Chipotle Chicken Chowder is thick, creamy and loaded with chicken, potatoes, corn and just the right amount of peppers!
No matter the season, this Chipotle Chicken Chowder is the perfect one-pot cozy meal. It goes great with grilled quesadillas or even a few slices of my favorite buttermilk cornbread.
The perfect amount of spice
This Chipotle Chicken Chowder is too amazing not to share! It’s one I love to make, a tasty spin-off of our beloved potato, corn and bacon chowder. If you love a good chunky, flavorful chowder, this soup is for you!
This definitely isn’t a simple soup. It has lots of ingredients but they’re all necessary, I promise. You’ll need a few canned goods that you may not have on hand or stocked in your pantry: chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, hatch chilies and fire roasted diced tomatoes.
I use these three things quite often, so if a recipe calls for just a small amount I freeze the remainder in ziploc bags, that way I always have them when I need them. If you’re wondering about the heat level, this soup isn’t super spicy, just flavorful.
However, I understand people have varying levels of heat tolerance, so if you prefer things less spicy, add just 1 tsp. of adobo sauce or skip it completely. We fed this to our 2 year old (recipe as written) and he gobbled it up without hesitation 🙂
How to make chipotle chicken chowder
VEGGIES. In a large Dutch-oven or stock pot set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and red pepper, sauté until tender, then add the garlic.
When the garlic is fragrant and translucent, sprinkle in the seasonings (salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and thyme) along with the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the flour becomes lightly golden in color (but not brown).
BROTH. Whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Add in the chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, hatch chilies and fire roasted tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
SIMMER. Once the mixture is boiling, add the potatoes and corn, reduce to medium heat again. Simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped chicken and cheese, stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
GARNISH + SERVE. Garnish with cilantro, cheese and lime.
Tips, Variations + Storing Info
This thick and creamy soup packs just the right punch – your whole family will love it! Here are a few tips when putting it together:
- This is a great recipe for using up leftover cooked chicken. Turkey leftovers would also work well!
- Grill or roast your corn before adding it in for some variety.
- Top chowder with tortilla strips, crumbled bacon, sour cream or avocado.
- Add a little extra adobo sauce if you like your chowder on the spicier side.
- If your chowder is too thick (especially if you are heating it up after it’s been stored in the fridge), thin it out with some chicken stock.
- Monterey jack or pepper jack cheeses would also make great toppings for this dish!
STORE leftover chowder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
FREEZE leftovers for up to 3 months. Make sure chowder has cooled completely before pouring it into an airtight container leaving some room at the top for expansion. Wait until you are ready to reheat your chowder before adding any toppings.
Reheat frozen chowder on the stove top, stirring often until warmed. Whisk in a little heavy cream or sour cream as it heats up for best consistency.
More of our favorite chicken soups:
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Curried Chicken Noodle Soup
- Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Chipotle Chicken Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 of a yellow onion - diced
- 1/2 of a red pepper - diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk or half & half
- 4 cups (1) 32 oz box chicken broth
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo - seeded and minced
- 2 tsp adobo sauce - from chipotle chilles
- 1/2 (4 oz) can Hatch chilies
- 1/2 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 5 medium sized red potatoes - rinsed, peeled (optional) and cubed into 1" chunks
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 2 cups cooked, diced chicken
- 1 cup medium-sharp cheddar cheese - grated
Garnishes
- chopped cilantro
- grated cheddar cheese
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large Dutch-oven or stock pot set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and red pepper, sauté until tender, then add the garlic. When the garlic is fragrant and translucent, sprinkle in the seasonings (salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and thyme) along with the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the flour becomes lightly golden in color (but not brown). Whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Add in the chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, hatch chilies and fire roasted tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
- Once the mixture is boiling, add the potatoes and corn, reduce to medium heat again. Simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped chicken and cheese, stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, cheese and lime.
One of our absolute favorites! I double or triple the Adobo sauce because we really like heat. I often omit the cheese and we don’t miss it. Top with tortilla strips.
I love hearing that! Thank you for letting me know that & what you do! Tortilla strips is perfect!
This is the perfect recipe! Better than I was hoping, I’m so glad that I found your recipe! I didn’t change a thing and it turned out perfectly.
Have you ever made this in the crock pot? We’re going to be in and out of the hosue today but this look so yummy I think I’m going to attempt it!
Did you end up making the recipe in the crock pot?? I just saw this recipe.
I had some leftover chicken and was looking for a way to use it up. I’m so glad I found your recipe! I had to use the ingredients I had on hand for tonight, but can’t wait to make it as written. Thanks for the inspiration!
Wow this chowder looks so perfect, I love the bright bold color. I buy my fire roasted diced tomatoes at Aldi, I was so surprised to see them there a few weeks ago so I stocked up on like 10 cans lol! I love anything with some heat so I know this soup will be a hit!