Chicken and Sweet Potato Chowder

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This versatile, colorful chicken and sweet potato chowder offers loads of flavor and is an excellent way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken. Tender sweet potatoes bring natural sweetness, bacon adds savory richness, and the creamy broth ties everything together. It’s filling without being heavy, and the mix of vegetables keeps each bite interesting.

Serve it with biscuits, cornbread, or crusty rolls and you’ll have a cozy, comforting meal that works for weeknights or relaxed weekends. It’s a great way to use leftover chicken, too.

Ingredient Notes

• Bacon: Adds smoky flavor and provides drippings for sautéing the vegetables.
• Celery, onion, mushrooms: Build a savory base for the chowder.
• Sweet potatoes: Give sweetness, color, and hearty texture.
• Poultry seasoning: Brings warmth and classic chicken-soup flavor.
• Chicken stock: Forms the base of the broth.
• Cooked chicken: Use diced or shredded cooked chicken.
• Frozen peas: Add color and freshness at the end.
• Heavy cream or half-and-half: Creates a creamy finish.

Steps to Make Chicken and Sweet Potato Chowder

1. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven, then crumble and set aside.
2. Sauté celery, onion, and mushrooms in the bacon drippings until tender.
3. Add the sweet potatoes, seasoning, and chicken stock; simmer until the potatoes are tender.
4. Stir in the chicken and peas; heat briefly.
5. Add the light cream or milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning; garnish with scallions or parsley.

Recipe Variations

• Spicy chowder. Add crushed red pepper flakes or a spoonful of chili crisp.
• Corn addition. Stir in a cup of corn kernels for extra sweetness.
• Herb-forward version. Add fresh thyme or rosemary with the broth.
• Creamier texture. Replace part of the light cream with half-and-half.
• Turkey version. Swap the chicken for leftover holiday turkey.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with biscuits, cornbread, or crusty rolls.
• Pair with a simple green salad for a complete meal.
• Add extra bacon or shredded cheese on top for richness.
• Choose warm rolls or garlic bread to soak up the broth.

This hot dog chowder is another tasty chowder recipe, and an excellent choice for lunch or a quick supper, or you might like this flavorful sausage and corn chowder.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Chowder

Diana Rattray

This chicken and sweet potato chowder is full of great flavor and bright color. Serve the soup with biscuits or crusty rolls.

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Servings 6 servings

Calories 608

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 strips bacon
• 3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled, 1/2-inch dice), about 2 1/2 to 3 cups
• ½ tsp poultry seasoning
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed
• 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Sliced scallions or chopped parsley (optional), for garnish

Recommended Equipment

• 6-quart Dutch oven

Instructions

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• Arrange the bacon strips in a large Dutch oven or stockpot and place it over medium heat. Cook the bacon, turning occasionally, until just crisp. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Remove all but about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the pan. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
  6 strips bacon
• To the bacon drippings, add the sliced celery, onion, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms are softened.
  3 ribs celery | 1 medium onion | 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
• Add the sweet potatoes, poultry seasoning, pepper, and chicken broth to the pan. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled, 1/2-inch dice) | 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning | 1/4 tsp ground black pepper | 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• Add the chicken and peas and cook for 3 minutes longer. Stir in the crumbled bacon and the heavy cream or half-and-half and bring to a simmer. Taste and season with kosher salt, as needed.
  3 cups diced cooked chicken | 1 1/2 cups frozen peas | 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half | Kosher salt
Heavy cream gives this chowder a rich, velvety texture. Half-and-half works too for a lighter version, though the chowder will be a bit thinner.
• Garnish servings with sliced scallions or chopped parsley.
  Sliced scallions or chopped parsley (optional)

Nutrition

Calories: 608kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 30gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 515mgPotassium: 931mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 11904IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 2mg

Disclaimer:

Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.

Keyword bacon, chicken, chicken chowder, sweet potatoes

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