Flavorful and comforting Instant Pot Chicken Corn Chowder is easy to make and will warm you from the inside out.
Instant Pot chicken, corn and potato chowder is creamy and thick but not too rich. Sweet corn, chunks of chicken, tender potatoes and crispy bacon make this hearty soup the perfect meal to enjoy on a cold day.
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Years ago, I started making a meatless recipe for Instant Pot potato and corn chowder that I developed in the early days of my nursing career.
It was hearty, filling and made the perfect meal after a long 12+ hour shift, especially when I wanted something quick and easy.
That potato and corn chowder has been a favorite over the years, but I’ve had people request a similar option that includes chicken.
So, I went back to the drawing board and redeveloped my favorite pressure cooker recipe to make a chicken, bacon and corn chowder.
Yup! Not only did I add chicken but I added bacon, too. You’re welcome! 🙂
I love making Instant Pot corn on the cob, but sometimes I want to put that corn to use in a soup instead, and this one is so good!
Instant Pot Chicken, Corn, and Potato Chowder Recipe
The meaty flavors and added protein let this chowder stand on its own as a meal. Best of all, it’s quick-cooking and requires little prep work.
Whether you need an easy weeknight meal, a dish to bring to a potluck or work gathering or something to make for game night–enjoy a delicious bowl of chowder in under 30 minutes.
More Instant Pot Soups to Warm Your Soul:
- Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder
- Instant Pot Corn, Sausage, and Potato Chowder
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken and Sweet Potato Enchilada Soup
What’s the Difference Between Soup and Chowder?
Have you ever wondered about the difference between a soup and a chowder? Soups and chowders can include many of the same ingredients. The main difference is that chowders are usually thicker, chunkier and often creamy.
This chicken corn chowder is loaded with chunks of potatoes, kernel corn, bacon and shredded chicken. The creaminess comes from adding milk, cream cheese and shredded cheese.
Corn chowder with chicken is just the type of meal to serve on a cold night when you want to feel warm all over.
For a South American flair, try this Colombian ajiaco soup with potatoes, corn, and chicken!
How to Make Instant Pot Corn Chowder with Chicken
It’s really easy to make this hearty chowder with some basic ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Butter
- Onion
- Chicken broth
- Chicken breast
- Garlic powder
- Ground thyme
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Paprika
- Frozen corn kernels
- Russet Potatoes
- Milk (or half & half)
- Cream cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Green onions
- Bacon
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Saute the onions. First, you’ll set the instant pot to Saute and melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften.
Prepare and cook the chowder base. Next, you’ll add in the chicken broth and chicken breast pieces followed by garlic powder, thyme, pepper, salt, and paprika. Give everything a good stir and add in the frozen corn and chopped potatoes. Seal and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure followed by a quick release.
Shred the chicken and make it creamy. Then, you’ll remove the chicken and shred it with a fork. Combine the milk (or half & half) with the cream cheese and blend it in a blender until smooth. Add both back into the soup along with the shredded cheese, stirring to combine and melt.
Garnish and serve. Last, you’ll ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with chopped green onions and crumbled bacon.
Notes and Adaptations:
- This recipe is all about being simple, so I don’t peel my potatoes. I just give them a quick wash, chop them up and add them directly to the pressure cooker. They cook up tender and the peels add extra nutrients!
- No blender? No problem. You can chop the cream cheese into small cubes and add it along with the milk directly to the soup and stir to combine. It may take a few extra minutes to melt.
Recommended Equipment:
- Instant Pot (I have the DUO60 model) or other electric pressure cooker
- Small blender (optional, but helpful)
Instant Pot Chicken Corn Chowder
This creamy corn chowder with chicken comes together quickly, thanks to the Instant Pot! It's a hearty and flavorful comfort food!
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut into three pieces
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 12-oz frozen corn kernels
- 3 medium russet potatoes, diced (I leave the peel on mine)
- 1 cup milk or half & half
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheese, such as Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Colby Jack
- For serving: Sliced green onions and six pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Add butter to the insert pot of the Instant Pot. Press the Saute button to begin melting the butter.
- Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften and start to turn translucent.
- Press Cancel to turn off the Saute function. Add in chicken broth and chicken pieces.
- Add garlic powder, thyme, pepper, salt, and paprika. Stir to combine.
- Add frozen corn and chopped potatoes.
- Close lid and set vent to the sealed position. Select a cook time of 5 minutes at high pressure.
- While the soup is cooking, add milk (or half and half) to a blender with cream cheese. Blend until smooth.
- When the cook time is complete, perform a quick release of pressure. After the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, carefully remove the lid.
- Remove chicken pieces to a cutting board and shred or chop, then return to the soup.
- Add in cream cheese mixture and shredded cheese, stirring to combine and melt.
- Serve, topped with sliced green onions and crumbled bacon.
Notes
- If you prefer a lot of chicken in your soup, you can double the amount to 2 lbs.
- If you don't have a blender, simply soften the cream cheese to room temperature and cut it into small pieces before adding it to the hot soup. It takes a little bit longer to melt into the soup that way, but it still works fine!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 668Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 1616mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 48g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Is the chicken supposed to be precooked? 5 minutes doesn’t seem long enough to get it done.
Hi Judy! No, the chicken doesn’t have to be precooked. I know it seems hard to believe, but the pressure cooker can cook chicken quite fast, especially when the chicken breasts are cut into smaller pieces (in this recipe, I cut each breast into three pieces so it cooks faster). I hope that helps! 🙂
This Chicken Corn Chowder looks absolutely delicious! I love how easy the Instant Pot makes it to whip up such a hearty meal. Can’t wait to try this recipe for dinner! Thank you for sharing!
I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I am making this chowder now will have to let know what I think after we have tonight for dinner.
I hope you enjoyed it, Catherine! 🙂
This recipe looks delicious and I was getting ready to make it but the sodium content is extremely high and have to limit sodium in my diet. Do you have suggestions on how I can make this without so much sodium?
Hi Angela! You could use a low-sodium chicken broth and dial the added salt down to 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. The nutrition information shown on the recipes is calculated automatically and may not be accurate–it might be worth plugging the ingredients into a nutrition calculator to double-check. I hope that helps!