Cheesy Chowder (with Chicken)
A version of the "Cheesy Chowder" made famous by the Wingfeather Saga book series.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- 1/2 cup celery thin sliced and chopped
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups finely shredded cheese (we prefer the a blend of cheddar, colby, and asadero cheese, but just mild cheddar works fine)
- 2 cups cubed cooked chicken (pulled rotisserie chicken works great too, just make sure to cut into bite size chunks)
In a large sauce pan or a soup pot, bring the water, vegetables, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce to a low boil/high simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make cheese sauce by melting butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir to combine and mixture (roux) starts bubbling. Slowly add milk about 1/2 at a time, whisking into mixture. You are aiming for a smooth sauce that has enough thickness to coat a spoon. Add garlic and stir this white sauce, cooking for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Slowly add cheese, melting until fully incorporated into white sauce. Sauce will thicken up quite a bit...but never fear!
Skim off any foam/veggie scum that may have formed on liquid and veg boil; Stir cheese sauce into the liquid and veg, mixing well to combine. Add in chicken and heat over medium-low to heat chicken through.
Keyword cheese, cheesy chowder, chowder, wingfeather