls, top with remaining cooked pancetta and fresh cracked black pepper.

This is a creamy, comforting soup rich in layered flavors and chunky vegetables. The smoky chipotle, the sweet pop from the corn, the creamy potatoes and the savory, salty goodness from the pancetta is delicious. Make that soup a meal I say.

If you like soups like this try my Tex Mex Chicken Corn Soup. Enjoy!

Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta6

A close up of a bowl of chipotle corn chowder

Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta

5 from 3 votes
Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta - with smoky chipotle, sweet pop from the corn, creamy potatoes and the savory, salty goodness from the pancetta.
Servings: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a microwave safe bowl add the diced potatoes and cover with water. Cook for 6 minutes on high. Drain and set aside. Crush the chipotle and put in a small bowl. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the flour and cook on low for 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock and whisk to break up any lumps. Bring to a boil, turn to simmer.
  • Add the crushed chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, garlic and onion. Cook for 4 minutes.
  • Add the cream and thyme tied with kitchen string. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cooked potatoes, cut corn kernels, half of the pancetta and cook for 3 minutes more.
  • Remove thyme bundle, discard. Ladle soup into bowls, top with remaining cooked pancetta and fresh cracked black pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 854mg | Potassium: 1164mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1070IU | Vitamin C: 38.9mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 4.5mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: American, Tex Mex
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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16 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just saw this on pinterest and it looks awesome, buddy! Love finding old recipes of yours I might have missed! Pinned! This is getting added to our soup night rotation! <3

    1. Thanks Chey, so glad you stumbled across the recipe. Oh this is a good, creamy, delicious soup – perfect for this cold weather! Have a great Thanksgiving!

  2. Found this on your FB page, Kevin, and it looks divine! I”ll have to figure out a substitute for the pancetta or bacon as I don’t cook with pork. I’ll try turkey bacon, perhaps, or turkey or chicken sausage.

    1. Hello there Marlene! It was great meeting you this past weekend. Wasn’t that fun? We had a great time and look forward to the next conference.
      I think a pan seared chicken or turkey sausage would work beautifully in this. You’re spot on!
      I love that creative logo on your site, too! It fantastic, really.
      Have a great day.

  3. I made this chowder but has several problems. First, the potatoes did not cook in 6 or even 12 minutes. They were still raw. I had to dump them into the soup, after the cream and simmer it for 20 minutes until they softened. Second, with 5 cups of liquid and no cooking down, this was woefully unlike the picture. It was very liquidy soup. I had to get it out with a slotted spoon.

    1. Christine, thanks for the feedback and so sorry that was your experience. I haven’t had that happen and follow this recipe to the letter all the time.
      I do use medium sized potatoes (can fit in the palm of your hand) dice the potatoes small, not chop them, and HIGH on my microwave gets the job done just fine to where they are still firm but fork tender. Maybe your heat setting is different?
      Also when making the roux (from the butter and flour) this helps to thicken the chicken stock when whisked in and simmered. It should almost look like a gravy at this point. The potatoes are added and should start to break down slightly and help to thicken as well.
      All sorts of things can sometimes effect a recipe, like the kind or size of potato, or if you chose milk instead of cream, etc.
      Again, so sorry that was your experience.

  4. It looks like a delicious and comforting chowder Kevin! Love my soups as meals and this one looks so flavoursome. Sounds hassle free to make too, which is always great. I love the photos – so vibrant and inviting! Best wishes. 🙂

    1. Thanks so much for stopping by and the kind words Padaek. It’s all dark clouds here today, I might have to make another batch!

  5. Man I love how simple and quick this recipe is. I have to try asap.
    And I couldn’t agree more cooking is definitely a creative outlet!

  6. 5 stars
    Oh my! Now THIS is a soup. Check out how thick and creamy and chunky that is! I almost broke the screen diving in to grab that spoon and shovel it in my mouth. Heck, that’s not true. I was reaching for the whole bowl. To POUR it in my mouth. YUM! PS Yours is so much better than my simple version!! 🙂

    1. Oh I don’t know about that Nagi, I like your “cream-free” version, too! Took a few tips for the photos from the new book I just got and your FBC posts. Learning and growing. Thanks again!

  7. Dude, this chowder looks amazing, Kevin. We have a corn chowder that we love, but I’ve never added red potatoes. What a fun twist. I totally agree with you that cooking is a creative outlet. That’s what makes our jobs so fun! We get to do the left brain-right brain thing between the computer work and the kitchen. Have a great weekend, and send me over a bowl of that chowder! #WolfpackEats

    1. Thanks David, it is so fun and I love doing this. I also got a new Lowel EGO light for evenings I can’t shoot in the daytime. So this weekend I get to play with it. That chowder rocks and I think I may be done with my run on pancetta! Now off to check out your Caramel Pecan Cookies! Have a great and warm weekend!