Chicken and Sausage Chowder
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cook Time: About 45 minutes
Tips: For a more decorative green onion garnish, slice onions diagonally.
Suggestion: Delicious topped with croutons and served with garnishes of chopped parsley and sliced green onions.
Chowder is so warm and satisfying, and doesn't always have to be about seafood! Chowder is much like a stew, though is traditionally made with milk or cream and is almost always made with chunks of potatoes. Though clam chowder, fish chowder (or seafood chowder) and corn chowder are probably the most well-known types of chowder recipes, chowder can actually be made with most any variety of ingredients. This Chicken and Sausage Chowder recipe features chunks of chicken breast, sweet Italian sausage (chunked or sliced), chunks of potatoes and chopped onions. The combination of flavors work wonderfully together, and taste even better
topped with some croutons or soup crackers and some garnishes of chopped parsley and sliced green onions.
Chicken and Sausage Chowder is easy to prepare and cooks in a short time - about 45 minutes. You can cook your own chicken breast using any cooking method you prefer, such as broiling, boiling, baking or frying in a skillet. For a quicker method, you can either tear off chunks of chicken from a precooked rotisserie chicken (found in most grocery stores) or use canned chicken breast. As for the Italian sausage, depending on your own personal preference, you can make this chowder with crumbly chunks of sausage or sliced cooked sausage. To make this chowder with chunks of Italian sausage (as shown in the photo), simply remove the sausage from the casings and cook the meat in skillet, crumbling into bite-size pieces while it cooks (about 7-10 minutes). If you prefer sliced pieces of Italian sausage, simply leave the sausage in their casings and cook them according to package directions then slice into bite-size pieces once their cooked. I assure you, both methods will taste fabulous! Lastly, as with most other soups and chowders, this Chicken and Sausage Chowder tastes just as fabulous reheated after storing leftovers in the fridge.
Chicken and Sausage Chowder is easy to prepare and cooks in a short time - about 45 minutes. You can cook your own chicken breast using any cooking method you prefer, such as broiling, boiling, baking or frying in a skillet. For a quicker method, you can either tear off chunks of chicken from a precooked rotisserie chicken (found in most grocery stores) or use canned chicken breast. As for the Italian sausage, depending on your own personal preference, you can make this chowder with crumbly chunks of sausage or sliced cooked sausage. To make this chowder with chunks of Italian sausage (as shown in the photo), simply remove the sausage from the casings and cook the meat in skillet, crumbling into bite-size pieces while it cooks (about 7-10 minutes). If you prefer sliced pieces of Italian sausage, simply leave the sausage in their casings and cook them according to package directions then slice into bite-size pieces once their cooked. I assure you, both methods will taste fabulous! Lastly, as with most other soups and chowders, this Chicken and Sausage Chowder tastes just as fabulous reheated after storing leftovers in the fridge.
Recipe▼
Ingredients
- Chowder
- 1 lb. sweet Italian sausages (chicken, pork, turkey or other meat)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups peeled potatoes cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups heavy cream, divided
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and torn or cut into bite-size pieces
- Garnishes (optional)
- croutons or soup crackers
- 1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Chowder
Cook Italian sausage in one of two ways: 1) Cook sausage in casings according to package directions, then slice into 1/2-inch chunks, or 2) Squeeze sausage out of casings into a skillet and lightly brown over medium-low heat, constanly stirring and breaking up into bite-size chunks (about 7-10 minutes) until no pink is left. Drain any excess grease. Place cooked sausage in a bowl and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm while preparing chowder.
Melt butter in a 5-quart soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and bay leaf. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until tender (about 5-7 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir in potatoes, then cover and cook over low-medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Immediately reduce heat. Add chicken and sausage and partially cover. Simmer just until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). (Tip: To test tenderness, pierce a couple potato chunks with tines of a fork.)
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream, making a paste. Set aside. Stir remaining 1 1/2 cups cream into soup and return to a simmer. Slowly cornstarch and cream mixture into chicken broth, whisking or stirring constantly until thoroughly blended in. Return chowder to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minmutes, or until thickened and thoroughly heated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If desired, garnish with croutons or soup crackers, sliced green onions and chopped parsley.
