Chunky Chicken & Mushroom Chowder

Submitted by skat5762

"Just say NO to canned soups! (Courtesy of the Oakshire Mushroom Farm folks)"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
• 1 (1 1/4 lb) whole bone-in chicken breasts
• 2 cups ready-to-serve chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 6 red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into one inch chunks
• 1 carrot, cut into 1/4 slices
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

directions

1. In a 3 quart pot, bring chicken breast, broth, and water to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.
3. Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside the pot with the broth.
4. Remove and discard chicken skin and bones.
5. Tear chicken meat into large pieces; set aside.
6. To the broth in the pot, add potatoes, carrot, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, the thyme, and black pepper.
7. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
8. Add milk, cream, mushrooms, and the reserved chicken meat.
9. Bring to a boil.
10. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.
11. Taste and add the remaining salt if needed, along with the Worcestershire sauce.
12. Serve with crusty French bread.

Reviews

[Polar Bear]

I was in a hurry to fix a meal on a very cold winter night when I chanced on this chowder at Zaar, the ingredients of which I had at hand. It was too cold to go to the grocery and buy some more ingredients for any other recipe and the snow was very deep. While the vegetables were simmering, I thought something was lacking. For my family, the best chicken soup or chowder always has onions or scallions which are a bit sweet, rather than the red Asian or Spanish onions. Hence, I added scallions. As I had no ready-made chicken broth, I mixed a little grilled fish leftover from last night, a trick I learned from my grandmother (a little fish and onions). I also did not remove the chicken meat from the broth, but returned it to the broth after tearing it apart because it gives a full-bodied, richer taste to the soup. Dont forget to return the chicken bones too, they enhance the taste of the soup. I boiled the chicken for 1 hour for an honest-to-goodness traditional chicken broth together with the bones. I hate heavy cream in chowders as I am trying to lose weight. Rather I used a combination of leftover instant potato puree and fresh milk. The Worcestershire sauce was a good addition to the end. I also added basil aside from thyme because herbs in chicken chowder is always good on a cold winter night. All in all, this is a good one. Thanks for sharing. I´ll make this again! To those who read this review, try doing it my way, your families will love you for it :)))

 

[Roosie]

First off, let me say that I made a couple minor substitutions- I used a boneless, skinless chicken breast and compensated for the lack of bones by going ahead and using 3 cups homemade chicken broth. I also used 3 smallish Russets rather than red potatoes, because that's what I had. And let me say, quickly, that I substitute Russets for other potatoes called for in recipes often (I don't usually have more than a couple varities of potato on-hand) and never experienced any real problems with this substitution. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. Overall, I found it a little bland. The chicken didn't have much flavor itself- perhaps some herbs and the carrots could be added to the broth while the chicken is simmering? I quartered (well, sixthed, but used chunks not slices) the mushrooms seemed a little raw and ended up a bit chewy, even after I tried the soup reheated a day later. Whether quartered or sliced, I think that the mushrooms would have benefited greatly from being softened up and cooked a bit first by sauteeing them in some butter or oil. I really would have liked to have a few more vegetables in here- some celery maybe? An onion, sauteed with the mushroom? Garlic? A leek? It just needed something other than just a bit of carrot. I think it would benefit from some more spices as well- oh, thyme is mentioned in the directions, but not in the ingredients! I added about 1 tsp dried, but I really wasn't sure what was intended. Rosemary or basil might be good additions too. Sorry, S'kat, I normally love your recipes, but wasn't very impressed by this one. I liked the combination of mushrooms and chicken and I think the worchestershire sauce was a great touch, but overall I think the recipe is lacking.