Shrimp and Corn Chowder
An easy, creamy chowder that’s incredibly smoky, sweet and packed with tons of flavor!
I’ve still been wearing flip flops here in Southern California but that doesn’t mean I can’t make a pot of piping hot soup in this 80 degree weather.
Especially when that soup has sautéed shrimp, sweet corn kernels and, of course, bacon. All in one smoky, creamy bowl of goodness.
And that bacon. Did I mention all that crisp bacon bits right there on top?
Best of all, you can control the heat levels by adding more or less paprika, to taste – although I say the more the better because that smokiness is the true star in this soup!
Shrimp and Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, or more, to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain excess fat, reserving 1 tablespoon.
- Add shrimp to the stockpot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
- Add garlic and onion to the stockpot, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in paprika, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Whisk in chicken stock, corn and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 12-15 minutes; discard bay leaf. Add heavy cream and puree with an immersion blender.
- Serve immediately with shrimp, garnished with bacon and parsley leaves, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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Great taste! Used blender before adding shrimp corn added precooked chopped small red potatoes and thickened with flour
Definitely a redo
Wow, this was just delicious. I made it for the two of us for Christmas Eve and there were lots of mmm sounds while we were almost licking our bowls. I did add a cubed red potato and also did not puree, but left the soup chunky. Will absolutely make this again. This is company worthy!
Great soup! I used far free half and half (doubled), and threw in some cowboy candy for a sweet punch!
I made this recipe for our dinner tonight & the only change I made was addition of 2 1/2 cups of diced red potatoes. I used my immersion blender to purée only a portion of the soup, leaving some of the corn & potatoes for texture. It is absolutely delicious!! I will definitely be making this again!
This is delicious!!! I used jalapeño bacon (that’s what I had defrosted) and did not drain the fat before I cooked the shrimp. If you haven’t tried this recipe, you need to this week!!
Delicioso. Outstanding recipe. Thanks for sharing this Shrimp Corn Chowder, this one is so amazing.
This was delicious and so easy! Just follow the recipe. We did cayenne pepper and slap ya mama hot instead of res pepper flakes. Followed exactly otherwise! Will make it again.
I made this last night and it was delicous! Love the smokey flavour. I did add two cans of creamed corn in addition to the frozen corn and an extra lb of shrimp. So tasty! Thank you for the inspiration!
easy to make and SUPER YUMMY. I did double the bacon because hey why not right! lol. Next time i think i will add more shrimp and perhaps some whole corn after i puree it… overall very tasty!
Not a review more of a question really. I make an oven roasted corn and seafood chowder, and was wondering why you use chicken broth? Why not use vegetable or seafood broth? Seems like most use chicken and I think the others would have a better taste. I know it’s ok to use whatever I chose. I was just curious as to why chicken?
Thank you
I made this soup last night, and husband and I were both enthralled and blown away. Whenever I try a new-to-me recipe, I always make it as written, but then in the future I make changes constantly until I think it’s perfect for us. This is the first recipe in ages of cooking that I will not change a single thing. It was absolutely delicious on a damp and chilly night, and I’m a bit sorry that I have to share the leftovers today for lunch. It’s so worth the effort, so don’t change a thing.
Note on use of Immersion Blender: I used “grilled Corn,” it had some blackened kernels, and use of the blender did not destroy the corn, but it did help thicken the s a bit more. We actually loved the added charred pieces both visually and gastronomically!
I made this soup last night and we both enjoyed it and were blown away. Whenever I try a new-to-me recipe, I always make it as written, but then in the future I made changes constantly until I think it’s perfect for us. This is the first recipe in ages of cooking that I did not change any ingredients. It was delicious on a damp and chilly night, and I’m a bit sorry that I have to share the leftovers today for lunch! It’s so worth the effort so just enjoy its simplicity.
I used the immersion blender only long enough to break down some of the corn, and doing that helped thicken the soup. I used “grilled corn on the cob” which did have blackened kernels, and because I did not over blend the soup, it did not break up the shrimp. We loved the added charred pieces of corn both visually and gastronomically.
i made this tonight – it was super tasty. i’m on low carb, so i subbed frozen cauliflower florets for the corn and buzzed with the immersion blender – it turned out great!
Quick question!
“ Whisk in chicken stock, corn and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 12-15 minutes; discard bay leaf. add heavy cream and puree with an immersion blender.”
Using an immersion blender with corn will purée the corn too won’t it?
I made this recipe with my parents and it’s delicious. Ideal for a cold day.
This was amazing. I reduced broth by half, added more cream and also added shredded cheese to thicken. One question though! Is pureeing necessary? I did not do this step and wonder if I should next time?
WOW!! YUMMY! served it with cornbread.
This soup was very yummy! It was easy to make and didn’t take a lot of time. My kids ate all of it and I have no left overs. They definitely want me to make it again!!!!
When do you add back bacon fat reserved? How do you bring stock to a thickened state, isn’t it essentially water? Otherwise, great!
The reserved bacon fat remains in the stockpot or Dutch oven so the shrimp can cook in the reserved fat. The stock will thicken as it reduces. Hope that helps, Scott!
I have made this many times and it is fabulous. I add some red bell pepper when I am sautéing the onions. Everyone loves it and it is beautiful as well . Serve with s toasted slice of French bread.
That sounds very yummy!
what if I use veal instead of chicken stock? I ave a family member who is allergic to chicken
Vegetable stock would be a great substitute.
I would like to serve this at a large gathering of about 25 people. Can I just quadruple the recipe?
Yes, absolutely.
So I’m wondering how this would be with a few red potatoes. I would think it would help with the creaminess and give it a little more filler – any thoughts?
Yes, absolutely!
Hi, if I am completely out of milk or heavy cream, do you think I could try using cream of shrimp soup? Thank you so much!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
i looked up subs for heavy cream and found a quick ‘recipe’ of butter and milk. worked great!
Does your cookbook have this recipe for Shrimp and Corn Chowder in it? Thanks!
No, it does not. The cookbook is mostly comprised of exclusive, never-seen-before recipes! 🙂
Looking forward to making this – question I have is on the “oregano” I don’t have dry but a powder version would that work – I’m going to town so I can pick up some dry – but before I do would ground oregano work.
Yes! 🙂
Made this and it was wonderful. I did however reduce the amount of broth by half.
This recipe is AMAZING! Made it for a dinner party tonight and there was not a drop left! 🙂 It helps that I was able to make it with shrimp fresh off the boat this weekend but seriously it was good. The flavors were incredible. The only thing I did was make a little extra bacon for the top!
Will this soup freeze well? Do you think?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I
have froze this soup before and have no problems. When ready to reheat remove soup and bring to room temp before reheating. This helps with overcooking the shrimp.
Do you have the calorie count on this per serving? I can’t find it anywhere. 🙁
Nutritional information is provided only for select and new recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, it is best that you use free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information.
I can’t seem to get the whole recipe
Do I cook the bacon in the stockpot then cook the shrimp in the dry pot or is should some bacon grease be present to cook it? Also you said to reserve some bacon grease but do not mention it again
Laura, please refer to steps 1-2:
1. Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain excess fat, reserving 1 tablespoon.
2. Add shrimp to the stockpot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
The shrimp is cooked in the same stockpot where the excess fat is reserved.
I will be cutting corn from the cob. Will I need to cook it some way before adding?
There’s no need to – it will cook with the soup.
Bruh… I have this soup on the burner right now… out of this world! Can’t wait to eat. Upped the corn factor by one cup to reserve for the end because I insist on corn chunks 🙂 Fairly certain this shall wind up (adapted and credited, naturally) on my blog one of these days. Thanks!
this recipe looks delicious…I don’t eat red meat or pork. is there any substitute for the bacon? maybe turkey bacon?
Yes, absolutely.
This is delicious! And easy! I roasted the shrimp in the oven and diced instead of using the blender. Also added some sherry, yummm!
Made this tonight. After blending, added 2 more cups of corn to make it thicker then blended again. Otherwise, followed the recipe exactly. It was awesome. Will be making for my family for the holidays!
Can I blend together with a ninja blender? I don’t have an immersion blender. Maybe Santa will bring me one? 😉
Also, can I substitute fresh herbs?
Yes, absolutely. You can use a blender and substitute fresh herbs. The ratio for dry to fresh herbs is typically 1:3.
It may be over 100 degrees here, but I LOVE soup and had to try your recipe tonight. I loved it! I roasted fresh corn first and added half the shrimp and bacon back to the pot when pureeing. I loved it! I will say, it was a little stiff (almost grit texture), so I’m wondering if canned corn would have a better texture since it’s softer than roasted. Anyways, thanks for the fantastic recipe!!
I tried this recipe as written. Drained the corn, did everything correctly except the red peppers since my wife can’t handle anything hot. It was not very thick, but all I care about is taste. We both liked it and decided it was a keeper. There was enough for another serving for me and this time I added a good dose of Siracha and mixed well and lemme tell ya- it was fantastic!!
Excellent recipe!. thank you. It went to another taste level with the hot sauce added.
Made this last weekend. I doubled most of the spices because I love smoked paprika. It was outstanding and even better the next day. Next time, I will try adding a little white wine.
I just wanted to say YUMMY! I made this for dinner and my hubby and I loved it.
Great flavour, but mine came out quite thin. Definitely not as thick as the picture. I even tried adding more corn. Any suggestions?
Unfortunately, corn will not really help thicken up the soup. But you can try adding a little more heavy cream as needed.
This soup was delicious!. I added potatos and peppers and made stock (using shrimp shells, corn cobs, onion and garlic) instead of chicken stock. So comforting on a cold winter day. Will definitely be checking out more of your recipes!
Just made this soup, followed the directions exactly, and used the immersion blender. However my soup also came out with a watery consistency. Could it be that I used canned corn? Hmm. Flavors are great just wish it was a bit more of a creamy chowder consistency
Nicole, this soup does not have that super thick consistency as, say, clam chowder. However, with the help of the immersion blender, there should still be a bit of thickness and texture to the soup. Also, if you did not drain the corn prior to using, that could also contribute to the consistency of the soup.
Me and the hubby loved this recipe. I made it for dinner and we both love the heat and the smokiness from this recipe. Will definitely make again.
Thanks so much for the recipe! I am making right now… what do I do with the 1 TBSP of bacon fat that was set aside? Do I add that back in when I am adding the heavy cream maybe?
Jennifer, the reserved bacon fat should have been used when cooking the shrimp.
This was superb! I followed exactly as written and after puree’ing I added a little extra corn when adding in the shrimp and bacon. One of my teens professes to hate shrimp but he even gobbled it up, using some warm ciabatta to get every last drip. My only thought is this barely serves four….either that or we are just gluttons 🙂
great flavor but mine came out very watery 🙁 I even reduced it longer than the recipe calls for. Bummer because I was so set on that chowdery texture…I’ll add potatoes next time.
Bummer! Did you puree with an immersion blender?
Made this chowder last night and it…was…DELICIOUS! It’s smokey and warm and extremely filling. My 7 year old even loved it, closing her eyes and savoring each bite! Perfect for a cold night next to the fire. I think next time we may add extra corn after blending the soup to add a little more texture, and our shrimp was fairly big, so I’ll probably chop smaller before adding back to the soup – just so the bites are SO big. Thanks for a great recipe (many great recipes!!).
This sounds delicious. I can’t tell if I’m just missing it on the recipe, but does the bacon get brought back in for pureeing? So everything is pureed except the shrimp? (minus anything for garnish, that is). Is that right?
Lisa, the bacon is added at the very end:
Serve immediately with shrimp, garnished with bacon and parsley leaves, if desired.
I didn’t use an immersion blender or a blender at all. We really enjoyed it with whole corn in it. My husband wants me to add potatoes in it next time. It was a hit! Even better the second day.
It was very good, but it needed a savory touch, so I added some Puerto Rican homemade “recaito” and some finely diced potatoes to give it more oomph. Worked. 🙂
I made this tonight, and everything was going great until I got the the immersion blender step. I don’t have an immersion blender but I do have a very nice, strong Black & Decker with many different speeds and settings and something like 5hp. I added about half the soup to the blender, put the lid on and hit the lowest speed, purée. Soup everywhere. After I cleaned the stove, counter, microwave, floor, and dog I put the lid back and and a towel over that to catch anything that decided to try and escape this time.
… Adventures in blending aside, wonderful recipe and everyone enjoyed it, even the dog. Thanks.
Oh no! I can’t believe the lid flew off but I’m glad everyone still enjoyed it! 🙂
The same thing happened to me! I think it is because I should have waited until it cooled a little. It was definitely the heat pressure that blew the lid off. HOT soup everywhere, including me. Ugh. Lesson learned.
Oh my gosh me too! Lol but soup burns and mess aside, the recipe was amazing and my husband is already begging me to make it again and double it! He said “This soup tastes like it could be from a steakhouse.” The best part is how easy it was!
Shrimp and corn chowder on the stovetop right now. I am hovering over the pot “sampling” so there may not be enough for dinner :). Used canned cream of corn that I had in the pantry instead of whole corn and the immersion blender to chop up. Thank you for the recipe. This one will be in my regular rotation.
I made your chicken and corn chowder last week since it’s started getting chilly here in Alabama, and my fiancé and I loved it! I’ve shared that recipe with all of my co-workers, and they love it, too. Definitely going to give this seafood version a try!
Do you use regular paprika or smokey? I didn’t know regular paprika was smokey.
It is best to used smoked paprika.
This looks and the ingredients sound amazing. I’m lactose intolerant. What can I use in place of the heavy cream without compromising flavor?
Thanks!!
Nancy, you can certainly try substituting something else but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Please use you best judgment to make the appropriate substitutions to fit your dietary restrictions.
I appreciate your feedback! Thanks!!
Cashew cream
my husband is lactose intolerant – i sub heavy cream for a mixture of lactaid milk and butter (1/3 cup butter melted COOLED COMPLETLY and combine with 2/3 cup milk gets you one cup heavy cream sub). the butter MUST BE COOLED and warm the milk a bit before combining or it won’t mix
This was SO GOOD!! Made a double batch and there was none left! My immersion blender broke – so did batches in my blender. Only complaint was mine turned out very soupy – didn’t have the chowder consistency. That said – it was awesome – super flavorful and very easy to make. A keeper!! Will make it again once I get a new immersion blender!
If I don’t have an immersion blender, would this be OK if the heavy cream was simply stirred in?
Maggie, it is certainly fine if you stir it in but you will not have that creamy texture. You can alternatively use a blender if you do not have an immersion blender.
This sounds great. Just wondering though, I’m not a fan of Bay leaf flavor. If I left it out, do you think that it would make it bland. Any suggestions for a substitute for it?
It should be fine to omit the bay leaf.
This looks really yummy! Soup can be boring with the same old flavors but this looks unique and tasty! Pinned!
I just made this, and it is delicious! I also braised some scallops and added them at the end with the shrimp. I love that this is creamy without flour. The corn is a great thickener and adds a full richness to the soup. The cream is just enough for the flavor, but not so much that it feels heavy and decadent. Thank you!!
I just made it again, one week later…we LOVE IT!!
Mmm sweet and smoky, that’s what I call a tasty treat! Looks way better than the one chowder I have made ever so far, hehe. Might have to give this one a shot 😀 Thanks for the recipe and have a lovely Saturday eve! x
I noticed that you say to puree with immersion blender@the end of the recipe but your corn kernels appear whole in the pictures …And do you puree the shrimp also?
I added corn kernels for photographic purposes – and no, the shrimp is not pureed. Please refer to the recipe as the shrimp is added in the very last step.
At first glance I thought this looks loaded with fat and calories BUT after reading the recipe, it’s not bad at all! 1/4 cup cream for the whole thing is hardly nothing! I am SO making this!
Can I use cream of corn instead of regular corn that is called for. Husband can NOT eat corn
Janet, you can certainly substitute cream of corn but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Please make the appropriate substitutions at your discretion.
Shrimp and Corn and Bacon OH MY!!
WOW! This looks amazing!
This looks great ChungAh!
This is just classic Chung-Ah photography…soooo pretty! And I have a shrimp allergy and don’t eat bacon and I still want to dive into this 🙂
Love the smokiness in this chowda!
Loved this!! I have never made corn, shrimp chowder before. We were getting snowed in today with no time to run to the store and I had a ton of shrimp in the freezer. I came upon this recipe and was glad I did! I made a few alterations because I didn’t have bacon and I have several food sensitivities. I ended up using breakfast sausage in place of bacon and it really worked well! I replaced heavy cream with a heavy oatmilk which I totally winged and that also worked out well to my surprise!
My only disappointment was after I emulsified everything it no longer had that pretty look to it. It looks like a tan-brownish pile of mush . Maybe I blended it a little too much? Either way, it was still DELICIOUS tasting! Even my picky 5 year old was eating it which I couldn’t believe. All in all, a great success! I will definitely be trying this recipe again and I love that I can tweak it to suit my dietary needs.. WIN