Soups, Stews & Chili

Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder with Bacon

By Clara ·
November 1, 2026

As the bacon crisps in the skillet, the kitchen starts smelling like a proper chowder before the slow cooker is even on. I used to think the slow cooker would do all the flavor work, but that short skillet stop is what gives this chicken and corn chowder its savory start. The onion and celery soften in the bacon fat, and a little garlic goes in only at the end so it doesn’t scorch.

After that, the slow cooker takes over: chicken thighs, Yukon Gold potatoes, and frozen corn simmer in broth with thyme and bay leaf until the chicken is tender and the potatoes give easily to a fork. I mash just some of the potatoes, then stir in a smooth cream-and-cornstarch mixture for a chowder that has body without turning into paste. The finished bowl is creamy, full of tender chicken and sweet corn, with bacon folded in at the end.

Why This Chowder Gets Its Body From Potatoes and Cream

A creamy chowder doesn’t need to rely on cream alone for thickness. Here, the potatoes do part of the work: once they’re fork-tender, mashing some of them releases starch into the broth and gives it a soft, hearty texture. Leaving some pieces whole means each spoonful still has distinct bites of potato rather than a smooth, heavy puree.

The cream-and-cornstarch mixture finishes the job in a different way. Whisking the cornstarch with cold water and cream before it goes into the slow cooker disperses it smoothly, so it thickens the broth instead of leaving little clumps. The covered finish on HIGH gives that mixture time to heat through and lightly thicken. If you skip the potato mash, the chowder will be thinner; if you mash every piece, you’ll lose the chunky texture that makes it feel like a meal.

Why Yukon Golds and Chicken Thighs Fit This Chowder

• Yukon Gold potatoes — They soften enough to mash into the broth while still holding some shape. Cut them evenly so they cook at the same pace; waxier potatoes won’t add quite as much body, while russets tend to break down more readily.
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs — Thighs stay tender through a long, moist cook and shred easily with two forks. They’re more forgiving than lean chicken breast, which can turn dry if it spends too long in the slow cooker.
• Frozen corn — It goes straight into the slow cooker without thawing, and the kernels keep their sweet corn flavor through the long simmer. There’s no need to seek out a premium brand for this one.
• Bacon — The rendered fat carries flavor into the onion and celery, while the crisp pieces give the finished chowder a salty, smoky bite. Thick or thin slices both work; the cue that matters is crispness before you take them out of the skillet.
• Heavy cream and low-sodium broth — Cream brings richness that milk won’t match, and low-sodium broth leaves room for the bacon and measured salt to season the pot without making it taste overly salty. The cornstarch helps the cream thicken the broth without needing a flour roux.

Building Bacon Flavor Before the Slow Cooker Takes Over

Crisp the bacon and soften the aromatics

Cook the chopped bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate, then pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened; stir in the garlic for the final 30 seconds so it turns fragrant without burning.

Load the slow cooker in one go

Transfer the vegetables and the remaining bacon fat to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the broth, potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes, frozen corn, chicken thighs, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. The bacon itself stays on its plate for now. Check that the chicken and potatoes are nestled into the broth rather than sitting high and dry on top.

Cook until the chicken and potatoes are tender

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The potatoes should give easily when pierced with a fork, and the chicken needs to reach 165°F. Slow cookers vary, so use those doneness cues alongside the time range rather than relying on the clock alone. Remove the chicken and bay leaf before you start thickening the chowder.

Mash, shred, and thicken the broth

Mash some of the potatoes right in the slow cooker, leaving plenty of chunks intact. Shred the chicken with two forks while it’s warm. In a bowl, whisk the cream, cornstarch, and cold water until smooth, then stir that mixture into the slow cooker; cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until hot and lightly thickened.

Stir in the bacon for the final five minutes

Return the shredded chicken and crisp bacon to the chowder and stir to distribute them. Cover for 5 minutes, then serve. The short covered rest brings the chicken and bacon back to the same temperature as the broth without leaving the bacon simmering for hours.

Two Swaps That Change the Finish of the Chowder

Questions That Come Up While the Slow Cooker Is Running

Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder with Bacon

Slow cooker chicken and corn chowder with bacon turns chicken thighs, Yukon Gold potatoes, and frozen corn into a creamy, hearty meal. The slow-cooked potatoes are partly mashed to thicken the chowder, then cream and crisp bacon finish each bowl.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 7 hours hrs 51 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 6 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 535

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 8 slices bacon chopped
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 2 ribs celery diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 bag (12 oz) frozen corn
• 1.5 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 0.75 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water

Equipment

• 1 12-inch skillet
• 1 6-quart slow cooker

Method

 

1. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp.
2. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
4. Add the onion and celery to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
5. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Transfer the vegetables and bacon fat to a 6-quart slow cooker.
7. Add the broth, potatoes, corn, chicken, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf to the slow cooker.
8. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the chicken reaches 165°F.
9. Remove the chicken and bay leaf.
10. Mash some of the potatoes in the slow cooker.
11. Shred the chicken with two forks.
12. Whisk the cream, cornstarch, and cold water in a bowl until smooth.
13. Stir the mixture into the slow cooker.
14. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20-30 minutes, until hot and lightly thickened.
15. Stir the shredded chicken and bacon into the chowder.
16. Cover for 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

For a thicker chowder, mash more potatoes before adding the cream mixture. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the cream may separate. Half-and-half can replace the heavy cream for a lighter chowder.