Makes about 12 servings When her children were small, Betsy Watts Koch of Brentwood, Tennessee, used to have a Christmas Day party around 4 or 5 in the afternoon “to give us all something to do when the Christmas morning present buzz wore off,” she says. “Our children were in single digits then, and we invited families with children to hang out with us. One of the great things about having a party on Christmas Day is that people expect a certain amount of post-present clutter, so having a spotless house doesn’t really matter.” The party started as a chili party, but evolved into a three-soup party as the children grew. The chili and soups stayed on the stove on low, and guests served themselves one or more. The Christmas meal ended with a birthday cake for baby Jesus “complete with candles,” says Koch. Football was watched, beer and wine consumed, children played, and parents talked and laughed.
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 ½ sweet onions, diced, or 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen chopped onions
4 cups corn cut from 5 ears, or 1 (2-pound) bag frozen corn
1 (24-ounce) bag frozen diced potatoes
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely diced, or to taste
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chilies
1 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken broth, or to taste
1 ½ cups half-and-half or heavy cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
½ to 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon (8 to 16 slices)
3 tablespoons cornmeal or masa mixed with ¼ cup water, optional
Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the corn and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, chipotles, and green chilies, and mix well. Stir in the broth, cream, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the bacon.
Add the cornmeal and water mixture to thicken the soup. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. If the chowder needs more thickening, add another tablespoon of cornmeal mixed with water. Cook for 10 minutes longer.
Makes about 12 servings