Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup

This Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup recipe is healthy and flavorful! It's made in the slow cooker with vegetables and a Southwest tomato broth.

The holidays are nearly over and I'm heading back into soup mode. To welcome the arrival of cold winter weather in Minnesota, I'm whipping up a batch of this Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup.

I love to ease back into post-holiday eating with soups that are light in texture and heavy in flavor. After eating my weight in cheese over the past few months, I'm happy to enjoy meals like this one that are dairy free.

The slow cooker is one of the best kitchen appliances for creating healthy and hearty soups. Once all the ingredients are prepared, the process is relatively hands-off and the crockpot does most of the work.

There are millions of chicken soups in existence and they're all delicious in some form or another. If you combine some chicken, vegetables, spices, and broth in a slow cooker, chances are it's going to be good.

This soup is no exception. It's made with chicken breasts, lots of corn, bell peppers, crushed tomatoes, green chilis, and a few Southwest spices. It tastes a bit like chili, but is lighter in texture. Serve with corn tortillas for a tasty meal!

Jump to:

• What Is Chicken Corn Soup?
• How To Make Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup
• What Kind Of Chicken Is Best For Slow Cooker Soup?
• How Long Does Crockpot Soup Take To Cook?
• How To Thicken Slow Cooker Soup
• What To Serve With Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Looking For More Slow Cooker Chicken Soups? Don't Miss These!
• Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup

What Is Chicken Corn Soup?

There are a few popular versions of Chicken Corn Soup in existence.

The two main ones include a Pennsylvania Dutch version that comes from the Amish community and is made with chicken, vegetables, and small dumplings, sometimes called rivels.

The second is a version of Chinese Egg Drop Soup, which is made with chicken, eggs, ginger, and noodles. It's flavors boast a distinctly Asian flare.

This Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup is none of the above. It's full of Southwest flavors and is made without dairy, eggs, noodles, or dumplings. I find it to be every bit as tasty as the more popular versions.

I would place the flavors of this soup somewhere between Chicken Tortilla Soup and Chicken Chili.

Ingredients For Chicken Corn Soup

Here's what you'll need to make it:

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 small Onion (any color) OR 2 Shallots
• 2 Bell Peppers (any color)
• 12 oz. Frozen Corn (or 4 ears of fresh corn)
• 1 ½ - 2 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 tsp. Adobo Seasoning
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika (or regular paprika)
• ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt & Pepper
• 4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 3 cups Crushed Tomatoes
• 8 oz. Diced Green Chilis
• 3 Tbsp. Corn Starch

A Few Things:

• You can use frozen or fresh corn to make this soup. If using fresh sweet corn, simply cut the kernels from 4 ears of fresh corn and it to the soup just as you would frozen corn.
• Adobo seasoning is an all-purpose spice blend and can be found in the spice aisle of your local grocery store or purchased online. It's flavors are salty and savory.
• You can use smoked or regular paprika to make this soup. Smoked paprika will bump up the smoky flavor and regular paprika will result in a milder overall flavor.
• You can sub tomato sauce for crushed tomatoes if needed.
• I used mild green chilis in this recipe, but you can opt for hot green chilis if you prefer a spicier overall flavor.

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How To Make Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup

The instructions for this soup are pretty straightforward. The only work involved is a bit of chopping up front and the shredding of the chicken toward the end of the cooking process.

1. To start, mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 small onion (any color). I recommend using a small onion or half of a regular-sized onion, because the onion is not sautéed first as it would be if cooked on the stove top. Sautéing onions helps to reduce their pungency and brings out their natural sweetness. A small onion or half a regular onion will provide some onion flavor without overwhelming the soup. You can also use 2 shallots if you prefer.
2. Dice 2 bell peppers (any color).
3. Place 1 ½ - 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker.
4. Add 1 tsp. each of adobo seasoning, chili powder, and smoked paprika (or regular paprika), along with ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
5. Add the diced bell peppers to the crockpot, along with 12 oz. frozen corn (or 3-4 cups fresh corn), 8 oz. mild (or hot) diced green chilis, and 3 cups crushed tomatoes.
6. Add 4 cups low sodium chicken broth. Stir to combine all of these ingredients.
7. Set the slow cooker on 'Low' and cook for 5-6 hours OR set to 'High' and cook for 3-4 hours.

What Kind Of Chicken Is Best For Slow Cooker Soup?

When it comes to soup, I would normally say that chicken thighs are the way to go, because of their rich flavor.

However, I tend to prefer boneless, skinless chicken breasts when making soup in a slow cooker. Boneless chicken is easier to prepare, as there is no need to remove the chicken from the bones and you don't need to worry about serving soup with unwanted bones.

When making soup in a slow cooker, the chicken is not sautéed first, which means that the skin does not become crispy or browned. Cooking skin-on chicken in a crockpot usually results in slimy skin and unwanted fat.

The same goes for chicken thighs. I normally love chicken thighs for all the flavor that the fat provides, but because it is not sautéed first, that fat can make a crockpot soup unnecessarily greasy.

Of course, you can choose whichever cut of chicken you like. Just be sure to remove the bones before serving if you opt for bone-in chicken.

How Long Does Crockpot Soup Take To Cook?

As a general rule, I find that crockpot chicken soups tend to take 5-6 hours on 'Low' and 3-4 hours on 'High'.

Tougher cuts of meat like beef chuck roast or pork roast usually have a longer cook time when using a slow cooker because it takes more time to break down all the connective tissue, which results in tender roasts.

It's important that the chicken is fully cooked, but equally important not to overcook it. Overcooked chicken will result in a chewy and stringy texture.

Whether you are cooking your soup on Low or High, the chicken is removed from the soup 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Shred the chicken with two forks.
2. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
3. Using a glass measuring cup, remove 1 cup of the soup liquid and add 3 Tbsp. of corn starch to it. Whisk the corn starch into the soup liquid, creating a slurry.
4. Return the corn starch mixture to the slow cooker and stir until combined.
5. Cook for another 30 minutes.

How To Thicken Slow Cooker Soup

I find that a thicker texture results in a better soup.

To thicken this soup, I find that corn starch works great as a thickener. The mild corn flavor adds to the overall flavor of the soup. The combination of corn starch and any liquid is called a slurry, and can be used as a thickener.

You can also use arrowroot powder in place of corn stach.

Masa harina is a type of flour made from finely ground corn and can also be used as a thickener in soups and chili. It adds a nice corn flavor and creamy texture to any soup.

What To Serve With Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup

Once the soup has cooked for 30 minutes after the addition of the corn starch, it's ready to serve.

This soup has a mild Southwest flavor, so I love to top it with anything I would use to top a bowl of chili. It's perfect with a squeeze of lime, some fresh cilantro, and a few slices of avocado.

I love to roll up some heated corn tortillas and dip them into this chicken corn soup (you can use flour tortillas if gluten is not an issue for you).

It can also be topped with shredded cheese, queso fresco, or sour cream if you don't mind the addition of dairy.

Corn chips, cornbread, and guacamole or any kind of avocado dip make a nice pairing with this Southwest soup.

Soups are perfect paired with sandwiches like this Chipotle Chicken Panini, quesadillas, or nachos.

Love soup? Check out these recipes!

• Wild Rice Turkey Soup
• Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
• Italian Kale and Carrot Soup
• Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
• Winter Root Vegetable Soup
• Sweet Potato Kale Soup
• Roasted Carrot Soup
• Chicken Sausage Lentil Soup
• Healthy Ham Potato Soup
• Gluten Free Vegetable Noodle Soup
• Vietnamese Inspired Chicken Soup
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Turkey Rice Soup
• Split Pea Ham Soup
• Mediterranean Harvest Vegetable Soup
• One Pot Chicken Stew

How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?

This soup lasts for 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to the refrigerator for storage.

This recipe is great for meal prep, as it yields 8 or so servings. I love to make a big batch and enjoy it for lunch throughout the week.

Can It Be Frozen?

Slow cooker soups like this Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup are perfect for making ahead and storing in the freezer, as it contains no dairy and the ingredients hold up well during the freezing process.

How To Freeze:

1. Prepare the soup as directed, but do not add any toppings. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
2. Once cooled, place the soup in heavy-duty freezer bags, seal completely, label with the date, and freeze up to 3 months.

How To Thaw:

1. Transfer the freezer bags to the fridge 24 hours before serving to thaw.
2. Once thawed, place the soup in a pot on the stove top. Add a bit of chicken broth or water and warm until heated through.
3. Serve with toppings of choice.

Love slow cooker meals? Check out these recipes!

• Slow Cooker Southwest Beef Chili
• Crockpot Chicken Potato Soup
• Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
• Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
• Slow Cooker BBQ Turkey Meatballs
• Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
• Crockpot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
• Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwich
• Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos

Looking For More Slow Cooker Chicken Soups? Don't Miss These!

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Chicken Rice Soup

Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie Soup