Chicken Corn Chowder (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
This recipe is great for when you want something warm and satisfying but also have to cater to your family's stomach issues (no pork, dairy, or stock).
This recipe is great for when you want something warm and satisfying but also have to cater to your family's stomach issues (no pork, dairy, or stock).
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup margarine
- salt & pepper
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1st bowl (large)
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour (i used cloud 9 gluten free)
- 2nd bowl (medium)
- 3 potato diced
- 3 cups corn
- 2 chicken breast cooked and shredded*
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth organic
- no bowl
- 2 1/2 cups coconut milk or cream
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- Carbohydrate 33.8800234164386 g
- Cholesterol 74.5500001742623 mg
- Fat 25.7941755340851 g
- Fiber 4.16403633829388 g
- Protein 10.2204486254363 g
- Saturated Fat 15.247213586519 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (332g)
- Sodium 1720.25244862666 mg
- Sugar 29.7159870781447 g
- Trans Fat 1.89905438811291 g
- Calories 396 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add flour and cook until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
- In medium saucepan, combine corn, chicken, and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk into the saucepan with the flour and vegetables. Bring to boil to thicken. Add coconut cream, nutmeg, and salt and pepper.
- Just before serving, add butter to the pot of soup.
When a recipe limits pantry staples by excluding standard dairy and animal stocks, texture requires deliberate construction through alternative thickening agents and fats. Cooking the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in margarine for precisely two minutes initiates softening before flour joins the pot. Toasting this flour mixture until it turns lightly browned develops a nutty depth that compensates for the missing richness of heavy cream. Because starches behave differently when exposed to direct heat, whisking the hot vegetable broth mixture into the cooled roux prevents clumping and guarantees a smooth base. Simmering the diced potatoes, corn, and shredded chicken breast for ten minutes allows the starches from the potatoes to hydrate fully, creating a cohesive body without relying on traditional dairy thickeners.
Fresh Versus Preserved Corn
Selecting corn dictates the moisture levels and sweetness profile of the finished pot. Fresh ears cut straight from the cob yield a crisp pop and milky juices that concentrate during the ten-minute simmer, whereas frozen kernels retain higher water content and require an extra minute of heat to evaporate excess liquid. Canned corn introduces pre-cooked starches and added sodium, which necessitates reducing the initial salt measurement by half to prevent a heavily saline broth. Whisking in coconut milk or cream alongside a single pinch of nutmeg introduces tropical lipids and warmth that mimic traditional chowder mouthfeel without overpowering the poultry.
Regional Roots and Adjustments
Chowder traditions originated along coastal fishing communities where shipboard cooks thickened salted provisions with hardtack biscuits and whatever milk was available. Modern adaptations diverge significantly from those maritime roots by substituting shredded poultry and root vegetables while maintaining the thick consistency inherent to the style. Finishing the soup with an extra pat of margarine just before serving adds glossy sheen and rounds out the flavor profile as the fat melts into the simmering liquid. Storing leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days allows the starches to firm further, meaning the chowder will thicken considerably upon reheating and may require a splash of broth to restore its original fluidity.
