Salmon and Shrimp Chowder
This rich and rustic gluten free seafood chowder comes together in a flash, but tastes like it took all day!
Ingredients
- 8 strips uncured turkey bacon, divided, 4 sliced into ¼" strips
- 1 lb red potatoes, skin on, cubed (about 3 med)
- 1 med yellow or sweet onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, sliced into ¼" pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, diced fine or grated
- 1 large carrot, chopped small
- 1 jalapeño, diced small (optional)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or your favorite cooking oil)
- 1.5 cups chicken or seafood stock (gluten free, low sodium)
- 12-16 oz salmon wild caught, skin removed
- 8 oz tiger or Argentinian red shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup half & half
- 3 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (I recommend KerryGold)
- ½ tsp Celtic sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions
Bacon Crumbles
- Cook 4 whole strips of turkey bacon over medium heat until crisp (ideally on a cast iron skillet). Alternatively, you can bake them on a baking sheet with a rack at 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cut/crumble once dry. Set aside.
Chowder
- Season salmon and shrimp with salt and pepper, plus your favorite seafood seasoning and set aside. (I use a combination of chipotle powder, garlic powder and Simply Organic seafood grilling seasoning.)
- Cook 4 sliced strips of turkey bacon in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat for 3-4 mins, stirring occasionally. Bacon should still be pliable.
- Add oil, potatoes, onion, celery, garlic, carrot (and jalapeno if using) to the same pot with bacon, season with salt and pepper and cook until onion is softened (approx 5-6 mins), stirring often. (Note: If you're using regular bacon, the fat will likely omit the need for oil.)
- Add stock (enough to cover potatoes), stir and bring to a boil. Then cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 10-12 mins).
- Meanwhile, spray a large grill pan or cast iron skillet with cooking spray and cook salmon and shrimp over medium heat (salmon ~4 mins per side, shrimp ~2 mins per side). Remove from heat, cut into chunks and set aside.
- Using a potato masher, gently break down some of the potatoes to desired consistency. You will begin to see the liquid thicken up.
- Stir in half & half, salmon, shrimp, dill and butter. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, finish with a little more salt and pepper, then serve with bacon crumbles and fresh dill.
Notes
- This can be a one pot dish by adding uncooked seafood to the chowder when adding the cream, but I recommend seasoning the salmon + shrimp and cooking them separately. This process infuses flavor into the seafood, ensures it is properly cooked before adding it to the soup, and saves time because you can do it while the potatoes are simmering.
- If gluten free stock is hard to find and you don't want to make your own, water can be used, but chowder will lack the extra flavor.
- This can be made dairy-free by using coconut milk in place of half & half and omitting the butter.
- If you like a little extra smoky flavor, try adding 2-4 oz wild smoked salmon.