As winter’s chill settles in, home cooks across the nation are turning to their trusty slow cookers for a comforting solution.
The latest culinary trend taking kitchens by storm is a creamy, hearty potato chowder that’s not only delicious but also incredibly easy to prepare. This slow cooker sensation is proving that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated to be satisfying.
From busy families to food enthusiasts, everyone is embracing the simplicity and warmth of this one-pot wonder. The allure lies in its effortless preparation – toss in the ingredients, set the timer, and return hours later to a perfectly cooked, aromatic meal.
The Rise of Slow Cooker Simplicity
In today’s fast-paced world, the slow cooker has become a beacon of hope for busy families and food enthusiasts alike. The appeal of tossing ingredients into a pot and returning hours later to a perfectly cooked meal is undeniable.
Potato chowder, with its rich flavors and creamy texture, has emerged as the ideal candidate for this cooking method.
Home cooks are discovering that the slow cooker not only simplifies the cooking process but also enhances the flavors of the chowder. The extended cooking time allows the potatoes to break down slightly, creating a naturally thick and luxurious base without the need for excessive cream or thickeners.
This method is revolutionizing how people approach comfort food, making it more accessible and less time-consuming.
Ingredients for Potato Chowder:
- Potatoes: Choose waxy varieties like Yukon golds, French fingerlings, or red bliss for their ability to hold up well in liquid.
- Chicken broth: Use canned for convenience or homemade for extra flavor. Vegetable broth works as a vegetarian option.
- Cream of chicken soup: One can of undiluted, condensed soup adds creaminess and depth.
- Onion: Finely chopped white or yellow onion complements the potatoes perfectly.
- Cream cheese: One 8-ounce package, cubed and softened, serves as a secret ingredient for a velvety texture.
- Bacon (optional): Crispy bacon crumbles make an excellent topping for added flavor and crunch.
- Chives (optional): Chopped chives provide a fresh, oniony garnish that pairs well with the bacon.
Potato Chowder Tips
Potato soup and potato chowder differ mainly in texture and ingredients. Potato soup is thinner and more broth-like, while chowder is thicker and chunkier, filled with potato pieces and vegetables in a creamy base. If your chowder is too thin, a cornstarch slurry can thicken it up. Simply whisk cornstarch or arrowroot powder into water or broth and add it gradually to the pot.
For bland chowder, try spicing it up with Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce. These additions can transform a basic chowder into a flavorful, comforting meal, adding depth and complexity to the dish.
Creamy Potato Chowder
Equipment
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
- 8 cups diced potatoes
- 3 cans each chicken broth
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 package cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1/2 pound sliced bacon cooked and crumbled, optional
- minced chives optional
Instructions
- In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine the diced potatoes, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, chopped onion, and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add the cream cheese, gently stirring until everything is blended and well combined.
- Before serving, top each bowl of chowder with crispy bacon bits and chives, if desired.
Notes
- Store leftover potato chowder in sealed containers in the refrigerator.
- Label containers with the date if freezing for future use.
- Refrigerated potato chowder lasts up to 5 days.
- Frozen potato chowder remains good for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, warm the chowder over medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer while stirring constantly. Avoid boiling to prevent the separation of high-fat ingredients. Heat until thoroughly warmed through. Add fresh garnishes before serving the reheated chowder.
Nutrition
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Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.