Chicken Chipotle Chowder

One of my all-time favorite recipes is the one for our corn chowder; it’s inexpensive, it’s quick, it’s insanely delicious, I almost always have all the ingredients available, it’s healthy, no one complains too loudly if we have leftovers the next night.

I’ve been making that corn chowder since the summer my husband and I got married and I’ve never really veered too far off course because I love it so much. But then…one day…it happened. I decided to mix it up. I didn’t have any bacon (gasp!) and I had a can of chipotles left over from this chicken (plus about half the chicken, which, spoiler alert, comes into play as well). It ended up being fabulous; my kids thought it was a little on the spicy side, but my husband and I loved it.

creamy chicken soup in a bowl with mexican toppings

Ingredients Needed

Chicken broth – Your favorite broth will do, be it canned, boxed, homemade, or mixed up from Better Than Bouillon. Broth from bouillon cubes would work in a pinch, but you’ll get much better flavor from one of the previous options.
Corn – This recipe calls for a can of corn. Feel free to replace it with fresh or frozen corn kernels if you wish.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce- You can find canned chipotle peppers in the Latin foods aisle of your grocery store. To reduce the level of spice in the final chowder, remove the seeds.
Garlic, onion, and bell peppers, and potatoes – This is a great place to use up whatever varieties of these you have on hand! Fresh garlic is best. Any variety of onion and any color combo of bell peppers will do. Red, gold, or russet potatoes would all work.
Leftover chicken – Rotisserie chicken works well here, or leftover grilled chicken breasts or thighs. If you don’t have any leftovers, you can make a couple of quick Air Fryer Chicken Breasts.
Flour – This chowder is thickened using wheat flour and has not been tested with alternative options. If you need to make this gluten free, you can try using your favorite thickener (corn starch, arrowroot powder, etc.) mixed with a little bit of chicken broth and add it at the very end of cooking.
Chipotle Tobasco Sauce – This is optional, for serving. You can typically find it on the condiment aisle of your grocery store.
Vegetarian Option – If you’d like to make this vegetarian, simply replace the chicken broth with veggie stock and omit the chicken.

chopped veggies in a soup pot with chipotle powder

chopped veggies in a soup pot with flour

How to Make Chicken Chipotle Chowder

This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!

First you’ll start off by chopping some onion and peppers. Mince a good amount of garlic and some chipotle chilies (remove the seeds to reduce the spiciness and set the adobo sauce aside for use in a few minutes).
Melt some butter in a large skillet and sauté the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and chipotle chilies until the veggies are tender. You’ll add to that a bit of flour and cook for a few minutes.
You’ll then add some chicken broth and cook until the flour is smooth and the broth is starting to thicken. Add some milk and bring to a low simmer. Add the chopped potatoes (these help thicken the chowder). Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the milk isn’t burning. Add the chicken, corn, black beans and a small amount of adobo sauce at a time, and any additional salt to taste. Serve with chipotle Tabasco sauce and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Storage & Other Tips

Refrigeration: Let the chowder cool slightly before storing in an airtight container. It should stay good for 3 – 4 days in the fridge.
Freezing: You can freeze this chowder, but expect some texture changes upon reheating.
Reheating: reheat it gently over low to medium heat, stirring often, to bring it back without breaking the cream or burning. It will thicken up a bit, so stir in extra broth or milk as needed to bring back the creaminess.
Serving Suggestions: The great thing about chowder is that is can be a one bowl meal if you choose. Serve with a simple side salad or sliced fruit. If you’re looking for something more, consider whipping up some Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits or One-Hour Dinner Rolls.

Frequently Asked Questions

My family doesn’t like spicy food. Are they going to eat this?

The spice here is not overwhelming. That said, you control level of the spice! Feel free to reduce the amount of minced chipotle chilies and then taste test at the end as you add the adobo sauce back in to make sure the spice level is right for your family. You could also sub chipotle chili powder to taste, which is a little easier to control.

What do I do if there’s too much spice after it’s done?

Counter the heat with a dollop of sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice, or a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors.

What topping ideas do you have?

Try fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges, tortilla strips, or even avocado. Toppings make any soup! They brighten flavors and add texture.

Can I freeze this chowder?

Freezing is tricky because dairy and potatoes can change texture. We’ve never tried it, so we can’t guarantee the results. If you try it, let us know how it goes! When you reheat, definitely do it gently on the stovetop, and add a splash of stock or cream to improve the texture and thickness.

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