Snow Day Soup Recipe

Introduction

Snow Day Soup is a warm, hearty dish perfect for chilly days. Loaded with tender potatoes, chicken, corn, and crispy bacon, this comforting soup comes together easily in an Instant Pot or slow cooker. It’s the ideal meal to cozy up with when the weather outside is frightful.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 Tbsp bacon grease
• ½ cup diced onion
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 20 ounces peeled and cubed Russet potatoes
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 2 cups chopped, cooked rotisserie chicken
• 3 cups milk
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup cold water (for cornstarch slurry)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook the bacon slices until crisp and crumble them. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease for cooking the onions.
2. Step 2: For Instant Pot: Set to sauté; when hot, add bacon grease and diced onion. Sauté for 3 minutes. For slow cooker: Sauté the onion in bacon grease in a pan over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes, then transfer to slow cooker.
3. Step 3: Add chicken broth to the pot or slow cooker. For Instant Pot, scrape the bottom to prevent sticking and then turn off sauté mode.
4. Step 4: Stir in cubed potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, frozen corn, and chopped chicken.
5. Step 5: For Instant Pot: Secure lid, set valve to sealing, cook on SOUP setting for 4 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes, then vent. For slow cooker: Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until potatoes are fork-tender.
6. Step 6: Temper the milk by slowly mixing a cup of hot soup into it, then add it back into the pot or slow cooker.
7. Step 7: In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth. For Instant Pot: Set to sauté and stir in slurry. Heat and stir for 5-10 minutes until thickened. For slow cooker: Stir slurry in and cook on high without lid for 15-20 minutes until thick.
8. Step 8: Serve the soup in bowls topped with crumbled bacon.

Tips & Variations

• Use leftover rotisserie chicken for a quick protein addition or swap with cooked turkey.
• For a creamier soup, substitute half the milk with heavy cream.
• Add chopped fresh herbs like parsley or thyme for extra flavor.
• Use smoked paprika instead of red pepper flakes for a milder smoky heat.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If soup thickens too much after reheating, thin with a little milk or broth.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this soup without the bacon?

Yes, you can omit the bacon for a vegetarian-friendly version. Use olive oil or butter for sautéing the onions to add flavor instead of bacon grease.

Can I freeze Snow Day Soup?

Snow Day Soup can be frozen, but the texture of the potatoes and milk-based broth may change slightly after thawing. If freezing, store in airtight containers and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stove.

Snow Day Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 143 reviews

• Author: Harry
• Total Time: 30 minutes (Instant Pot) / 4 hours 10 minutes (Slow Cooker)
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

Snow Day Soup is a comforting and hearty chicken and potato soup enriched with corn, seasoned with a blend of spices, and thickened with cornstarch. Topped with crispy bacon crumbles, this soup can be quickly prepared using an Instant Pot or slowly simmered in a slow cooker for a warming, satisfying meal perfect for chilly days.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 Tbsp bacon grease
• ½ cup diced onion
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 20 ounces peeled and cubed Russet potatoes
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 2 cups chopped, cooked rotisserie chicken
• 3 cups milk
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch

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Instructions

1. Cook Bacon: Cook 4 slices of bacon until crisp, ideally using an air fryer for even texture. Crumble cooked bacon and set aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
2. Sauté Onion: Using the Instant Pot’s sauté setting, heat the bacon grease and sauté ½ cup diced onion for 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
3. Add Broth: Pour 3 cups chicken broth into the Instant Pot, scraping the bottom to deglaze and prevent sticking. Turn off the sauté mode.
4. Add Veggies and Chicken: Add cubed potatoes, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, frozen corn, and chopped rotisserie chicken into the pot.
5. Pressure Cook Soup: Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on the SOUP setting for 4 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release by letting it sit for 5 minutes before venting the valve to release remaining pressure.
6. Temper Milk: Pour 1 cup of the hot soup into 3 cups of milk to temper it, then combine the mixture back into the pot to avoid curdling.
7. Make Cornstarch Slurry and Thicken: Stir 3 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water until smooth. Turn Instant Pot to sauté and stir in the slurry, cooking and stirring for 5-10 minutes until the soup thickens.
8. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon.
9. Alternative Slow Cooker Method – Sauté Onion: Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon grease and onion; sauté for 3 minutes until translucent. Transfer to the slow cooker.
10. Slow Cooker Adding Ingredients: Add chicken broth, cubed potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, corn, and chicken to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until potatoes are tender.
11. Temper Milk: Pour 1 cup hot soup into 3 cups milk and stir well, then add the milk mixture into the slow cooker.
12. Thicken Soup: Mix cornstarch and cold water, then stir slurry into the slow cooker. Cook on high without lid for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
13. Serve Slow Cooker Soup: Ladle into bowls and top with bacon crumbles.

Notes

• Using the Instant Pot provides a speedy method with great depth of flavor while slow cooker method offers convenience and tender potatoes.
• Tempering the milk before adding prevents curdling and ensures a smooth texture.
• Adjust red pepper flakes to control heat level according to preference.
• Russet potatoes are preferred for their starchy texture which thickens the soup nicely.
• Substitute milk with half-and-half or cream for a richer soup.
• The bacon grease adds smoky flavor; substitute with butter if preferred.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes (Instant Pot) / 4 hours (Slow Cooker)
• Category: Soup
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Snow Day Soup, chicken potato soup, bacon soup, cornstarch thickened soup, instant pot soup, slow cooker soup, comfort food