Tex-Mex Corn Chowder

If you’re looking for a quick and easy soup to take the chill off, this one should hit the spot. Love corn chowder, but want something a little more unexpected? Serve it up Tex-Mex style. What I love most about this chowder is how versatile it is. Want more heat? Use a spicier picante sauce, or add some chili peppers. Want to make it a meal, rather than a side dish? Add some cooked chicken and serve with cornbread. You can even add black beans to make it even heartier. I made it without the additions, because I was serving it alongside a Southwest burrito, which already had those extra ingredients. (I’ll post that recipe tomorrow.) You can easily adapt this recipe to the crock pot. Combine everything except cream cheese and milk in the crock pot, cook for several hours, then add the cream cheese mixture and milk about 1 hour before ready to serve. This even freezes well, in case you want to make a double batch to serve at a later time. This recipe has it all:  ease in preparation, versatility, unexpected taste, creamy texture and a nice little kick. Don’t worry about the heat being too much for the kids. If you use mild picante sauce, the heat will be subtle enough for the little ones. With more snow expected in the forecast, this may just be the perfect week to serve up a bowl of this Tex-Mex Corn Chowder.

Too many onions in photo; 1 or 2 small onions will be ample

Chop onions.

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, sauté onions in butter. You may want to cut back on the onions, as there is already quite a bit in the salsa. I ended up using 2 very small onions, but even 1 small would have sufficed. 

Stir in cornstarch, chili powder, and cumin. 

Add corn, picante sauce and chicken stock (or broth). Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Place cream cheese in a small bowl. Measure out about 1/2 cup of hot soup mixture and ladle over the cream cheese. 

Using a spoon (or fork), stir well to soften and blend. (You want to temper the cream cheese before adding to the soup, to avoid any unappetizing curdling.)

Add cream cheese mixture saucepan of soup. Next, add milk. Stir until well blended. If necessary, thicken more with a small mixture of cornstarch and milk. 

Heat over low heat, stirring often, until cheese is fully melted. Do not let mixture come to a boil. Serve immediately. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

TEX MEX CORN CHOWDER
Source: All Recipes
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, plus more if needed to thicken
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 package (16-ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed   
• 2 cups thick and chunky picante sauce, mild or medium
• 1 can (14.5-ounces) chicken broth, or 14 ounces of chicken stock
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup milk
• Sour cream, for garnish (optional)
• Cilantro, for garnish (optional)

   
DIRECTIONS.

1. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, sauté onions in butter. Stir in cornstarch, chili powder, and
    cumin. Add corn, picante sauce, and broth. Bring to boil; remove from heat.
2. Put cream cheese in small bowl. Gradually add 1/2 cup hot mixture to cream cheese. Stir until
    blended.
3. Add cream cheese mixture and milk to saucepan, stirring until well blended. If necessary, thicken
    more with a small mixture of cornstarch and milk. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until cheese
    is melted. Do not let mixture come to a boil. Serve immediately. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro
    if desired.

Yield: 6 servings
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes