You’ll love this recipe if you like Chicken Corn Soup and Hungarian Mushroom Soup.
This chowder is simple to make and easy to fit into a normal week. It cooks in one pot from start to finish and lands between soup and stew, so it eats like a full meal without feeling heavy. The ingredients are familiar and work well together, which is the point — nothing fussy, nothing complicated. Follow the recipe as written and you’ll get a creamy bowl with balanced flavor and a steady texture every time. No special tools. No extra shopping trip.
It cooks quickly, so you’re not stuck at the stove or waiting on a long simmer. If your family eats in shifts, keep the pot on low — it’ll stay creamy without thickening up. You can also make it earlier in the day and gently reheat it before serving.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- One-pot recipe, keeping prep and cleanup easy.
- Prepped, cooked, and ready in under 1 hour.
- Perfect way to use up leftover holiday ham.
- Ingredients are simple to adjust based on what you have (fresh, frozen, or canned corn all work well).
- Easy to customize — add cheddar cheese to make it cheesy or extra veggies if you want.
➡️ Ingredients you’ll need
⏲ How to make this ham and corn chowder recipe
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Heavy Cream and Milk: Swap for half and half.
- Ham: Try smoked sausage or cooked shredded chicken instead.
- Russet Potatoes: Red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes also work well.
✨ Variations
- Cheesy: Stir in shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese at the end until melted.
- Extra Veggies: Toss in diced carrots, bell peppers, or spinach.
- Spicy: Add diced jalapeño or a dash of ground cayenne pepper while simmering.
〰️ How to serve
- Bread — Pair with crusty French bread, dinner rolls, Jiffy corn casserole, cheesy garlic pull apart bread, or skillet cornbread.
- Crackers — Oyster crackers or saltines are perfect sprinkled on top.
- Salad — A simple mixed green salad or creamy coleslaw.
- Veggies — Baked sliced zucchini or buttery whole roasted cauliflower.
💬 FAQs
Can I make this chowder ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it ahead. Cook the chowder fully, let it cool, then store it in the fridge. When ready to eat, reheat gently on the stove. Add a splash of broth or milk if it thickens up while refrigerated.
How should leftovers be stored?
Store the chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat slowly on the stove, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Avoid boiling to keep the texture creamy.
Can I freeze this chowder?
No, I would not recommend it; dairy-based soups can separate and turn grainy when thawed.
📚 More soup recipes
🍽 Recipe
Email Recipe
Enter your email below and we’ll send you this recipe!
Ham and Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 pieces of raw bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tablespoons butter (only needed if not using bacon grease)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups smoked ham, chopped or cubed
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 ½ cups corn (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
Optional Garnish
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Add bacon pieces to a large soup pot and cook over medium heat until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Drain all but 2 Tablespoons bacon grease from the pot. (If bacon grease looks dark or burnt, wipe out pot completely and replace with 2 Tablespoons butter.)
- Sauté Vegetables: Add onion and celery to the reserved bacon grease (or butter, if you're using it instead). Cook over medium heat until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add Flour and Garlic: Sprinkle flour and garlic over vegetables and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute. The mixture will be thick; stir constantly to avoid burning.
- Add Broth, Cream, and Milk: Slowly pour in broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Stir in cream and milk.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add ham, potatoes, corn, pepper, salt, oregano, and thyme. Stir to combine.
- Simmer Soup: Bring soup to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover pot with lid slightly vented and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent soup from sticking to bottom of pot.
- Add Bacon and Serve: Stir in ⅔ of cooked bacon. Taste soup and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve garnished with remaining bacon pieces and, if desired, chopped parsley.
Leave a Reply