This creamy chicken & corn soup is lightened up, yet still wonderfully rich and hearty thanks to its thyme-infused broth and generous mix of root vegetables, chicken, and sweet corn. A little prep happens on the stove, then everything finishes together in the slow cooker, making this one of those low-effort, high-reward meals you’ll want to repeat all season long.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos and helpful success tips.
With smoky bacon, sweet potatoes, cream-style corn, and a velvety broth, every spoonful is comforting, filling, and deeply satisfying.
Creamy Chicken & Corn Soup Details
- Texture: This creamy chicken soup has plenty of hearty, satisfying texture from chunks of chicken, sweet potatoes, and vegetables, plus lots of corn in every bite. Everything cooks in a light, creamy broth made from chicken broth, whole milk, and cornstarch.
- Flavor: Lots to love here! Smoky bacon, sweet corn, earthy thyme, tender vegetables, and plenty of black pepper build layers of flavor as the soup slow-cooks. It’s sweet, savory, creamy, and finished with a fresh pop of herbs.
- Ease: The soup begins with cooking bacon and then moves on to soup-starter basics like onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. These are cooked on the stove, but that’s the only “work” you’ll have to do. You then throw everything else right into the slow cooker except for the milk and cornstarch (see recipe directions below). Are you cooking this during the day while you’re at work? You can prep the veggies on the stove the night before.
- Time: This is a low-and-slow-style soup. About 8 hours total, with only about 20 minutes of active prep.
This is a soup recipe that requires little effort, yet delivers so much flavor. If this appeals to you (little prep, big results!), you’ll also appreciate my minestrone soup, creamy cauliflower potato soup, slow cooker chicken chili, and sweet potato turkey chili recipes.
A Few Key Ingredients
- Bacon: Optional, but highly recommended for flavor depth.
- Celery, carrots, onion, and sweet potatoes: These vegetables add flavor, bulk, and texture.
- Corn & Creamed Corn: Using both whole-kernel corn and cream-style corn gives this soup the best of both worlds. How? The whole kernels provide texture and those sweet little pops of corn, while the cream-style corn adds a creamy richness that ties everything together. You can use frozen or fresh corn in place of the regular canned corn, but I do not recommend skipping the can of cream-style corn.
- Thyme: With its subtle hints of earthy, floral notes, thyme is an essential flavor enhancer in this soup.
- Whole milk: To keep things on the lighter side, we use and recommend 1 and 1/2 cups of whole milk, but you could easily replace it with half-and-half for a thicker soup. You could also combine 1 cup whole milk with 1/2 cup heavy cream.
- Cornstarch: Essential for thickening—do not skip.
How the Creamy Chicken & Corn Soup Comes Together:
Cook the bacon in a large skillet. Let cool and then crumble. Sauté vegetables & garlic in some of the bacon grease until tender. If you are skipping the bacon, sauté it all in a little butter or olive oil.
Combine everything (except for the milk & cornstarch) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6–7 hours.
Whisk in the warmed milk & cornstarch mixture, and then cook for 1 more hour. If desired, finish with extra parsley and/or thyme.
You can serve the soup plain, with crackers, in bread bowls or with various breads such as: artisan bread, biscuits, dinner rolls, breadsticks, or asiago-crusted skillet bread.
It pairs beautifully with these oatmeal molasses dinner rolls, too!
For more dinner inspiration, see my list of 30 delicious fall dinner recipe ideas.
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work wonderfully and stay extra tender.
Yes. Use full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk.
Yes, no problem at all! See detailed recipe Note below.
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Description
This creamy chicken and corn soup is cozy, satisfying, and packed with tender chicken, sweet corn, and vegetables in every spoonful. Made with simple ingredients and big flavor, it’s the kind of comforting meal you’ll want to repeat all season long.
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned on both sides. Reserve 2 to 3 Tablespoons of the grease. Place cooked bacon on a paper towel–lined plate and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, chop into crumbles.
- To the greased skillet, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Stir and cook until soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
- Place the creamed corn, corn, sweet potatoes, chicken, chicken broth, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the celery/carrot/onion mixture and the crumbled bacon (save some for garnish, if desired). Stir to combine and cover with the lid.
- Cook on low heat for about 6–7 hours.
- After 6–7 hours, whisk the warmed milk and cornstarch together. Pour into the soup. Give it a good stir, then cover.
- Cook on low heat for 1 more hour.
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of parsley, thyme, and/or any leftover bacon crumbles.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To reheat, simply pour into a pot and cook over medium heat until warm. Soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw and then reheat.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Large Skillet | Slow Cooker (5-quart or larger)
- No Slow Cooker? No Problem. Prepare recipe through step 2. Instead of placing ingredients into a slow cooker in step 3, place into a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir together, then allow to boil and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, whisk the warmed milk and cornstarch together, and then stir it into the soup. Let simmer for 10 minutes more.
- Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Chicken Breasts? Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work wonderfully and stay extra tender.
- Whole Milk: We use and recommend 1 and 1/2 cups of whole milk, but you could easily replace it with half-and-half for a thicker soup. You could also combine 1 cup whole milk with 1/2 cup heavy cream. For a nondairy option, use full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk.
