Creamy Fish Chowder

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/21/21
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Nothing beats a good fish chowder, especially on a cold afternoon or evening like our top-rated fish chowder recipe that uses a mild white fish such as haddock or cod, along with simple seasonings, butter, potatoes, and carrots, along with onion.

This creamy fish soup is hearty enough on its own, but it is perfect with crackers or a loaf of crusty bread, along with a fresh green salad for a light lunch or dinner.

Creamy Fish Chowder Recipe

The Spruce 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds haddock fillets, fresh or frozen and defrosted, or cod

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 dash freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 1 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced into about 1/2-inch cubes

  • 3/4 cup diced carrots, from 2 to 3 medium carrots

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups milk

  • Chopped fresh parsley, or chives, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Creamy Fish Chowder Recipe ingredients

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  2. Cut fish fillets into small pieces; set aside.

    Fish cut into cubes for fish chowder
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  3. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth, salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, potatoes, and carrots. Cook, covered, for about 8 minutes until vegetables are tender.

    Potatoes and carrots in chicken broth in a soup pot
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  4. Add the fish and cook for another 8 minutes.

    Fish added to soup pot with potatoes and carrots

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  5. Meanwhile, sauté onion in butter until tender in a medium saucepan.

    Onions in a saute pan with butter

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  6. Stir in flour until well-blended.

    Flour added to saute pan with onions and butter

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  7. Then gradually add milk, whisking constantly.

    Milk added to onions and butter

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  8. Continue whisking and cooking until thickened.

    Thickened roux in a pan for fish chowder recipe

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  9. Add the thickened milk mixture to the cooked vegetables and fish; continue cooking for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Thickened milk added to fish chowder

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  10. Garnish the fish chowder with fresh chopped parsley or chives.

    Creamy Fish Chowder Recipe

    The Spruce

  11. Serve and enjoy.

Variations

  • You can make this recipe gluten free by substituting the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free thickener, such as arrowroot powder or an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix. If you're using arrowroot, start with a tablespoon first and incorporate it, as this ingredient tends to be a stronger thickener than all-purpose flour.
  • Cook two slices of bacon and remove them from the pan. Then sauté the onions in bacon drippings instead of butter and then garnish the chowder with crumbled bacon for a fun and tasty twist.
  • Use Old Bay seasoning instead of salt, pepper, and paprika for a more robustly flavored soup.
  • Add a 1/2 cup of frozen peas or corn to the soup toward the end of cooking.


How to Store Creamy Fish Chowder

This fish chowder will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat on the stovetop until completely hot.


Unfortunately, fish chowder won't freeze well. There are no safety concerns, but the texture of the fish will suffer, and the soup itself will likely become grainy because of the presence of dairy. You're better off eating the soup as leftovers for lunch.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
349 Calories
8g Fat
27g Carbs
41g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 349
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 5g 23%
Cholesterol 135mg 45%
Sodium 1063mg 46%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 9mg 45%
Calcium 204mg 16%
Iron 2mg 8%
Potassium 1233mg 26%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)