Chicken Chowder
This chunky, creamy chowder recipe is a bowl full of comfort, packed with chicken and veggies in a rich sauce! It's ideal for calorie counting or slimming plans like Weight Watchers.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories255
- Carbs32g
- Protein24g
- Fat2.8g
- Saturates0.7g
- Sugars9.3g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
Chowder is a creamy recipe that’s popular in New England, USA. Inspired by the American dish, we wanted to create our own version (without the seafood) and with way less calories! Our chowder recipe uses lots of vegetables and chicken to make a hearty, filling soup that’s slimming friendly.
Traditionally chowder would use cream, so we’ve used a combination of skimmed milk and low fat cream cheese instead – it’s still deliciously rich and creamy. It’s the perfect go-to recipe if you need warming up or you’re feeling a little under the weather. Garnish with chives and serve with warm, crusty bread – it’s so comforting!
What diets is this Chicken Chowder suitable for?
Chicken Chowder can be enjoyed on gluten free diets, as long as you substitute the chicken stock cube for a suitable alternative.
If you’re cooking for people with allergies, be extra careful when checking ingredients and preparing food!
Do you need any special ingredients to make Chicken Chowder?
There’s nothing but simple ingredients in this Chicken Chowder recipe! A large saucepan with a lid is one bit of kitchen equipment that would make cooking it easier.
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‘Gorgeous and so easy. Love mopping all the sauce up with delicious fresh bread’
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A large saucepan with a lid is always handy for soups and stews!
Salt and black pepper is essential. These mills are super stylish!
How many calories are in this Chicken Chowder?
There are 255 calories per portion in this Chicken Chowder, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
This Chicken Chowder is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers. As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Spray a large saucepan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 2
Add the chicken and bacon and cook for 4 – 5 minutes to seal on all sides.
Step 3
Add the potatoes, leek, celery, chicken stock, milk, sweetcorn and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Step 4
Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft but remain chunky.
Step 5
Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese until completely dissolved. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve with some crusty bread of your choice.
What could I serve with this Chicken Chowder?
Our Chicken Chowder is really filling and a meal in itself, but also works really well when served with any of the following accompaniments:
How do you know when Chicken Chowder is cooked?
You should cook this Chicken Chowder until the chicken is cooked through and no pinkness remains. This will take around 30 minutes simmering at a low heat.
To keep your family safe, the advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes.
How long can you keep Chicken Chowder in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Chicken Chowder in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Chicken Chowder?
Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat Chicken Chowder?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and then reheat in a covered saucepan over a low heat for roughly 10 minutes until piping hot throughout.
To use a microwave, allow to defrost and heat up in a bowl loosely covered with cling film for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Chicken Chowder
This chunky, creamy chowder recipe is a bowl full of comfort, packed with chicken and veggies in a rich sauce! Great for calorie counting.
-
Prep Time
10 MINS
-
Cook Time
40 MINS
- KCals 255
- Carbs 32G
Instructions
- Spray a large saucepan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes to seal on all sides.
- Add the potatoes, leek, celery, chicken stock, milk, sweetcorn and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft but remain chunky.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese until completely dissolved. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve with some crusty bread of your choice.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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We agreed with Slimming World to remove their trademarked terms from our website
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10 comments
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AnnieFriday 17th November 2023
Could you do this in the slow cooker?
Cheryl LloydThursday 8th February 2024
This article has some good information about converting recipes for a slow cooker 😊
https://pinchofnom.com/how-to-convert-recipes-to-a-slow-cooker/
Linda JohnstonSaturday 5th November 2022
Hi, can this soup be frozen?
SharonTuesday 8th November 2022
Hi Linda, yes, you can freeze our Chicken Chowder. Recipes that can be frozen have a blue freezer badge just under the main image at the top of the page. Hope that helps.
DebbyWednesday 16th March 2022
Can I make this with salmon? And if yes how would that effect the calories x
HollyFriday 18th March 2022
Hey Debby, you can swap the chicken for salmon and adjust the calories accordingly we have a guide HERE. We also have a Fish Chowder recipe in our Comfort Food book. Hope that helps!
LeeannWednesday 9th February 2022
Will the final mixture be runny as I’d prefer a thicker consistency?
HollyWednesday 9th February 2022
Hey Leeann, chowder is thicker and has chunkier consistency than a regular broth like soup so it shouldn’t be too runny. We have an article HERE that talks through how to thicken soups which you might find helpful if it’s not quite to your taste, hope that helps!
Annemarie LingTuesday 8th February 2022
I’m allergic to cheese. Is there something else I can substitute for it in your recipes. Thanks.
HollyTuesday 8th February 2022
Hey Annemarie, there are lots of dairy free and vegan substitutes for the cream cheese in our recipes. Brands such as Violife or Oat-ly do dairy free versions and there are lactose free versions such as Arla and Philadelphia. Hope that helps!
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