Seafood Chowder

Enjoy a piping hot bowl of homemade Seafood Chowder whenever you are craving comfort food. A rich creamy broth is packed full of scallops, shrimp, clams and sardines. Serve with some bread or buns for an easy weeknight meal.

I was born a fish and seafood lover. Seafood chowder is one of my favourite soups. I mean what’s not to love? It’s creamy and thick, filling enough to satisfy your appetite and is packed full of delicious ingredients. 

This post is sponsored by Club Des Millionnaires. All opinions expressed on this blog are my own.

I use a secret ingredient in my seafood chowder: sardines! I know it may not be traditionally used in a seafood chowder recipe, but trust me, it’s really good! I use Club Des Millionnaires Wild Brisling Sardines in Olive Oil with excellent results! My taste testers all approve and give a big thumbs up.

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I’m a big fan of Club Des Millionnaires products. They are a Canadian brand that’s been around for a very long time. Since 1908! They offer a selection of hand-packed premium sardines and anchovies. 

If you haven’t tried sardines before, do it! Club Des Millionnaires Wild Brisling Sardines in Olive Oil are so yummy and can be used in a wide variety of recipes like my Sardine Fried Rice.

Why You’ll Love This Seafood Chowder

• Easy recipe that seafood lovers will crave
• Hearty, flavourful and with a rich creamy base
• Perfect soup for cold weather days
• Secret ingredient adds delicious smoky flavor and a natural source of omega-3s
• Great weeknight meal made from scratch

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card can be found at the bottom of the post.

• Unsalted butter 
• Sweet onion 
• Celery
• Fresh thyme
• All-purpose flour – I use flour to thicken the broth.
• Chicken broth
• Russet potatoes – They are sometimes called Oven Baking Potatoes.
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can Club Des Millionnaires Wild Brisling Sardines in Olive Oil
• Scallops – Use fresh or frozen scallops (thawed).
• Cocktail shrimp – I use one can of cocktail shrimp with the juice from the can.
• Baby clams – I use one can of baby clams with the juice from the can.
• Whipping cream – This is also referred to as “heavy cream” depending on where you live. Use a cream with a high milk fat percentage.
• Capers – I find capers with the pickles and olives in the grocery store.
• Fresh parsley – Add chopped fresh parsley for garnish, if you like.

How to Make Seafood Chowder

• Step One: Melt the butter in a Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onions, celery and thyme and stir to combine. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the veggies are softened.
• Step Two: Add flour to the Dutch oven and stir constantly for 1 minute.
• Step Three: Add chicken broth, potatoes, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil on high heat and then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
• Step Four: Add sardines, scallops, shrimp, and clams and stir together. Cook another 20 minutes on medium heat, uncovered. 
• Step Five: Stir in the whipping cream and capers. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Don’t drain the clams or the cocktail shrimp. You can use the juice to add another layer of flavour to your chowder.
• Make sure to cut the potatoes small (about 1/2-inch size) so they’ll cook completely. Try to cut them all the same size if you can.
• If you want to make your chowder extra thick, use a cornstarch slurry. Use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with 2 tablespoons of water. Then add to your chowder towards the end of the cooking time. Stir the chowder until it thickens to your liking.

Equipment Needed

These kitchen tools will help you prepare this recipe.

• Dutch oven – You want to make sure you use a large enough pot to fit all the ingredients in this hearty seafood chowder.
• Cutting board – There’s not too much chopping to do thankfully. Just the onion, potatoes, celery and sardines.
• Vegetable peeler – Use a vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes before you chop them up to use in the chowder.
• Measuring cups and spoons 

What to Serve with Seafood Chowder

• Any kind of bread – I like a sliced baguette or dinner rolls. 
• Oyster crackers
• Sandwiches – Try Classic Sardines on Rye or a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
• Salads – Try Anchovy Creamy Caesar Salad or a Salmon Quinoa Salad.

Variations and Substitutions

• Salted butter or extra virgin olive oil can be used in place of the unsalted butter.
• Try a white onion instead of a sweet onion.
• Use different varieties of seafood. Crab meat, sea bass or lobster meat are some suggestions.
• Large shrimp (or small shrimp) can be substituted for the cocktail shrimp.
• Instead of chicken broth, use seafood stock, fish stock or even vegetable broth. I like chicken broth because its readily available where I live.
• If you don’t have whipping cream, you can use half and half or even milk. It may not be as thick, but will still taste yummy.
• For a kick of spice, use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
• If you can’t find capers, you can simply omit them.
• Use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme if you don’t have fresh thyme.

Storage Instructions

Store any leftover homemade seafood chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Can I Freeze?

You can freeze it; however, I don’t personally recommend it. Cream-based soups generally don’t hold up well in the freezer. The creamy broth will change texture and become grainy and separated.

Where to Buy Sardines?

You can find Club Des Millionnaires Wild Brisling Sardines in Olive Oil at the following locations in Canada: 

• Walmart
• Real Canadian SuperstoreRCWC Wholesale Club
• No Frills
• Extra Foods
• Metro Ontario and Metro Quebec
• Food Basics
• Fortinos
• Colabor
• Maxi & Cie
• Maxi
• Save On Foods
• Quality Foods
• Colemans

Connect with Club Des Millionnaires on Facebook.

Try my Manhattan Clam Chowder.