Creamy Chicken Corn Soup

Tender chicken and sweet corn are combined in a creamy chicken corn soup with just enough heat to warm your mouth without setting it on fire.

Chicken Corn Soup

My entire family loves this soup, even my non-spice-loving middle son. He says it is a warm mouth feel not a screaming hot need to gulp ice water hot. That description and the immediate visual of him flailing around grabbing for water makes me grin.

Combine how tasty it is with the fact that it takes barely 20 minutes to pull this soup together, and you’ll understand why this is a frequently eaten meal in our house! Quick soups our on our meal plan often throughout the fall and winter.

I am often surprised by how a few simple ingredients with the right combination of spices can create such amazing flavors. It almost feels like magic. Tomatoes, green chile, corn, and chicken serve as the base of this soup.

Chicken and Corn Soup

My initial plan to save homemade stock in the freezer didn’t happen. I just kept using it until it was gone. If you’re like me and don’t always have some on hand, storebought chicken stock works great in this soup as well.

I’m counting down the days until sweet corn season so that I can get my fill of all our favorite corn recipes once again.

Rotisserie chicken makes this recipe as easy as can be, but you can use any leftover chicken you like. You could also quickly cook some last-minute chicken for the soup. (side note – I love that chicken so much!)

Cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and oregano build such warmth that is softened with the heavy cream. There’s a secret to adding cream to soups. Don’t just add it in when the soup is boiling away. The key is low heat.

You don’t want to boil or simmer on high any soup after you add the heavy cream. If you accidentally boil the cream, the fat in the cream can separate, resulting in those curd-like pieces.

Chicken Corn Soup Recipe

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this soup:

• butter
• garlic
• chicken stock
• diced tomatoes with green chile
• chopped green chile 
• corn or fresh corn
• oregano
• cumin
• smoked paprika
• freshly ground black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• cooked chicken 
• heavy cream
• kosher salt 

If you are lucky enough to have an abundance of corn at your fingertips, here are a few more great recipes that we make every year. I loved the different flavors of the raw zucchini and corn. With a very light lime vinaigrette, this was a very fresh tasting salad.

Browned butter combines with fresh corn to create an unexpected and delicious side dish.

Sweet and tender corn simmers in a rich cream sauce to make crock pot creamed corn. It is an unforgettable side dish like no other creamed corn.

With a velvety broth loaded with the goodness of corn, potatoes, and bell peppers, this cheesy, creamy vegetable soup is one heck of a hearty meal.

(originally posted 09/20/13 – notes and photos updated 2/23/23)