Stay warm and cozy with this easy slow cooker cauliflower corn chowder recipe. Each hearty bowl contains wholesome vegetables and tender chicken for a healthier meal!
Lately on these chilly evenings at home my toddler James has been saying, “Mommy let’s get cozy.” It makes my heart melt every time. I love it! But before we get to the snuggles, I like to remedy the cold weather with a big bubbling pot of this slow cooker cauliflower corn chowder recipe.
It’s warm, hearty and even healthier than your traditional creamy chowders. This method uses extra vegetables to mimic a thicker soup consistency. With each hot bowl filled to the brim with tons of nutritious vegetables and chicken, it’s a meal to keep you satisfied and nourished. Now break out that Crockpot and let it do all of the work while you spend some time getting cozy with your loved ones!
I have completely fallen in love with my 6-quart Crock-Pot that my hubby Jason bought me for Christmas last year. I’ve been able to create flavorful and healthy meals with minimal effort.
A few of my families favorites have been my delicious pork chili, tender Italian shortribs, and even slow cooker meatballs. I’ve made a few kinds of soup too. Here are my essential tips to keep in mind while you are making your own homemade soups!
Slow Cooker Soup Recipe Tips
- Microwave– An easy way to soften vegetables like carrots and onions and bloom spices is to microwave for a few minutes before adding to the slow cooker. You don’t need as much oil like sauteing. It’s also ideal for steaming vegetables before adding into the soup. I did this for the cauliflower so that I could blend it into a smooth and creamy puree.
- Delicate Ingredients– Fresh or fragile ingredients like peas, spinach, and corn only need a short time to cook. I add them at the end, so they keep their bright colors and prevent them from getting mushy. For the corn kernels in this recipe, I stirred them in at the end and let it heat on high for about 30 minutes.
- Toppings– To make the final dish look even more appetizing add some colorful toppings and textures. For this dish, I chopped fresh parsley that has a vibrant green color. I also added some crispy bacon for just a hint of savory notes and sauteed tiny cauliflower florets for texture.
It’s time to grab the biggest spoon you can find and dig in! Each hearty bite of this slow cooker corn chowder will warm your heart and soothe the soul. This recipe is packed with lean shredded chicken breast for added protein.
Your taste buds will love the combination of tender diced red potatoes, aromatic carrots, onion, celery, corn, and cauliflower. The slow cooking process allows the chicken to stay moist and tender, plus all of the flavors have the chance to infuse nicely together.
There is nothing better than coming home after a long day to a hot meal that’s just waiting to be devoured. Slow cooking allows you to prepare and cook while you’re away. It’s been a game-changer for my hectic workdays! What is your favorite meal to cook in a slow cooker?
More Slow Cooker recipes
How do you create a Creamy Soup with Vegetables?
I used a few cooking tricks to cut back on some of the dense, high-calorie ingredients. Steamed cauliflower and cooked corn were blended with chicken stock to add a natural thickness to the soup. The blender creates superfine vegetable particulates that suspend in the liquid which mimics a thicker texture similar to cream. A small amount of whole milk was used instead, to add just a hint of richness but you can replace it with more stock, coconut milk or even unsweetened cashew or almond milk for dairy-free options.
Slow Cooker Cauliflower Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped fine
- ¾ cup celery, ¾-inch dice
- ¾ cup carrot, ¾-inch dice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 3 cups cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces
- 3 cups corn, canned and drained
- 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 pound red potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf, dried
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add onions, celery, carrots, olive oil, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
- Microwave for 3 minutes and then stir, cook another 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add 3 cups of cauliflower florets to a microwave-safe bowl. Add ¼ cup water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave for 5 minutes, or until florets are tender.
- Drain the cauliflower and add to a blender.
- Add in 1 ½ cups corn and 2 cups chicken stock. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add 1 cup chicken stock, chicken breasts, red potatoes, milk, salt, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir to combine all ingredients. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender; 3 to 4 hours on High setting or 5 to 6 hours on Low.
- Discard bay leaf. Remove chicken and shred into smaller pieces.
- Stir in remaining 1 ½ cups corn and shredded chicken, let it sit until heated through, about 10 minutes on High setting.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley and serve hot. Top with additional parsley and pepper.
Equipment
Notes
- Optional Toppings: Bacon and sauteed cauliflower.
- MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE: Replace 1 cup of milk with additional chicken broth, unsweetened cashew milk or coconut milk (this may alter the flavor more than the other alternatives).
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Amanda says
Just made this yesterday and followed the recipe to a tee (usually I just wing it for soups) and lemme tell ya, this is sooo yummy. Hearty and filling without the guilt of eating 2 bowls of chowder 🙂 I did add a lil more fresh thyme than it called for because I love me a thyme-y chicken soup. Thanks for the great recipe, adding to my collection!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the chowder. More thyme for all!
Pam S. says
This was a lot of work and very disappointing in the end. It needed more flavor, tasted bland so I added so chipotle pepper seasoning and that helped. Would not make this again.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Pam- I appreciate your feedback! That’s great that you were able to adjust the seasoning of the chowder to taste.
Christine says
Just love soup and thanks for this tasty new soup recipe that incorporates blended cauliflower! As you suggested I added crispy bacon which added a nice flavor. I did use frozen corn instead which was good too plus I used precooked roasted chicken. My soup however did not look as soupy as your picture? Mine was more of a thick, consistency so I added more chicken broth. Do you think I needed to blend it longer to make it look less thick, creamy? It was still delicious though! 😉
Marie Czarnecki says
To make it smooth and creamy one can use an immersion blender, I have one and I use it when I come up with recipes like this. great recipe Jessica.
Kay Wakeham says
Thanks. I am going to make it this week and is has finally cooled down in Texas!
Jessica Gavin says
Let me know what you think Kay 🙂
Kay Wakeham says
How would I make this slow cooker cauliflower corn soup without the chicken breasts and chicken broth. Is there a veggie version?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Kay- You can certainly omit the chicken breast and use vegetable broth or stock.
dianne says
is the canned corn supposed to be drained?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Dianne- Yes, drain the corn before adding to the slow cooker. Thanks!
Courtney says
Just got the ingredients to make this one over the weeekend! Love all your recipes !
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! Let me know what you think friend 🙂 I love you back!
Katie says
Can I sub frozen corn for canned?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes you can definitely substitute from corn Katie 🙂
Lori says
I am making this tonight. Looks delicious! I am wondering if it freezes well.
I love your recipes. I make something of yours at least once a week. Thanks.
Jessica Gavin says
Yay Lori! How did it turn out for you? So happy to hear that you are cooking my recipes so often. Thank you!
Barbara Geisman says
This has become one of our favorites. I do not puree the cauliflower–just throw it in the crock pot with the rest of the ingredients. Recipe makes enough for 3 meals for 2 and it’s even better the 2nd and 3rd time from the batch. Thank you! (P.S. Our supermarket carries “soup starter” which is pre-chopped carrots, celery and onion in a tray. Using that eliminates nearly all of the prep time…)
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for your feedback Barbara! I love how you’ve made it even easier to prepare and have meals for the next few days. So happy that I can help 🙂
Gary Winters says
What is the serving size on this recipe? 1 cup, 1 1/2 cup, etc.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Gary! Each serving is about 1 1/2 cups. Thanks!
Vera says
Thank you Jessica!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome Vera!
Fiona Jackson says
This looks delicious. I love the tip about using the microwave instead of frying to soften ingredients too. Unfortunately I don’t have a slow cooker (yet). I’m guessing it’s not essential though and that I could make this in the traditional way. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Jessica Gavin says
You can absolutely make the soup on the stove fiona! Just cook until the potatoes are tender over a medium low simmer. Maybe 30 minutes or less. Let me know how it goes!
Karly says
Wish I could jump into a me-sized crock pot of this stuff! Looks like the perfect way to warm up in this crazy cold weather!
Jessica Gavin says
I would totally buy a gigantic sized slow cooker if they made one Karly! It is definitely and awesome get cuddly soup!
Amy says
It’s so windy and cold in VA right now, and this bowl of cozy soup is just what I needed. I love my slow cooker in the winter time 🙂
Wonderful recipe as always Jessica. And I’d love to see more pics of Ben 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you Amy! My slow cooker is so key during the colder months 🙂 I’m sending you a big bowl!
Marie Czarnecki says
Jessica, send me some too…:) Great recipe.