6Nov, 22

[VIDEO] Southwest-Style Chicken and Corn Chowder

Posted in Budget-Friendly, Food Prep, Recipes, Soups by Rachel Maser

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Southwest-Style Chicken and Corn Chowder 🥣

Warm up those bellies with the COZIEST and TASTIEST Southwest-Style Chicken & Corn Chowder tonight!

This chowder has all those flavors my family loves and also goes over super well with my large crew since they can each pile their own toppings on their bowls to create something they really enjoy!

Our family has been in “comfort food mode” for several weeks now as the weather has finally turned cold. Pretty much everything made from scratch, but we’re really craving cozy, warm, creamy, and hearty meals like this one on the regular!

This chowder is wonderful with any chicken pieces you may have on hand. I used chicken thighs because that’s what was on sale this week. My weekly menu is planned around what’s on sale so I stocked up the freezer and made a large pot of this Chowder!

Overall this meal is incredibly filling and these ingredients are usually quite budget-friendly, which has been our overall goal when creating recipes this year.

Any type of milk works great here too…I really enjoy the unsweetened almond or coconut milk for this, but cow’s milk totally works too!

As with all soup/stew/chowders, it tastes even better the next day, so double or triple your batch while you’re at it and your future self will thank you!

This chowder stays great refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

🥛Use ANY unsweetened/plain milk of your choice. My personal favorite for this chowder is unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk. Any unsweetened nut milk, coconut milk, high-quality grass-fed cow’s milk, or heavy cream all work really well here. Use what you personally like and have on hand.

➡️ Try this with our Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

➡️ What’s really in those seasoning packets?!👀

I love to mix up my own seasonings with organic spices because those little packets of taco seasoning are usually made with canola and soybean oils linked to inflammation, sugar, anti-caking agents, and natural flavors. Not to mention making my own taco seasonings actually tastes better too!

BEST Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix 👇👇

You’ll never purchase those store-bought packets again, after making it yourself!!

So simple, delicious, and lasts for several months – so double or triple this recipe and keep it handy in a small glass container near your stove.

Taco Seasoning Ingredients:

2 Tbsps chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
3 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps sea salt
2 tsps ground black pepper

Taco Seasoning Instructions:

In a small mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients until combined well.

Store in an airtight container.

To use your homemade spice mix in recipes, start with a smaller sprinkle – taste test to decide the amount of spice for your family’s taste. Usually, 1-2 Tablespoons per pound of ground meat is perfect.

6 servings

Chowder Ingredients:

1 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups corn (fresh off the cob or frozen)
2 Tbsps homemade taco seasoning
2 cups unsweetened milk of choice
2 cups chicken bone broth
1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, rinsed well and drained
juice from 1 fresh lime

Optional toppings:

freshly shredded cheddar cheese
sliced green onions
chopped cilantro
diced avocado
Greek yogurt or sour cream
tortilla chips
fresh lime wedges

Instructions:

Heat the oil over medium-high in a large stockpot pot or dutch oven.

Add your chicken pieces and cook until golden brown and cooked through; season with sea salt and pepper and set chicken aside on a plate.

In the same pot add the onion, garlic, and diced peppers, then saute for 4 minutes.

Stir in the sweet potatoes, corn, and taco seasoning.

Pour in the milk and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Allow your chowder to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender and all the flavors combine.

Once it’s ready, carefully transfer half of your hot chowder into a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you may use an immersion blender and blend only partially throughout.

Return the blended portion back into the pot with the unblended portion and now add in the cooked chicken, beans, and fresh lime juice.

Over medium-low heat, stir continuously until everything is nicely combined and heated through. Taste test and add seasoning if desired.

You may add additional broth or milk at this point to achieve your personal desired consistency.

Ladle into bowls then pile high with toppings of choice.

Enjoy!

💚Rachel