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Creamy Hatch Chile Corn Chowder with Crispy Bacon Crumble

Creamy Hatch Chile Corn Chowder - featured image
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A comforting and flavorful corn chowder featuring smoky roasted Hatch chiles, fresh corn, tender potatoes, and topped with crispy bacon crumble for texture contrast. Ready in under 40 minutes, perfect for cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4–5 ears)
  • 2 medium Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Roast the Hatch chiles on a hot cast iron skillet or under a broiler, turning often until the skin blisters and blackens in spots (about 8-10 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to steam. Once cooled, peel off the skins, remove seeds, and roughly chop.
  2. Cook bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cool. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan; discard the rest or save for another use.
  3. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with the reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent and slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add the diced potatoes and stir to coat with butter. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and stir constantly for about 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste, forming a roux.
  5. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the fresh corn kernels and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.
  6. Optional: Use an immersion blender to puree about half the chowder directly in the pot to create a creamy base while keeping some chunks. Alternatively, puree half in a blender and return to pot.
  7. Stir in the chopped roasted Hatch chiles and heavy cream. Warm through but do not boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  8. Ladle chowder into bowls and sprinkle generously with crispy bacon crumble and fresh chopped cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Roasting Hatch chiles is essential for smoky flavor; remove seeds and membranes to reduce heat. Crisp bacon adds important texture contrast. Blend half the chowder for creaminess without heaviness. If chowder thickens too much, stir in more broth or water. For dairy-free, substitute heavy cream with coconut or cashew cream. Potatoes can be swapped with cauliflower for lower carbs.

Nutrition

Keywords: corn chowder, Hatch chiles, bacon crumble, creamy soup, comfort food, easy chowder recipe, Southwestern recipe

Find it online: https://chrisfeasts.com/creamy-hatch-chile-corn-chowder-recipe-easy-homemade-with-crispy-bacon-crumble/