Easy to make on a busy night or over the holiday season, this Mexican Corn Chowder is packed with flavor and insanely delicious.

This versatile Mexican Corn Chowder makes it easy to adapt and make it your own. Add potatoes and extra veggies and top with chips. How you serve this doesn’t matter; your family will love it.

close up of a metal ladle full of mexican corn chowder

My recent trip inspired this recipe for Mexican Corn Chowder, which I have shared with Iowa Corn, which sponsored this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

For the three years I have attended IACornQuest, I have learned something more. I was overwhelmed with information the first year, but what amazed me was how many things we use in our everyday lives have corn in them. The use of corn starches is insane. I saw bread, granola bars, cereal, and everything with corn. There was a large shelf with all the average home ingredients made with corn, and it still blows my mind.

ear of corn on a stalk in corn field

The second year, what rang home with me was the whole GMO conversation around corn and the agriculture industry.  Dr. Ruth MacDonald, Ph.D., RD, a professor and Chair of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University, opened my mind to what GMO means and how they affect our bodies and help our environment.

photo of sandra by a large tractor tire

The beauty of this industry is that researchers and farmers constantly strive to improve their systems, utilizing every resource they can to produce the best product efficiently. Many misconceptions exist about corn farming practices, ethanol fuel, and why and how this industry operates.

It’s incredible to think that in the next 10-20 years, we could use more electric cars or run on ethanol fuel. I’m excited to see what this means. I hope that, personally, it is the use of ethanol fuel for myself and my country.

While we use corn in our everyday lives as food, we also use it in our cars, and maybe you didn’t realize that—I mean, I didn’t.

Mexican Corn Chowder served in white bowl

While in Iowa, we had fantastic food! But I love corn in soups and chowders. Corn adds depth to these types of dishes. I love my slow cooker potato corn chowder, which inspired this dish. I just went with a plain ole’ stovetop this time instead of the slow cooker. And it was easy!

While I may not be as knowledgeable as I would like on corn, I am not just talking about recipes. I am excited because I have a passion for causes for a group of people that inspire me, which is what my blog is about—inspiring people.

corn chowder in bowl with cilantro on the side

What is chowder?

  • Chowder is a soup or stew often prepared with milk or cream thickened with broken crackers, crushed ship biscuits, or a roux. Variations of chowder can be seafood or vegetable.
Mexican Corn Chowder in a pot next to two white bowls of chowder

Sandra’s Corn Chowder Tips

  • Start with sautéed onions, garlic, and peppers in butter for rich flavor.
  • Simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing it to thicken up; then let chowder rest 10-15 minutes after cooking to enhance the flavors.
  • Corn adds sweetness and smokiness to complement the creamy base.
  • Simmer dairy to avoid separation.
  • Serve with chopped cilantro, tortilla strips, and even sour cream, yum!

Ingredients

  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Green, red, and yellow bell peppers
  • Tomato
  • Canned diced green chiles
  • Canned cream-style corn
  • Monterey Jack cheese
  • Heavy cream or half-n-half
  • Taco Seasoning
  • Cumin
  • Chicken Broth
  • Butter

Pair this With…

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corn chowder recipe collage

Mexican Corn Chowder

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 388 kcal
Easy to make on a busy night or over the holiday season, this Mexican Corn Chowder is packed with flavor and insanely delicious.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • 2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 14.5 ounce can cream-style corn
  • 4 ounces diced green chiles
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • 1/2 diced red pepper
  • 1/2 diced green pepper
  • 1/2 diced yellow pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a large soup pot add butter and melt. Add in chicken, onion, and garlic in butter until chicken is completely cooked. The smaller the chunks the quicker it will cook. 
    *If you want to avoid doing raw chicken. Just add butter, onion, and garlic to the pot and cook until onion is tender then add 2 cups of cooked chicken breast shredded or cubed, I like to use a rotisserie chicken.
  • Add in chicken broth and seasonings. Allow the soup to come to a boil, then add in peppers, corn, and chiles. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  And simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing it to thicken up.
  • Stir in half and half (or heavy cream), diced tomato and cheese. 
  • Continue to cook, stirring often, for about 15 -20 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, allow to cool 5 minutes. Serve with chopped cilantro, tortilla strips and even sour cream, yum!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 29gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 813mgPotassium: 759mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1095IUVitamin C: 47.4mgCalcium: 308mgIron: 1.7mg
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Mexican Corn Chowder ladle and white bowl

Hey, I'm Sandra! At A Dash of Sanity, you'll discover family-friendly recipes for every occasion. Whether it's speedy dinners or delectable desserts, I'm here to make your mealtime delicious, simplify your holiday baking, and unite your loved ones around the table.

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