Sweet slow cooker corn chowder with savory bacon bits and fresh chives on top makes a delicious light dinner or cozy lunch at the start of soup season. Make it with fresh or frozen corn all year round.
Add the diced potato and onion to the bowl of a slow cooker.
Use a large chef knife to cut the kernels from the ears of corn. Set the kernels from 1 cob in a small bowl and scrape the remaining kernels into the slow cooker.
Use the back of the chef knife to scrape along the cobs of corn to release all the thick starch and remaining bits of kernels. Add this to the slowcooker as well.
Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the mixture. Pour in the chicken stock and stir until everything is well mixed.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the crockpot. It should be mostly blended but bits of corn kernel and chunks of potato can be left for texture.
Add the lime juice and heavy cream and stir. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Let the cream warm through a minute and then ladle the soup into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and the reserved corn from earlier.