Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup

This healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup is gluten and dairy free! It's made in the crockpot with poblano peppers in a Southwest broth.

Cooler temps are here and I'm heading back into soup mode. To celebrate the arrival of fall, I'm whipping up a batch of this Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup.

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 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 and poblano peppers, crushed tomatoes, green chilis, and a few Southwest spices.

It tastes a bit like chili, but is lighter in texture. This soup is naturally gluten and dairy free. Serve with corn tortillas, tortilla chips, and toppings of choice for an easy and tasty meal!

Jump to:

• What Is Chicken Corn Soup?
• How To Make Slow Cooker 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 Chicken Corn Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Looking For More Slow Cooker Chicken Soups? Don't Miss These!
• Slow Cooker 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 Slow Cooker 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 Onion (any color)
• 1 Bell Pepper (any color)
• 1 Poblano Pepper
• 12 oz. Frozen Corn (or 4 ears of fresh corn)
• 2 - 2 ½ lbs. Split Chicken Breasts (skin removed)
• 1 tsp. Adobo Seasoning
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika (or regular paprika)
• ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
• 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 cups Crushed Tomatoes
• 8 oz. Diced Green Chilis
• 2 Tbsp. Masa Harina (can sub 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.
• To make this soup even heartier, feel free to add 1-2 cans of drained pinto or black beans.

How To Make Slow Cooker 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 onion (any color).
2. Dice 1 bell pepper (any color).
3. Dice 1 poblano pepper and discard the seeds and membranes.
4. Remove the skin from 2 - 2 ½ lbs. of split chicken breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts). Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
5. Sprinkle 1 tsp. each of adobo seasoning, chili powder, and smoked paprika (or regular paprika), along with ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper on top of the chicken.
6. Add the diced bell peppers and diced poblanos to the crockpot, along with 12 oz. frozen corn (or 3-4 cups fresh corn), and 8 oz. mild (or hot) diced green chilis.
7. Add 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth and 2 cups of crushed tomatoes to the crockpot. Stir to combine all of these ingredients.
8. Set the slow cooker on Low and cook for 6-8 hours OR set to High and cook for 4-5 hours.

It is important to remove the skin before adding the split chicken breasts to the slow cooker, because the skin may make the broth overly greasy.

What Kind Of Chicken Is Best For Slow Cooker Soup?

When it comes to this slow cooker chicken corn soup, I prefer to use split chicken breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts).

Cooking chicken on the bone always means more flavor and that's important when making dishes in the slow cooker. The flavor from the chicken bones and fat from the bit of extra skin creates a rich, decadent broth.

Split chicken breasts generally stay more moist and juicy during the cooking process and are less likely to dry out in the crockpot.

The other thing I love about split chicken breasts is that they are generally less expensive than boneless, skinless chicken breasts, making them an economical choice.

It's important that the chicken is fully cooked, but not overcooked during the cooking process. If you have ever made chicken in the slow cooker that was dry and tough, it was likely overcooked.

The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and can be checked using a food thermometer if you have any concerns.

How Long Does Crockpot Soup Take To Cook?

As a general rule, I find that crockpot chicken soups tend to take 6-8 hours on Low and 4-5 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.

Whether you are cooking the soup on Low or Hight, the chicken is removed from the slow cooker toward the end of the cooking process, shredded with two forks, and returned to the soup (without the bones) before serving.

1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Shred the chicken with two forks. Remove all of the bones and discard them.
2. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
3. Using a glass measuring cup, remove 1 cup of the soup liquid and add 2 Tbsp. of masa harina to it. Whisk the masa harina into the soup liquid, creating a slurry.
4. Pour the soup mixture to the slow cooker and stir until combined.
5. Cook for another 30 minutes. If you find that you'd like the soup to be even thicker, feel free to repeat the process of creating a slurry with another 2 Tbsp. of masa harina in a cup of soup broth.

How To Thicken Slow Cooker Soup

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

To thicken this soup, I love to use masa harina. The mild corn flavor of masa harina adds to the overall flavor of this soup.

Masa harina is a very fine flour made from dried corn kernels. It's similar to corn flour, but softer and finer in texture.

It's used extensively in Mexican cooking to make everything from corn tortillas to tamales to sopes.

You can find a package of masa harina in the Mexican section of your local grocery store, in the natural foods section, at your local food coop, or it can be purchased online.

The combination of a thickener and any liquid is called a slurry, and can be used to thicken all types of soups and chili.

You can also use corn starch or arrowroot powder if you prefer.

What To Serve With Chicken Corn Soup

This soup has a smoky 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's also great served with corn tortilla chips.

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
• Chicken Sausage Lentil Soup
• Healthy Ham Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Turkey Rice Soup
• Split Pea Ham Soup

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.

Can It Be Frozen?

Slow cooker soups like this Slow Cooker 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 or freezer-safe food containers, 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!

• Crockpot Chicken Potato Soup
• Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
• Slow Cooker BBQ Turkey Meatballs
• Crockpot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos
• Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
• Crockpot Veggie Chili
• Shredded Crockpot BBQ Chicken

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