Seafood Chowder is a delicious, thick one-pot soup made with simple, real ingredients and tender pieces of shrimp, fish, and scallops.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Seafood Chowder
🕒 Ready In: ~40 minutes
👪 Serves: 8
🍽 Calories: ~320 calories per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Shrimp, fish, potatoes, chicken stock, cream, onion
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free option; made with wholesome, real ingredients
👌 Difficulty: Easy - one-pot simmer with perfectly timed seafood
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The broth is rich and full of flavor without being heavy, thanks to a balance of aromatics, potatoes, seafood stock, and a splash of cream that brings everything together. It's the kind of comforting dinner that tastes like it simmered all afternoon, but comes together quickly enough for a weeknight.
If you love this cold-weather soup, try our Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie Soup, creamy Butternut Squash Soup, or hearty Cheeseburger Soup for more warm, comforting bowls that come together easily.
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Why You'll Love this Seafood Chowder:
Rich and creamy: A smooth, flavorful base with tender potatoes and buttery seafood.
One-pot simplicity: Easy cleanup and minimal prep make this a weeknight-friendly dish.
Customizable seafood mix: Use shrimp, scallops, white fish or whatever you have on hand.
Cozy and satisfying: Perfect for cold nights, dinner parties, or meal prep.
Key Ingredients:
- chicken broth: Use homemade chicken bone broth for the best flavor and healthiest option.
- russet potatoes: Their starchy texture helps thicken the chowder naturally.
- Old Bay seasoning: A classic seafood spice blend with celery salt, paprika, and pepper.
- shrimp, white fish, scallops: Use fresh or thawed-from-frozen. Cut fish into even cubes for uniform cooking.
- heavy cream: Creates a creamy finish, don't boil after adding to avoid curdling.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Use any mix of seafood: Shrimp, white fish, and scallops all work well. You can use just one type or mix whatever you have. Firm white fish like cod, haddock, or halibut hold up best in chowder.
- Swap the stock if needed: Chicken stock gives the best flavor, but vegetable or seafood broth is a good substitute. The chowder will still taste rich once the cream and seafood are added.
- Adjust the thickness: This chowder thickens with a simple flour-and-butter base. For a thicker chowder, simmer a few extra minutes. For a thinner chowder, stir in a splash of broth until you reach the consistency you like.
- Change up the seasoning: Old Bay adds classic seafood flavor, but you can use extra thyme, a small pinch of paprika, or a little more pepper if you prefer a simpler profile.
- Make it lighter or richer: Reduce the heavy cream slightly for a lighter chowder, or add an extra splash to make the broth creamier and more indulgent.
How to Make Seafood Chowder:
- Step 1: In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 2: Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes.
- Step 3: Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring. Add cubed potatoes, thyme, Old Bay, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Step 4: Stir in shrimp, white fish, and scallops.
- Step 5: Simmer for another 5-7 minutes, or until seafood is just cooked through.
- Step 6: Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2-3 more minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Dice the Vegetables Evenly: Uniformly chopping the onion and celery ensures consistent texture and even cooking throughout the chowder.
- Use Starchy Potatoes: Russet potatoes are ideal for chowder, they break down slightly and help naturally thicken the soup.
- Simmer Gently After Adding Seafood: Shrimp, scallops, and white fish cook quickly. Avoid boiling to keep them tender and prevent overcooking.
- Stir in Cream Last: Add the heavy cream at the end and heat gently to avoid curdling or separating.
- Adjust Seasoning at the End: Once the chowder is fully cooked, taste and add more salt, pepper, or Old Bay if needed.
- Chowder Thickens as It Cools: If reheating leftovers, stir in a splash of broth or cream to loosen the consistency.
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How to Store:
Refrigerate: Let the chowder cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat Gently: Warm on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of broth or cream if the chowder has thickened too much.
Do Not Freeze: This chowder is not freezer-friendly due to the cream and seafood, which can separate or become rubbery when thawed.
Seafood Chowder FAQs:
Seafood chowder can turn out thin if the flour and butter mixture (the roux) wasn't cooked long enough or if the soup didn't simmer after adding the broth. Let the chowder cook for a few extra minutes to reduce and thicken. If it's still thin, whisk together a small teaspoon of flour with a splash of broth, then stir it in and simmer again until the consistency improves.
Add the shrimp, white fish, and scallops toward the end of cooking and simmer just until they're opaque and firm, usually only a few minutes. Overcooked seafood becomes rubbery, so it's important to add it after the potatoes are tender and the broth is already thickened.
Separation happens when cream is added over high heat. Lower the heat before pouring in the cream and simmer gently, never boil once dairy is added. The chowder will stay smooth and creamy as long as the temperature remains moderate.
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Seafood Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup celery
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon old bay
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces white fish, cubed
- 8 ounces bay scallops
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
- Add cubed potatoes, thyme, Old Bay, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Stir in shrimp, white fish, and scallops. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes, or until seafood is just cooked through.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2-3 more minutes to heat through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Notes
- Dice the Vegetables Evenly: Uniformly chopping the onion and celery ensures consistent texture and even cooking throughout the chowder.
- Use Starchy Potatoes: Russet potatoes are ideal for chowder, they break down slightly and help naturally thicken the soup.
- Simmer Gently After Adding Seafood: Shrimp, scallops, and white fish cook quickly. Avoid boiling to keep them tender and prevent overcooking.
- Stir in Cream Last: Add the heavy cream at the end and heat gently to avoid curdling or separating.
- Adjust Seasoning at the End: Once the chowder is fully cooked, taste and add more salt, pepper, or Old Bay if needed.
- Chowder Thickens as It Cools: If reheating leftovers, stir in a splash of broth or cream to loosen the consistency.
Kae says
loved this recipe!