Creamy Chicken and Potato Chowder

Name: Creamy Chicken and Potato Chowder
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 slices (113 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter; 1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 3 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery ribs, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour; 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warm; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk; 1½ lb (2 large breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, left whole; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; 1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf; 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste (4 g) kosher salt; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, spoon-coating chowder with tender poached chicken breast, buttery Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots and celery in a cream-enriched broth, finished with crisp bacon and chives. Everything cooks in one pot in about 75 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 2.5 quarts (2.4 L), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

4 slices (113 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
3 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery ribs, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warm
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1½ lb (2 large breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat, left whole
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste (4 g) kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (6)

5½- to 6-quart (5–6 L) Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
Wooden spoon
Cutting board and chef's knife
Instant-read thermometer
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Cut the vegetables and potatoes to the sizes listed so everything cooks at the same rate.
Keep the potato cubes in a bowl of cold water until needed, then drain well, so they don't brown.
Use a heavy 5½- to 6-quart pot; a thin pot scorches milk-based soups easily.
Never let the chowder boil once the milk and cream are in. A gentle simmer keeps it smooth.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onion, carrots and celery into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces and mince the garlic.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes.
- Cut the bacon into ½-inch pieces.
- Trim any visible fat from the chicken breasts.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
Tip: Uniform cuts matter most for the potatoes, since they should be tender at the same time the chicken is done.
2
Render the bacon
- Set a 5½- to 6-quart pot over medium heat.
- Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined plate.
- Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot and discard the rest.
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Ready when: Bacon is deep golden and crisp, and the fat is liquid and clear.
Tip: If the bacon browns faster than it renders, lower the heat slightly so the fat doesn't burn.
3
Soften the vegetables
- Add the butter to the bacon fat.
- When it melts, add the onion, carrots, celery and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, the carrots have started to give slightly, and the garlic smells fragrant but is not browned.
Tip: Don't let the vegetables brown; a pale chowder base tastes cleaner and looks better.
4
Cook the flour
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables.
- Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes so the flour coats everything and cooks off its raw taste.
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Ready when: No dry white flour is visible, and the mixture looks pasty and smells slightly toasty.
5
Add liquids and potatoes
- Pour in the broth about 1 cup at a time, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot after each addition so no lumps form.
- Stir in the milk.
- Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaf and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- Nestle the whole chicken breasts into the liquid so they are submerged.
- Raise the heat and bring to a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break the surface slowly and the liquid has thickened slightly.
Tip: Stir frequently while it heats. Milk and flour tend to stick and scorch on the bottom.
6
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to low so the surface barely bubbles.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring gently once or twice.
- Check the thickest part of a chicken breast with an instant-read thermometer, and pierce a potato cube with a fork.
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Ready when: Chicken reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part and potatoes slip off a fork easily.
Tip: A hard boil makes chicken tough and can cause the milk to separate. Keep the simmer gentle.
7
Shred the chicken
- Lift the chicken onto a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Fish out and discard the bay leaf.
- Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.
- Meanwhile, press a few potato cubes (about ¼ of them) against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon to thicken the chowder.
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Ready when: Chicken pulls apart easily with no pink; the chowder looks creamier and thicker.
Tip: Shred the chicken while it is still warm; it pulls apart more easily.
8
Finish with cream
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Pour in the cold cream and stir.
- Heat over low for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until hot throughout.
- Season with black pepper and more salt to taste, starting with ¼ teaspoon at a time.
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Ready when: Steam rises from the surface and the chowder coats the back of a spoon; it is not boiling.
Tip: Don't let it boil after the cream goes in. If it is thicker than you like, thin with a splash of broth or milk.
9
Serve
- Ladle the chowder into warm bowls.
- Top each with the crisp bacon and a sprinkle of chives.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: Add the bacon at the table so it stays crisp.

Good to know

Tips

Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape yet partly break down for natural thickening; russets will crumble and make the soup grainier.
Poaching the chicken whole in the soup keeps it moist and flavors the broth.
Add the salt in stages, since bacon and broth both contribute salt.
For a thicker chowder, mash more potato; for a thinner one, add broth ¼ cup at a time.

Make ahead

"Make the chowder through step 7 up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate (keep the bacon and chives separate). Reheat gently over low heat, then add the cream and finish as in step 8."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: not recommended, because potatoes turn grainy and the cream can separate. Reheat over low heat, stirring often, with a splash of milk or broth to loosen it; do not boil."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Same weight; simmer 20 to 25 minutes until they reach at least 165°F (74°C). They stay juicier and richer.
heavy cream → half-and-half. Gives a lighter chowder that is slightly thinner; use the same amount.
thick-cut bacon → 1 extra tablespoon butter plus ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Skip the render step and sauté the vegetables in 2 tablespoons butter total; you'll lose the crisp topping.
dried thyme → 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves. Add with the cream at the end for brighter flavor.