Description
This creamy chicken corn chowder is a comforting, dairy-free, and gluten-free soup packed with tender chicken breasts, sweet corn, and hearty red potatoes. Enhanced with a medley of aromatic spices and coconut milk, it offers a rich, velvety texture without any dairy. Perfect for cozy meals, this chowder combines the ease of an Instant Pot with wholesome ingredients for a flavorful and nourishing dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, very small diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, very small diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, very small diced
- 3 stalks celery, very small diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 medium red potatoes (about 2–2½ cups), diced
- 1 15 oz can corn, drained (or 1¾ cups frozen corn)
Proteins
- 1½ lbs chicken breasts (whole)
Liquids
- 4–5 cups chicken broth (enough to just cover ingredients)
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (divided, reserve half for slurry)
- 2 tbsp dairy free butter
Spices and Herbs
- 2½ tsp salt (plus extra pinches)
- 2 tsp oregano, dried (rubbed between fingers)
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp basil
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
Thickener
- ¼ cup arrowroot flour
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Select the Instant Pot SAUTE function (Normal) and add dairy free butter. When the Instant Pot indicates HOT, add diced onions, red and green bell peppers, celery, and 2-3 pinches of salt. Sauté, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Spices: Add salt, oregano, dried parsley, bay leaves, cumin, sweet paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, coriander, basil, dried thyme, and minced garlic to the pot. Stir continuously until spices become fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the SAUTE function by pressing CANCEL.
- Add Main Ingredients and Broth: Place whole chicken breasts, drained corn, diced red potatoes, and enough chicken broth to just cover the ingredients into the pot.
- Pressure Cook: Close the Instant Pot lid and ensure the pressure valve is sealed. Cook on HIGH pressure for 7 minutes per pound of chicken (approximately 10-11 minutes for 1½ lbs). Allow the steam to naturally release for at least 10 minutes or longer.
- Prepare Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot, dice or shred them into bite-sized pieces, then return them to the pot. Pour in half the can of coconut cream and turn the SAUTE function back on (Normal).
- Make the Slurry: In a separate bowl, add arrowroot flour to the reserved half can of coconut milk and whisk thoroughly with a fork until smooth, creating a slurry.
- Thicken the Soup: Stir the slurry into the soup until fully combined. Stir frequently as the soup begins to simmer and thicken, which will take about 5-8 minutes depending on your preferred consistency. Finally, turn off the SAUTE function by pressing CANCEL and remove the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy your creamy dairy-free chicken corn chowder!
Notes
- Adjust broth quantity to your desired soup thickness; use more for a brothier soup.
- Natural pressure release is essential to retain soup flavor and texture.
- Arrowroot flour ensures a smooth, gluten-free thickening without cloudiness.
- Reserve half the coconut milk for slurry to avoid clumping during thickening.
- For a spicier version, consider adding a pinch of cayenne or chili powder.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and freeze nicely for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken chowder, dairy free chowder, gluten free soup, creamy chicken soup, corn chowder, Instant Pot recipes, healthy comfort food
