If you are thinking “Shrimp and chicken in the same chowder…not sure about that combo” you are saying to yourself exactly what I said when I saw that this soup was the first course at a dinner my daughter and SIL took me to last week for my birthday. They invited me to Chicago to celebrate my day and we went to Davis Street Fishmarket in Evanston for lobster. I’m a purist when it comes to chowders and always make it with chopped fresh razor clams dug right off the Oregon coast so was more than a little dubious about the shrimp-chicken combo that the Fishmarket says has made them famous. Was I in for a surprise!
Their shrimp, chicken, corn and bacon chowder was, simply put, damn delicious. It was thick and creamy without being overly rich and all the flavors and textures blended together perfectly. I especially liked the little jalapeno and cayenne kick…a flavor completely missing from my family’s favorite chowder recipe. I couldn’t find Davis Street Fishmarket’s recipe online but did find something that sounded similar here and think I have done a decent job of duplicating the recipe. If you are a chowder fan I would bet money that you will like this recipe as much as we do. The first thing I did when I got home…just hours before the blizzard hit Chicago…was to hightail it to the grocery store for ingredients.
Fresh lobster isn’t available here on the West Coast and it is seldom seen on restaurant menus, but I have enjoyed it on trips to the East Coast and was excited about our dinner. I did a double take when I saw waiters bringing out platters of whole lobsters and had to laugh when one was set down in front of me with a cracker and a pick. I have served whole Dungeness Crab in the shell many times but my lobster was something else. With a little help I tamed the beast and enjoyed a dinner I won’t soon forget. As full as I was I didn’t leave a bite.
Suzette’s Creperie in Wheaton is one of my favorite restaurants for lunch when I’m in Chicago. The food and atmosphere are excellent. The menu changes regularly and I always order crepes filled with salmon in a tarragon cream sauce when available. It’s divine with a serving of their house salad. Oh how I wish this lovely place was close to my house.
Bakersfield in Westmont is another great spot for lunch or dinner. It’s very comfortable and quiet and the food is excellent. We stopped by for lunch and I ordered a crab cake and a small salad…delicious! If you are in Westmont be sure to take time to walk through Standard Market across the street. When I visit a store like that I feel grocery store deprived when I come home. There’s nothing like it where I live.
I have never associated good seafood with the Midwest but I have had fantastic meals in some wonderful restaurants and have been very impressed by the choices available in seafood counters in some of the high end markets. I love Chicago and it’s always a great dining experience to go there. I could spend hours shopping the many ethnic markets and always come home with ingredients I can’t find in my small town and recipes I can’t wait to try. If you are a chowder lover like I am I hope you will give this recipe a try. I just know you will like it too.
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, diced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup onion, chopped
- ¼ cup celery, chopped
- ½ to 1 whole jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 cups 2% milk
- 1-1/2 cups chopped roasted skinless chicken breast
- ½ cup cooked shrimp, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 15-ounce can creamed corn
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 chicken boullion cube dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
- 1 medium size russet potato, peeled, diced and cooked in boiling water until tender (about 5 minutes)
- Cook bacon in a medium pot until just crisp. Remove from pot and drain on a paper towel. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pot. Add butter. Saute onion, celery and jalapeno pepper until tender, stirring frequently. Add flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until thick. Remove bay leaves. Serve with a garnish of chopped bacon and parsley.
This soup looks yummy and I am definitely going to make. Thanks for the recipe.
This does sound good. What a lovely birthday trip. Each and every food item mentioned is making my mouth water. They all sound and look utterly delicious.
Marilyn recently posted..Joyful Floral PDX
They all were delicious, Marilyn. It was such a treat to go to lunch with my daughter, and the lobster dinner was over the top.
Cathy recently posted..Shrimp Chicken Corn and Bacon Chowder and a trip to Chicago
Looks like you celebrated in style..
No denying she is your lovely daughter..same same smile expression!So many similarities!
Monique recently posted..Avocado Hummus~ And little boy pleasers~
Thank you, Monique. She is a precious one all right. We had such a good time.
Cathy recently posted..Shrimp Chicken Corn and Bacon Chowder and a trip to Chicago
I love seafood. Did you get caught up in the snow? I heard they received about 2 feet. I have become pretty wimpy weather-wise.
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon recently posted..Food Is Love
I got out of town just in the nick of time, Madonna. One more day and I would have been snowed in. I wouldn’t have minded staying in Chicago longer but it’s such a hassle trying to reschedule a canceled flight.
Cathy recently posted..Shrimp Chicken Corn and Bacon Chowder and a trip to Chicago
I live 2 minutes from Bakersfield! It is a great restaurant! I have been meaning to get to Suzettes Creparie, I will have to go now for sure after seeing the salmon crepe you had! We got 20 inches of snow on the day you left Chicago, plus 2 more inches the next day we got a couple more today. Next time you are in the area, you should try Parkers in Downers Grove. Great seafood- SOOO good. http://www.parkersamerican.com
Thank you for the recommendation, Nancy. My daughter lives in Downers Grove (small world) and I will ask her if she has been to Parkers. It looks like a very nice place that I would love to try.
Cathy recently posted..Shrimp Chicken Corn and Bacon Chowder and a trip to Chicago
I love visiting Chicago, too! It looks like you had some marvelous meals. Your chowder looks amazing—thanks for sharing a copycat recipe for us to try 🙂
P.S. Terrific mother-daughter photo!
Hi Liz – Thank you. The restaurants and food markets are so amazing in Chicago. It’s an inspiration to go there. My kids are foodies too so it is especially fun to be with them.
Cathy recently posted..Steamed Boston Brown Bread
Happy Birthday, a bit late! It looks like you had a great trip with some great food. I can always count on gaining a few pounds when I visit Chicago. 🙂 That chowder looks fabulous- it’s the perfect weather for it! 🙂
Betty recently posted..Chocolate Peanut Butter Globs
Your chowder sounds delicious. AND I bet it’s filling and wonderful on a cold day.
LOBSTER is my husband’s favorite. I’m going to get some for V’Day. He will be a very happy man.
It looks like you were treated very well for your BD and I think I would have flown to Chicago for those meals. When I read the post title I did just as you said “shrimp and chicken?” but it looks and sounds delicious and it will go on the try soon list.
Larry recently posted..2015 Florida Trip – Day 28 – Our Last Meal In Okeechobee
Chicago got hit harder than we did here in the Milwaukee, maybe an additional 6 inches or more. You’re lucky you made it home and didn’t get stuck at the airport. What a delicious time you had with your daughter and family! It is surprising, but we can get some very good seafood here. Fresh lobster is always available and we have some very good seafood specialty stores – not to mention our Gulf shrimp purveyor that flies fresh, unfrozen shrimp here from the Texas. I can’t wait to try this soup recipe!! Thank you, Cathy.
Susan recently posted..“Ancient” Chinese Chicken with Green Beans and Caramelized Shallots
This looks so tasty! I am always up for a good chowder recipe!
ATasteOfMadness recently posted..Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
What a great chowder and I know you must have had a wonderful birthday Cathy. I’m always up for chowder.
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..Truffle Omelet with Fine Fresh Herbs and a Port and Sour Cream Filling
So glad you enjoyed your time here with your family. Love the photo of you and your daughter. I can tell you how Chicago gets such fresh seafood. It is already chilled on the boat and immediately airborne from (mostly) the east coast. Imagine my dismay when we lived in Charleston to find that a lot of the seafood coming into town was sent to Chicago to be redistributed–some even coming back to Charleston!!
Best,
Bonnie
You certainly had a great birthday celebration. Bless our children for taking such good care of us on our special day. Chicago is such a great city for foodies. Your chowder looks absolutely perfect. You did a great job recreating it.
Penny recently posted..Bistro Style Chicken Thighs with Raspberry Vinegar
A belated Happy Birthday wish is coming your way, Cathy. It sounds like you had a terrific time and certainly ate well. Thanks for sharing the chowder you enjoyed…it is perfect for a cold winter day.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Warm Lentil Salad With Merguez…A French Bistro Meal
Happy belated birthday — this soup has all of my favorite ingredients in it, thanks for the recipe Cathy!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland recently posted..Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal with Almond Butter and Honey
Thank you, Sue. Chicago is a great place to celebrate a birthday. The restaurants are amazing.
Cathy recently posted..Steamed Boston Brown Bread
Sounds like a wonderful trip! And that chowder sounds very interesting. I am a chowder lover and while I wouldn’t put chicken and shrimp together, either, I’m willing to try it. Printing it out now.
Eileen recently posted..A lovely Sunday…
I know exactly what you are saying, Eileen. If I hadn’t tried the soup I never would have made the recipe. My family loved it and I will be making it again. Clam chowder is our hands down favorite but it’s nice to try something different from time to time. If I didn’t know what was in this soup I never would have guessed chicken and shrimp. If you make it I would love to know what you think. Thanks for the comment.
Cathy recently posted..Steamed Boston Brown Bread