This article has the 5 Healthy Corn Chowder Recipes! Find vegan corn chowder, shrimp and corn chowder, chicken and corn chowder, bacon corn chowder, and corn chowder with potatoes.
Plus, I’ve shared directions on how to cook all 5 of the low calorie corn chowder recipes in a slow cooker, instant pot, or on the stove top!
And best of all, I’ve cut 100’s of calories and unhealthy fats from the typical corn chowder recipe. So you can have a big portion of healthy corn soup chowder for just 300 calories!
Healthy Corn Chowder
What You’ll Find in this Article:
Ingredients in Low Calorie Corn Chowder
I have supplied 5 different corn chowder recipes below in the recipe card. This is why some of the proteins are optional.
Through the shopping list calls for almond milk, any unsweetened milk will work.
Shopping List for Skinny Corn Chowder Soup:
- Olive oil spray
- Gold potatoes
- Yellow onion
- Salt and Pepper
- Garlic
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Ground cayenne pepper
- Corn (fresh or frozen)
- Low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Cornstarch
- 0% Greek yogurt (or unsweetened cashew yogurt)
- Red bell pepper
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts (optional)
- Bacon (optional)
- Shrimp (optional)
- You can find measurements below in the recipe card!
Healthy Tips and Swaps
There are so many ways to change and modify this healthy corn chowder recipe. These tips can help you modify the recipe to suit your personal dietary needs.
Low Carb Corn Chowder
To make a low carb corn chowder, skip the potatoes and add in one of the proteins. I recommend the chicken, but shrimp is also a good choice. (See below in recipe card for Chicken or Shrimp corn chowder recipes.)
Low Sodium Corn Chowder
If you want to make low sodium corn chowder, skip the salt all together and add in some fresh lemon juice at the very end, right before serving. Start with 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and add more as needed.
High Protein Corn Chowder
To make a protein corn chowder add in 3 scoops (or more) of unsweetened collagen powder or unflavored protein powder. Also, add in some chicken or one of the other protein supplied in the recipe card below.
Low Sugar Corn Chowder
Unfortunately corn has sugar, so making a low sugar corn chowder is pretty much impossible. You can balance this out a bit by using the low carb tips above (remove the potatoes) and the protein tips above (add in chicken and unflavored protein powder).
How to Make Low Calorie Corn Chowder
I like a chunky corn chowder, so I reserve some of the soup before blending it. Then I add the reserved chunky soup back in for a perfectly balanced creamed corn soup.
If you prefer a blended corn chowder potato soup, feel free to skip that step and blend it all up.
How to Make Skinny Corn Chowder 3 Ways:
Stove Top Directions:
- Spray a large pot with olive oil and heat over medium heat.
- Add in potato, onion, salt and pepper.
- Cook for 10 minutes, until lightly browned, then add in the garlic, rosemary, thyme and cayenne. Cook for 1-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in the corn, any chicken or shrimp you might using, broth, and almond milk.
- Bring to a boil on medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours.
- Remove the cooked chicken and or shrimp to a plate. Scoop 2 cups of the corn chowder out and set aside.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup together until mostly smooth.
- In a medium bowl combine the corn starch and 1/4 cup hot water. Mix together and add to the chowder.
- Shred the chicken (if using) and add back to the pot along with any shrimp you might be using, the reserved corn chowder, yogurt, and bell pepper.
- Mix well and serve hot. Top with bacon (if using).
Slow Cooker Directions:
- To a slow cooker add the potato, onion, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, corn, chicken or shrimp (if using), broth, and almond milk.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Remove the cooked chicken and or shrimp to a plate. Scoop 2 cups of the corn chowder out and set aside.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup together until mostly smooth.
- In a medium bowl combine the corn starch and 1/4 cup hot water. Mix together and add to the chowder.
- Shred the chicken (if using) and add back to the pot along with any shrimp you might be using, the reserved corn chowder, yogurt, and bell pepper.
- Mix well and serve hot. Top with bacon (if using).
Instant Pot Directions:
- Spray the inner pot with olive oil and preheat to sauté.
- Add in potato, onion, salt and pepper.
- Cook for 10 minutes, until lightly browned, then add in the garlic, rosemary, thyme and cayenne. Cook for 1-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in the corn, any chicken or shrimp you might using, broth, and almond milk.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot well to loosen any food and avoid a “Burn Reading”.
- Cover and seal. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the cooked chicken and or shrimp to a plate. Scoop 2 cups of the corn chowder out and set aside.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup together until mostly smooth.
- In a medium bowl combine the corn starch and 1/4 cup hot water. Mix together and add to the chowder.
- Shred the chicken (if using) and add back to the pot along with any shrimp you might be using, the reserved corn chowder, yogurt, and bell pepper.
- Mix well and serve hot. Top with bacon (if using).
Healthy Corn Chowder Recipes
This healthy corn chowder recipe is just 300 calories, and can be made many different ways! And if you need modifications (like low sodium or high protein) see above in the “Healthy Tips and Swaps” section.
More Low Calorie Soup Recipes:
Low Calorie Corn Chowder
Ingredients
Corn Chowder with Potatoes:
- Olive oil spray
- 2 gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 20 ounces corn fresh or frozen
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
Corn Chowder with Chicken:
- Olive oil spray
- 2 gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2.5 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
Corn Chowder with Bacon:
- Olive oil spray
- 2 gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2.5 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 3 sliced bacon cooked and crumbled
Corn Chowder with Shrimp:
- Olive oil spray
- 2 gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2.5 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 1 ½ pounds shrimp tails and veins removed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
Vegan Corn Chowder:
- Olive oil spray
- 2 gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch chunks (optional)
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 4 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup unsweetened cashew yogurt
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
Instructions
Stove Top Directions:
- Spray a large pot with olive oil and heat over medium heat.
- Add in potato, onion, salt and pepper.
- Cook for 10 minutes, until lightly browned, then add in the garlic, rosemary, thyme and cayenne. Cook for 1-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in the corn, any chicken or shrimp you might using, broth and almond milk.
- Bring to a boil on medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours.
- Remove the cooked chicken and or shrimp to a plate. Scoop 2 cups of the corn chowder out and set aside.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup together until mostly smooth.
- In a medium bowl combine the corn starch and 1/4 cup hot water. Mix together and add to the chowder.
- Shred the chicken (if using) and add back to the pot along with any shrimp you might be using, the reserved corn chowder, yogurt, and bell pepper.
- Mix well and serve hot. Top with bacon (if using).
Slow Cooker Directions:
- To a slow cooker add the potato, onion, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, corn, chicken or shrimp (if using) broth and almond milk.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Remove the cooked chicken and or shrimp to a plate. Scoop 2 cups of the corn chowder out and set aside.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup together until mostly smooth.
- In a medium bowl combine the corn starch and 1/4 cup hot water. Mix together and add to the chowder.
- Shred the chicken (if using) and add back to the pot along with any shrimp you might be using, the reserved corn chowder, yogurt, and bell pepper.
- Mix well and serve hot. Top with bacon (if using).
Instant Pot Directions:
- Spray the inner pot with olive oil and preheat to sauté.
- Add in potato, onion, salt and pepper.
- Cook for 10 minutes, until lightly browned, then add in the garlic, rosemary, thyme and cayenne. Cook for 1-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in the corn, any chicken or shrimp you might using, broth and almond milk.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot well to loosen any food and avoid a "Burn Reading".
- Cover and seal. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the cooked chicken and or shrimp to a plate. Scoop 2 cups of the corn chowder out and set aside.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup together until mostly smooth.
- In a medium bowl combine the corn starch and 1/4 cup hot water. Mix together and add to the chowder.
- Shred the chicken (if using) and add back to the pot along with any shrimp you might be using, the reserved corn chowder, yogurt, and bell pepper.
- Mix well and serve hot. Top with bacon (if using).
Nutrition
You might also like this Low Calorie Creamed Corn Recipe!
Nutrition and Calories in Corn Chowder
The nutrition and calories in corn chowder below are based off 1 serving (1 cup) of corn chowder with potatoes. Should you desire to make the chicken corn chowder, bacon corn chowder, or shrimp corn chowder, the calories will be slightly higher. But the protein will be higher too.
And yes, I use real bacon in recipes. I find that if you use the real stuff, but just less of it (just 1/2 a strip of bacon per person) you get all the flavor, without all the calories. Plus people are more likely to eat healthy when they get the flavors they really love. Should you prefer to use turkey bacon, that’s great too!
Important Note: As a reminder, at Lose Weight By Eating it is my goal to make you healthier, all-natural versions of your favorite recipes… not all will be “diet worthy” depending on the diet you are on. But they will be healthier versions to help curb your cravings.
More Weight Loss Recipes:
Lose Weight By Eating Cookbooks
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Article History:
- Originally written and published August 22, 2022 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on September 21, 2023 by Audrey Johns
