18 June 2015

Chicken Chowder

Chicken Chowder / www.delightfulrepast.com

My husband (Mr. Delightful) must really be getting into this whole food blogging thing. I told him we were having chicken soup for dinner. When he dug into it he said "This is great! You're going to blog it, right? What are you going to call it, chicken chowder?" 

This from a man who reads only my food blog, no food magazines or cookbooks, no food shows. What could I say but "Never heard of it. Sounds good to me." He does not like dark meat chicken, so I used chicken breast; but you could use thighs just as well.


Chicken Chowder / www.delightfulrepast.com


I usually make a clear, brothy chicken soup; but for some reason I went thick, but not too thick. The word "chowder" didn't even occur to me because I hate clam chowder and don't ever make it, even for other people. All you need is some great bread to make a meal of this soup; choose one from the Delightful Repast Recipes index page.

What is your favorite soup? Do you eat soup all year round as I do, or is it something you reserve for the cold months? 


Chicken Chowder / www.delightfulrepast.com

Couldn't resist serving it in my cute little Le Creuset cast iron mini cocottes!

Chicken Chowder

(Makes 6 Servings)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound (454 grams) boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons  (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter
8 ounces (227 grams) cremini mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium stalks celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/3 dip-and-sweep cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
More butter or oil, if needed at this point
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 milliliters) milk
1/3 cup (2.67 fluid ounces/79 milliliters) heavy cream
4 cups (32 fluid ounces/946 milliliters) lower-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 In large pot (I use a 5.5-quart Dutch/French oven), heat oil and stir-fry chicken pieces until lightly browned, salting and peppering* lightly, about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

* I measure out the salt and pepper into two tiny prep bowls and use them throughout the recipe.

2 Add butter to pot and cook mushrooms, salting and peppering lightly, about 5 minutes. Add to chicken in bowl.

3 Add onion, carrot and celery and a bit of the salt and pepper to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add thyme and marjoram. Stir in flour, adding a bit more butter or oil if needed to incorporate the flour, cooking for 2 minutes.

4 Stir in sherry, milk and cream. Cook for a few minutes. Stir in chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and mushrooms, and continue simmering for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5 Ladle soup into six bowls. Garnish each with about a teaspoon of chopped parsley.

Disclosure: ThermoWorks provided the timer and kitchen kit for review purposes and for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Jean

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50 comments:

Cranberry Morning said...

This looks fantastic, Jean. I only like white meat too, like Mr. D. But lOVE clam chowder, at least my own. Lol I'll have to try this. Chowder even in summer months, if a bit chilly, is perfect!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Judy! Be sure to let me know how you like it.

Lorrie said...

This sounds delicious. I love soup all year round. There's something so satisfying and comforting about soup and bread.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Lorrie. I agree!

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

CHICKEN SOUP?…I thought that was medicine. Rx for a cold or what ails you. In any case, thanks for the prescription. Looks very substantive in the picture. My fave soup? Changes. Currently I’ve been buying slabs of Black Forest ham from Whole Foods, cutting into chunks, tossing into pea soup and then adding Ritz crackers with HeartSmart on them, one at a time, approximately 8 seconds before fishing them out to eat at the moment of perfect saturation. HINT: the 8 seconds are what it takes to quarter them with a spoon as they float there looking like butter islands.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sully, I love pea soup with ham! I prefer my homemade sourdough bread toasted on the griddle with butter on both sides (as pictured) to crackers, but if I were going to use crackers I'd definitely try your 8-second method. Nothing worse than soggy crackers.

Amy at love made my home said...

I love chowders of all kinds, so I am sure that I would like this! Only soup in winter though really - well and autumn! It is so funny about your husband, mine things that I am going to blog about everything too! My husband doesn't read my - or any other - blog though! xx

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Amy, Mr. Love should check out your blog *occasionally* just to make sure you're not talking about him!:D

Jamie said...

Never heard of a Chicken Chowder before - it looks great!! Pinning this to try one night!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jamie, thanks! Let me know how you like it!

Brandyn Blaze said...

This looks delicious! Bookmarking to try later!! #MommaToldMe

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Brandyn. Today I was wishing I'd made a double batch!

Angie's Recipes said...

This looks very comforting and delicious. I like to make soup with chicken breast, but usually in a cream version. Must give this one a try soon.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Angie, thanks! It would go great with one of your breads made with special grains.

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Hi Jean! Your chicken chowder is something that I would love to make. All the flavors sound delightful! Hmmmm...I have several favorite soups. One of them is Pasta Fagiloli Soup, and another is Lasagna Soup. Of course, chicken noodle soup is one that is so comforting any time.
Thank you for your visit to my blog and your sweet comments. Happy weekend to you!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Kitty! And the favorites you mentioned sound wonderful too. I'm just a big soup fan.

My Garden Diaries said...

Pinning this now!!! And how sweet that your husband gets excited about your space here! I do a basic chicken noodle soup so this is a welcome change! Happy making friend! Nicole xo

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Nicole, thanks so much! I like to make chicken noodle for sick friends (we motherless women have to mother each other!).

Lucy @ Bake Play Smile said...

Yum! This looks great! Gotta love when your hubby gets in on the blogging action too! xx

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Lucy. Yes, my husband is always very supportive of my endeavors. :-)

Stephanie said...

Your chicken chowder sounds delicious, Jean! I enjoy soup all year round and in fact had chicken tortilla soup just the other night :)

The story of your husband getting into blogging made me smile :) My mom started a blog over a year ago and now my dad is helping her with pictures and really getting into it as well....it's fun to see their team work.

Thanks for sharing this with Roses of Inspiration. I love having your sweet self at the party. Happy Weekend!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Stephanie, thank you, my sweet bloggy friend! If my mom were alive, she wouldn't start a blog but she'd have so much fun with mine. Your parents sound fun -- I'll have to check out their blog!

Maureen | Orgasmic Chef said...

Chicken chowder is the perfect title for this soup. I love thick soups!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Well, Maureen, I'll tell Mr. Delightful you said so! It does sound more appealing than his Chicken and Corn Flakes name!

Margaret D said...

Looks wonderful, best it tastes just the best..

Dannielle from Zamamabakes said...

Jean this sounds so good. I'm not a fan of seafood chowders either but chicken the white meat is a whole other story!
Love your husbands comment.
Thanks for joining in with our Fabulous Foodie Fridays fun.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, whiteangel!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Dannielle, glad I'm not the only un-fan of seafood chowders!

TONY said...

Marjoram, thyme and parsley! I like your use of herbs, Jean, and love the flavour they add to food. I did think chowder was exclusively a fish stew but being creative with the concept is great. "Mr Delightful," is that right???!!!!ha! ha! Your husband sounds as though he has a good sense of humour.

GiGi Eats Celebrities said...

I could CERTAINLY dive into a bowl of this stuff! :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tony. Yes, Mr. Delightful has a wonderful sense of humour; he's just wonderful, period!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

GiGi, thanks. Wish I could dive into a bowl of it right now!

Swathi said...

Looks delicious Jean, love to try it in cold winter days, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop. pinning and tweeting.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Swathi!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jean, So hearty and delicious sounding. Beautiful photos as always.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Mildred! Finally took a few pictures of the cat recently; otherwise, the only thing I ever photograph is food!

TexWisGirl said...

i'd say, mr. delightful has good taste. :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Theresa! I like to think so! ;-)

Michelle said...

I LOVE soup. All kinds of soup. In fact we had white bean and escarole soup tonight. I can eat it year round, although I do make it more in the fall and winter. Your chicken chowder looks absolutely delicious!

Brooks said...

I don't eat soup year round. My region of Northern California is seeing mercury past the hundred mark, so summer soup doesn't make the menu until Ma Nature brings a chill in the air. You've got a lovely looking dish which I'll revisit in the fall.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Michelle! I love bean soups of all kinds, with and without escarole.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

You might be right, Brooks. Soup might not be the best thing to have when the temperature is in the triple digits!

Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic said...

I definitely eat soup year round too and chicken chowder sounds delicious!

Sippity Sup said...

Chicken Chowder sounds like a delicious alliteration. GREG

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Bianca!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Greg, I know! I almost called it Chunky Chicken Chowder.

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Does look yummy! Had to laugh about your hubby asking. My hubby says cute things like that about my blogging now and then as well. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jann! It's nice that they take an interest, isn't it?

Miz Helen said...

Your Chicken Chowder would be fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing your post with Full Plate Thursday and have a great day!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Miz Helen! I will (come back soon)!