This easy Slow Cooker Corn Chowder is a rich and easy Crock Pot soup. The flavors of hash browns, corn, bacon, and cheddar come together for a comforting (but simple) weeknight dinner.

Bowl of corn chowder toppe with bacon, cheese, green onions.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

We're back to school, which means we need easy weeknight recipes around here. Everyone loves a dump-and-go Crock Pot recipe - bonus points if it's full of flavor!

This Slow Cooker Corn Chowder is super rich and creamy. The cream cheese and heavy cream in the recipe give it a velvety finish, while the cheddar gives it a sharp bite. I use two different types of corn to hit different flavors and textures. Then, as a perfect finish to the chowder, I top it with crispy, savory bacon!

This one's also incredibly easy - you'll have it in the slow cooker in 10-15 minutes.

Ingredient Notes

16oz frozen shredded hash browns - You don't need to thaw these before adding to the soup!
10.5oz cream of chicken soup
2 cups chicken broth - If you have homemade chicken broth, even better.
1 cup whole milk
½ cup instant mashed potatoes - This is my "secret ingredient" for thickening soups. It's inexpensive, dissolves so easily, and amps up that potato flavor. You can use it to thicken any soup, but it works especially well in a chowder or potato soup!
15oz canned whole-kernel corn
15oz canned cream-style corn - This will also thicken the soup.
seasonings - we're using a combo of 2 teaspoons each of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder for this recipe.
8oz cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese - I really recommend shredding your own cheese for this recipe; it melts much more evenly, making your chowder smoother.
12oz bacon
½ cup green onions

Variations & Additions

Want to make this recipe vegetarian? Leave out the bacon, change the chicken broth to vegetable broth, and use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken.
Chicken is fantastic in this recipe. It makes the soup heartier - more of a full meal! I recommend adding 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.
You can sneak veggies into this recipe really easily! Add 1 cup of chopped celery, onion, carrots, broccoli, or peas at the beginning of cooking for a little nutrition boost.

If you love a good soup recipe, try my Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Soup or this Crack Chicken Chili!

How to Make Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

ingredients for corn chowder in a crock pot.

added cheese, cream cheese, and heavy cream to corn chowder.

Add the frozen hash browns, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, milk, instant mashed potatoes, canned corn, and all seasonings to your slow cookerƒ. Stir everything together until well combined.
Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, allowing the flavors to blend and the potatoes to soften.
About 15 minutes before serving, add the cream cheese (cut into chunks for easier melting), heavy cream, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir thoroughly until the cream cheese is fully melted and the soup becomes creamy and smooth.
While the cheese is melting, cook your bacon until crispy, then crumble it for topping.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with the remaining cheddar cheese, freshly chopped green onions, and crispy crumbled bacon for the perfect finishing touch.

bowl of crockpot corn chowder topped with bacon, cheese, green onions.

Alternate Directions: Instant Pot

Add hash browns, soup, broth, corn, and seasonings to Instant Pot.
Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then naturally release pressure for 10-15 minutes.
Stir in milk, instant potatoes, heavy cream, cream cheese, and 1 cup of cheddar.
Mix until smooth and creamy.
Top with remaining cheddar, green onions, and crumbled bacon.

Alternate Directions: Stove Top

Add hash browns, soup, broth, milk, instant potatoes, corn, and seasonings to a large soup pot.
Simmer on the stove for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Before serving, stir in cream cheese, heavy cream, and 1 cup of cheddar.
Top each bowl with crumbled bacon, green onions, and additional cheddar cheese.

More Helpful Tips & Tricks

Leftovers: This soup is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy your soup within 3-4 days of cooking. When you're ready to reheat leftovers, simply microwave servings for about a minute, stir, and microwave for an additional minute if needed.
If your chowder isn't quite as thick as you'd like, add an extra ¼ cup of instant mashed potatoes until you reach the desired thickness.
Alternately, if it's too thick, add ½ cup of chicken broth until you reach the desired thickness.
This soup freezes wonderfully! You can either freeze it in a gallon-sized freezer bag or, my personal preference, in single-servings with Souper Cubes. Thaw the chowder in the refrigerator when you're ready to serve.
This is a hearty soup that doesn't need a side - but if you'd like one, try garlic bread, grilled cheese, a bread bowl, a simple salad, oyster crackers, or biscuits.

More Crock Pot Recipes

Let me know what you think of this soup! 🥣 You can rate ⭐️ and review the recipe below. You can also tag me with your images on social media @lambertslately.

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

Why You'll Love This Recipe