Best Cheesy Chicken Chowder
Submitted by eileenstwin
Best cheesy chicken chowder simmers tender chicken with potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions in a velvety sharp cheddar bechamel. Hearty crowd-feeding soup with a soy sauce twist for depth.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsBest cheesy chicken chowder is the cozy bowl that brings together two classic soups, chicken soup and creamy cheese soup, into one full-meal chowder. Tender diced potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion simmer in chicken broth, then meet a silky milk-and-flour bechamel enriched with sharp cheddar.
A tablespoon of soy sauce is the secret. It seems out of place but adds a deep umami backbone that makes the soup taste like it cooked for hours instead of one.
The two-pot method matters here. Cooking the vegetables in broth separately means they keep their bite, while the bechamel comes together in its own clean pot without scorching on a vegetable-laden bottom.
Kitchen Tips
- Dice all vegetables to the same size so they cook evenly. Roughly ½ inch cubes work well.
- Stir the milk in slowly when building the bechamel. Cold milk poured into hot roux turns lumpy.
- Sharp cheddar cheese spread melts more smoothly than block cheddar. If using block, grate it fine and stir in off the heat.
- Don’t let it boil after the cheese goes in. High heat breaks dairy-based soups into a curdled mess.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the broth and the vegetables in a large sauce pan.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over low heat.
Add the flour, stirring until smooth.
Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
Gradually stir in the vegetable mixture, soy sauce, cheese and chicken.
Cook until the cheese melts and the soup is thoroughly heated.
Makes 2½ quarts.
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