I was brainstorming recipes, and inspiration struck, so I decided to try out this recipe for Mexican corn chowder. You can make it during fall and winter to warm up in cold weather or on a cool, rainy summer day during corn season. This Mexican corn chowder is creamy, spicy, and full of flavor. And it also gives me an excuse to use my Le Creuset.
You can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn. We’ve tried this with grilled fresh corn, and that adds a nice layer of more flavor. If you’re opting for canned corn, grab the low sodium corn. It’s really easy to add salt but very difficult to take out. Same goes for the chicken broth. Once you simmer the chowder, taste it and add more salt if you need it. And feel free to choose between cayenne or chipotle chili powder. I personally like the smokiness of the chipotle with the spiciness of the jalapeno. If you want more heat, you can use cayenne. You can also throw in another jalapeno or two.
Cotija cheese adds a nice sharpness to the chowder. It melts but isn’t too stringy. If you can’t find cotija, look for grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. These will give you a similar taste to the Cotija cheese. I know it’s sounds crazy, but mayonnaise also adds more flavor to the Mexican corn chowder. A lot of Mexican street corn recipes use mayo as the base that helps the toppings and seasonings stick to the corn. Adding some mayo will give you a very subtle tanginess without any overwhelming taste of mayonnaise.
You also have a few options for thickening the chowder. I prefer the flour method. You sprinkle flour over the cooked vegetables as your thickening agent. From there, you stir in the broth, milk, and cream and bring it to a boil. After that, reduce it to a simmer and let it cook for 20 or so more minutes. If you have time, you can let the Mexican corn chowder cool a little bit. It will thicken even more and keep its consistency even after you reheat it. And be sure to serve this chowder with a light salad.
Mexican corn chowder
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of butter or oil
- 3 cups of corn
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4–5 stalks of celery, diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle or cayenne powder
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1/3 cup of mayonnaise
- 1 cup of cotija cheese
Instructions
- Heat your butter or oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add your diced onion, celery, and jalapeno and cook for 10 minutes or until softened.
- Add in the corn and seasonings and saute for another 10-15 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and stir to evenly coat.
- Stir in the chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, and mayonnaise.
- Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes until thick and heated through.
- Stir in the cotija and serve.
Enjoy!
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First of all, these photos are on point!!! And also, this looks/sounds delcious! Pinning and printing it now, so that I can make it after I have a chance to pick up some corn!
Thanks so much, friend!
Oh my gosh, yum! I would absolutely love this chowder!
I hope you like it!