Recipes › New Potato › New Potato Chowder with Corn and Bacon
New Potato Chowder with Corn and Bacon
A bright, sweet summer chowder that pairs waxy new potatoes with fresh-cut corn, smoky bacon, and a creamy broth that's light enough for hot weather. New potatoes hold their shape perfectly and their natural sweetness echoes the corn. This is early summer cooking at its most joyful.
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Ingredients
- 1½ lbs new potatoes, halved or quartered, skin on
- 3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from cob, cobs reserved2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 5 strips bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
Contains: milk.
Method
- Cook diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in pot.About 6 min
- Cook onion in bacon fat for 4 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, cook 1 minute.About 5 min
- Add potatoes, chicken broth, and corn cobs (for extra corn flavor). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove corn cobs.About 17 min
- Add corn kernels and heavy cream. Simmer 5 minutes. Lightly mash a few potato pieces for body. Season with salt and pepper.About 6 min
- Ladle into bowls. Top with crispy bacon and fresh chives.About 2 min
Tips
- Simmering the corn cobs in the broth adds a depth of corn flavor you can't get any other way
- New potatoes hold their shape through the simmer — this is why you want them, not russets
- A light mash of a few pieces thickens the chowder naturally
Ring the changes
- Make a vegetarian version with butter instead of bacon fat and vegetable broth
- Add diced red bell pepper with the onion for color and sweetness
Keeping it
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The chowder thickens overnight — thin with a splash of broth when reheating.
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