Chicken and Sweet Potato Chowder
This chicken chowder includes sweet potatoes and bacon, a complementary medley offering great flavor and color. Serve it with biscuits or crusty rolls.
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.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Rich, layered flavor. Bacon drippings, vegetables, herbs, and cream create a deeply savory chowder.
Beautiful color. Sweet potatoes and peas brighten the bowl visually and flavor-wise.
Comforting but light. Creamy, but not overly heavy thanks to light cream or milk.
Perfect for leftovers. Works well with roasted, poached, or rotisserie chicken.
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.
- Light cream or milk: Creates a creamy finish without heaviness.
Steps to Make Chicken and Sweet Potato Chowder
- Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven, then crumble and set aside.
- Sauté celery, onion, and mushrooms in the bacon drippings until tender.
- Add the sweet potatoes, seasoning, and chicken stock; simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the chicken and peas; heat briefly.
- Add the light cream or milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Taste and adjust seasoning; garnish with scallions or parsley.
Pro Tips
Don’t rush the sautéing step—letting the vegetables cook slowly in the bacon drippings builds the deep, savory base that makes this chowder especially flavorful.
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.
How to Store Chicken and Sweet Potato Chowder
Refrigerate: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat; avoid boiling to keep the dairy from separating.
Freeze: Best frozen without the cream added. Freeze the base, thaw, and add cream when reheating.
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
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, diced, about 2 1/2 to 3 cups
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning herb blend
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
- 1 1/2 cups peas, frozen, thawed
- 2 cups light cream, or milk
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped scallions or parsley
Instructions
- 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 drippings from the pan. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
- To the bacon drippings, add the sliced celery, onion, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms are softened.
- Add the sweet potatoes, poultry seasoning, pepper, and chicken stock 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.
- Add the chicken and thawed frozen peas and cook for 3 minutes longer. Add the cream or milk and bring to a simmer. Taste and add kosher salt, as needed.
- Garnish servings with sliced scallions or chopped parsley.
Nutrition
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.
