I know most people probably aren't thinking about soup once the weather starts warming up, but skipping this delicious soup recipe during summer would be a mistake. This instant pot chicken corn chowder is best made with fresh corn straight from the cob, which you can only get in the warmer months of the year.
This creamy chicken corn chowder has sweet corn taste in every bite, plus tender chicken, potatoes and a little crispy bacon too! It's a hearty soup, that's enough for a meal all on it's own. Plus making it in the instant pot really blends the flavors without having to spend all day over a hot stove.
This corn chowder recipe is made even easier by using rotisserie chicken. If you're looking for more gluten free soups you can make with leftover chicken, check out my chicken tortilla soup or my favorite chicken butternut squash soup.
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What is chowder?
Chowder is a thick, creamy soup that is normally made with a roux base (flour cooked in fat). Typically chowder contains potatoes, corn and seafood, although you can make it with anything you like. This chowder recipe uses chicken and bacon instead of seafood and the starch is added after pressure cooking instead of cooking it with a roux base.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon - I like to fry the bacon first and use the leftover bacon grease to saute the aromatics. It adds so much flavor to the chowder. If you're following a gluten free diet, make sure to buy bacon that is marked gluten free. If you have concerns about using bacon, you can simply saute the vegetables in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Onion, garlic and jalapeno - These three are used as the aromatics to build flavor in the soup base.
- Potatoes - I have used mini yellow potatoes in this recipe. I would recommend a Yukon gold or red potatoes cut into bite sized pieces.
- Corn - I used fresh corn, since this is the star of the dish. If it's out of season you could use frozen or canned corn. If you opt for canned corn, make sure to drain it before adding it to the instant pot.
- Salt & Pepper - I've given a base amount, but feel free to add more to your taste.
- Gluten Free Chicken Broth - If you're following a gluten free diet, make sure to buy gluten free broth. I like Pacific Foods brand.
- Cooked Chicken - to make things easier, I used a rotiserrie chicken cut into pieces. You can also drop a couple of chicken breasts into the instant pot and let them cook along with the potatoes.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend - Chowder is normally made with a roux base to thicken it. Since we are cooking in the instant pot, we cannot make a roux at the beginning because it will cause the burn notice to show up. Instead, we will thicken the chowder after the vegetables are cooked.
- Non-Dairy Milk & Heavy Cream - I used a mix of unsweetened coconut milk and non-dairy cream to get a creamy consistency. If you're not dairy free, you can replace both with half & half.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - replace non-dairy milk and cream with an equal measure of half & half.
- Make it Vegan - Omit bacon and saute vegetables in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and replace chicken with a vegan alternative or omit.
How to Make Chicken Corn Chowder in an Instant Pot
This chowder tastes like it has simmered for days but it's ready in about an hour thanks to the pressure cooker.
STEP 1: Turn the instant pot to saute mode. Add the bacon and cook until it's crispy, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and discard all but 2 Tablespoons of the bacon grease.
STEP 2: Add the diced onion and jalapeno to the instant pot with the leftover bacon grease. Continue to use the saute function to cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
STEP 3: Add the minced garlic to the instant pot and cook for one minute more, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and use a spatula to deglaze the stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan.
STEP 4: Cancel saute mode. Add the potatoes, corn, salt, pepper and chicken broth to the instant pot. Place the lid on and turn pressure valve to the sealed position. Cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
STEP 5: Once the cooking time has elapsed, quick release the pressure. Remove 2 cups of potatoes and corn and place them in a blender. Puree until they are liquid and add the puree back to the soup.
STEP 6: Turn on saute mode again. Combine the non-dairy milk, cream and flour in a measuring cup. Pour them into the soup and stir well. Bring to a simmer.
STEP 7: Add the cooked chicken and bacon pieces to the chowder. Continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is heated through and the chowder has thickened.
Storage
Store leftover chicken corn chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The chowder will thicken and the flavors will blend together during storage, making it a great leftover dish to eat.
I do not recommend freezing this chowder. Cream soups don't generally freeze well.
Other pressure cooker recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Corn Chowder
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 6 ounce Bacon cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion diced
- 1 Jalapeno seeded and diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 4 Cups Gluten Free Chicken Broth
- 1 pound Potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 Cups Corn
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend
- 1 Cup Plant Based Cream
- ½ Cup Non Dairy Milk
- 1 pound Cooked Chicken cut into bite sized pieces
Instructions
- Turn instant pot to saute mode. Add the bacon pieces to the pot. Cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove the cooked bacon from the pot and place it on a paper towel lined plate. Discard all but 2 Tablespoons of the bacon grease.6 ounce Bacon
- Return the instant pot to saute mode. Add the diced onion and jalapeno to the pot with the remaining bacon grease. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes.1 Cup Yellow Onion, 1 Jalapeno
- Add the minced garlic to the sauteed vegetables and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.4 cloves Garlic
- If there are any bits of food stuck to the bottom of your instant pot, pour 1 cup of the chicken broth in and use a spatula to scrape the bottom. Cancel the cook setting on the instant pot.4 Cups Gluten Free Chicken Broth
- Add the potatos, corn, salt and pepper to the pot. Pour the remaining chicken broth into the instant pot. Stir well.1 pound Potatoes, 3 Cups Corn, 1 teaspoon Salt, ¾ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Place the lid on and turn the valve to the sealed position. Cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cook time has elapsed quick release the pressure.
- Remove 2 cups of cooked potatoes and corn from the soup. Add them to a blender and puree until they are a liquid. Pour the pureed vegetables back into the soup.
- Turn the saute mode on again. Combine the gluten free flour, non-dairy milk and cream together in a measuring cup. Pour into the soup. Stir together.¼ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 1 Cup Plant Based Cream, ½ Cup Non Dairy Milk
- Add the cooked chicken and bacon to the chowder. Stir well. Simmer on saute mode until the chicken is heated through and the chowder has thickened a little. Add more salt and pepper to taste.1 pound Cooked Chicken
- Serve warm topped with crispy bacon pieces, green onions or cheese.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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