In a large Dutch oven, cook diced bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden brown. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.

Add diced yellow onion and celery to the pot, cooking for approximately 3 minutes until softened and translucent.

Stir in fresh corn kernels and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Then, add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in the low sodium chicken broth and raise the heat to medium-high. Add diced russet potatoes, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, dried parsley, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until potatoes start to soften.

Add sliced zucchini and optionally yellow squash to the pot and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes until fork-tender.

Blend about 2 cups of the chowder until smooth, then return to the pot and stir to combine for a creamy texture.

Stir in half and half or whole milk and let simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Allow the chowder to rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving.