Love jalapeno poppers but don’t have time to make them for dinner? Marrying jalapenos, bacon, and cheese with sweet corn in this creamy Jalapeno Popper Corn Chowder solves that problem and allows you to have dinner on the table in under 45 minutes.

I think Mother Nature is teasing us. After multiple feet of snow and ice, it finally warmed up last week. I finally have a sidewalk again! (for the longest time the snow bank completely covered that up). Short sleeves, walks at lunch time, no winter coat. I sure did miss those days. But after several days of being spoiled with temperatures in the 60s, the weather dropped back down into the 20s. We just can’t win, can we? I can tell you what I am winning with – this Jalapeno Popper Corn Chowder. Reminiscent of those spicy appetizers you often see at restaurants, this creamy soup is full of spice and flavor. The best part is it can be ready in 45 minutes, making it the perfect dinner for Weekday Supper.

Putting jalapenos in soup form is nothing new to me; after all, one of the best soups in the world is my Roasted Jalapeno Soup. To be honest, I’m not sure where I made the connection between jalapeno poppers and corn chowder. Was it in a dream? Was it because I was tired of winter and needed new soup ideas? Or was it because I was hungry?

Sweet corn reminds me of summer. There are plenty of farms out here that sell fresh corn (PSA – never, ever buy “fresh” corn from the grocery store. Ever. Once you’ve had corn from a farmer, you’ll never go back to store bought). However, since it’s not even spring yet, I used frozen sweet corn. Whether you use fresh, frozen, or even canned, this soup has a nice kick without breaking your budget.

JALAPEÑO POPPER CORN CHOWDER

yield: 4

prep time: 15 MINUTES

cook time: 30 MINUTES

total time: 45 MINUTES

This creamy corn chowder can be on your dinner table in just 45 minutes. To make this chowder vegetarian-friendly, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 strips bacon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped jalapenos (roughly 4 jalapenos)*
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (roughly 1 small onion)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups sweet corn (thawed, if frozen)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot, sauté bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel; pat off as much grease as you can. When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon. Leave the bacon drippings in the pot.
2. Melt the butter in with the drippings. Sauté the jalapeno and onion until onion starts to brown, about 3-5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute. Add flour and mix well. Slowly stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook until the soup has slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the cream cheese and cheese. Stir until everything is melted and smooth. Add the corn and cook for another 5 minutes or until corn is heated through. Stir in the crumbled bacon.

NOTES

*The heat mainly comes from the seeds and membrane of the jalapenos. If you don’t want it super spicy, discard them. I personally added seeds from two of the peppers.