When I first thought about making this recipe, I was a little apprehensive because at the time, the weather was so warm. I like soup in warm weather but for me, it’s better appreciated in cold weather. During the winter months, I experiment with soups every now and then but it’s not something that appears on our dinner table on a weekly basis (thought I’d like that to change). I definitely don’t make a lot of chowders – not too sure why. Often times when I think of chowder, I only think of clam chowder, which I’m not a huge fan of. At any rate, when I saw this recipe for queso potato chowder (on Pinterest, of course), I was immediately drawn to it.
It’s like two of my favorite things in one dish: cheese and potatoes. To make myself comfortable while cooking this, I called it soup over and over again. After tasting it, I think it’s safe to say, I’m a fan of “chowder”. The main difference between soup and chowder is the consistency. Soups are generally really brothy while chowders are thick and chunky. In case you’re wondering.
Before I even think about making a recipe, I always study the ingredients and instructions. If the ingredient list is overly complicated, I try to find a way to simplify it on my own. If for some reason I can’t, I’m probably going to move on. This potato chowder is very manageable no matter what level of cook you are. Thanks to the folks over at Southern Living for supplying me with this recipe.
The original recipe calls for Southwestern hash browns (yum) but I opted for ‘regular’ ones because I couldn’t find fancy flavored ones. I was pretty happy with how this chowder turned out though I’m sure Southwestern potatoes would add even more flavor. For the cheese portion, which is the most important, I used a mixture of cheddar and Monterrey Jack.
We enjoyed the chowder “as is” but for the next time, imagine it topped with delicious fried chicken tenders. Can’t you taste it now? I know I can. This chowder is definitely on the top of my ‘things I love’ list.
Let’s make queso potato chowder!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 3 poblano peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 (20-oz.) package refrigerated hash brown potatoes
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup (4 oz.) freshly shredded Monterrey Jack
- 1 cup (4 oz.) freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add bell pepper and next 3 ingredients; sauté 4 to 5 minutes or until tender.
- Add potatoes and cumin, and sauté 5 minutes or until browned and tender. Gradually stir in broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.
- Whisk together flour and next 2 ingredients then stir into potato mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low.
- Add cheeses, and cook, stirring constantly, until cheeses melt and mixture is thoroughly heated. Serve with desired toppings.
