Chowder is so good especially in these months when, at least in Washington, it’s not quite cold but not too hot. This loaded ham and potato chowder is an incredibly delicious recipe that has a ton of flavor. It’s perfect for cold nights or even for Easter leftovers.
Kitchen Supplies:
For this recipe, these are the kitchen supplies I would recommend having:
- A large dutch oven. We received this Lodge one as a wedding present and we use it SO often. Such a useful and thoughtful gift.
- If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use a large stock pot as well.
- A sturdy whisk. We really like this nylon one from Norpro because the coating can’t come off like some of the silicone coated ones, yet it also won’t scratch your pots and pans.
What Makes This Ham and Potato Chowder Stand Out?
This chowder is one of the most flavorful that I’ve had. I think the secret is that I use bacon grease to fry up the onion and garlic as the base for the roux that I make. Next, I use cream cheese and cream of chicken to make it super creamy and old bay for a small kick. Also, I cut a lot of the work out by using frozen potatoes and frozen peas and carrots.
Loaded Ham and Potato Chowder
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp bacon grease or butter
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, divided
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 10 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup milk
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 lb finely cubed ham
- 30 oz frozen potatoes o'brien
- 12 oz frozen peas and carrots
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings
- bacon bits
- sour cream
- cheese
- green onion
Instructions
- Melt bacon grease (or butter) over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven or stock pot.
- Add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until softened, 5-6 minutes.
- Add flour, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Combine well with a whisk to form a roux for the chowder. Stir frequently and allow to lightly brown, 3-4 minutes.
- Add chicken stock slowly, 1 cup at a time, whisking until the mixture thickens. Once thickened, add cream of chicken, milk, cream cheese and remaining seasonings. Whisk until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently to ensure the sauce doesn't burn.
- Add ham, potatoes o'brien, and the peas and carrots and simmer 10-15 minutes or until everything is fully heated through. Add cheese and mix well.
- Serve hot with any toppings of your choice
And that’s all there is! This chowder is seriously easy and delicious. Let me know if you try it out and what you think by commenting down below! If you like this recipe and want to see more, feel free to check out my recipes page here or subscribe below for new recipes posted each Foodie Friday! You can also check out similar recipes that I’ve posted by checking out the following links. Thanks so much!
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Crispy Ham and Scalloped Potato Casserole
This sounds amazing! I love a good chowder, so Iām definitely saving this for later. The onions cooked in the bacon grease do seem like a great idea š