Description
A creamy, satisfying and balanced chicken corn chowder made dairy-free — thickened naturally by blending part of the soup instead of using cream, flour, or butter.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large poblano pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups frozen corn, no need to thaw
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sliced scallions
- Thinly sliced jalapeño
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Lime wedges
Instructions
1️⃣ Sauté the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano, and celery and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2️⃣ Add the aromatics and spices
Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3️⃣ Simmer the chowder
Add the frozen corn, potato, cannellini beans, and chicken broth. Nestle the chicken breasts into the broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
4️⃣ Check and shred the chicken
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. If it pulls apart easily with two forks, shred and set aside. If not, return it to the pot and simmer gently for another 5–10 minutes, or until tender and cooked through. Keep the simmer low and slow—boiling too vigorously can make the chicken tough.
5️⃣ Blend half the chowder
Transfer about half the soup to a blender and carefully blend until smooth and creamy, then return it to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup directly in the pot, leaving plenty of corn, beans, and vegetables whole.
6️⃣ Finish and serve
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes. Add more broth as needed to reach your desired consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Taste, then add more lime juice, salt, or pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with avocado, cilantro, scallions, and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt for a cool, creamy contrast and a little extra protein, if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dinner, soups and stews
- Method: Boiling, Sautéing, Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 370 mg
- Fat: 5.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
