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Creamy Roasted Hatch Green Chili Corn Chowder Recipe with Bacon Crumble

Creamy Roasted Hatch Green Chili Corn Chowder - featured image
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A creamy, smoky, and slightly spicy corn chowder featuring roasted Hatch green chilies and topped with crispy bacon crumble. Perfect for cozy fall and winter meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–5 fresh Hatch green chilies, roasted, peeled, and chopped (about 1 cup) or 1 cup frozen roasted green chilies
  • 4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears) or 3 cups frozen corn (thawed)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
  • Optional: chopped fresh cilantro or green onions for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Roast whole Hatch chilies on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until skins are charred and blistered. Transfer to a covered bowl or plastic bag to steam for 10 minutes, then peel, remove seeds, and chop roughly. Skip if using frozen roasted chilies.
  2. Cook bacon slices in a large pot or skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot; discard or save the rest.
  3. Add butter to reserved bacon fat and melt over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in chicken or vegetable broth, ensuring no lumps form. Add diced potatoes, roasted Hatch chilies, and corn kernels. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
  5. Lower heat and stir in heavy cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Simmer gently for 5 more minutes to meld flavors.
  6. For chunkier chowder, leave as is. For smoother texture, use an immersion blender to pulse chowder partially, leaving some corn and potato chunks intact. Avoid over-blending.
  7. Ladle chowder into bowls, sprinkle generously with crispy bacon crumble, and garnish with chopped cilantro or green onions if desired.

Notes

Roast fresh Hatch chilies yourself for best smoky flavor. Steam chilies after roasting to loosen skins for easy peeling. Stir constantly when making roux to avoid burning. Adjust spice level by removing seeds or adding less chili. Bacon crumble adds essential salty crunch—don’t skip it. For gluten-free, use cornstarch added at the end instead of flour. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days; add fresh bacon crumble when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: Hatch green chili, corn chowder, creamy chowder, bacon crumble, roasted chilies, comfort food, spicy chowder, fall recipe, winter recipe

Find it online: https://sizzlesprout.com/creamy-roasted-hatch-green-chili-corn-chowder-recipe-with-bacon-crumble-easy-and-delicious/