Salmon Chowder

Here's a yummy fall recipe for you all! It's kind of labor intensive, but you could be like me and chop all the ingredients and cook the salmon and bacon ahead of time, and then you just have to dump stuff in pots. :) It's worth the work, I promise. Perfect for fall!

Recipe adapted from here.

14oz can chicken broth

½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced celery
2 cups diced carrots
1½-2 cups diced potatoes (about two potatoes)
2 Bay Leaves
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon old bay seasoning
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill weed

½ stick butter

1/3 cup flour
1 qt. (4 cups) milk
1 teaspoon cornstarch
8 slices bacon, cooked and diced
1 1/2 - 2 lbs frozen salmon (not thawed)
2 cups frozen corn
1 12 oz. pkg. Cream cheese

To cook the salmon: Brush both sides of the fish with canola oil. Cook uncovered in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3-4 minutes or until browned. Turn the fish over, season with salt and pepper, and cover the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook 6 more minutes. Let salmon cool on a plate, then flake apart into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Simmer chicken broth, onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, bay leaves and other seasonings for 15-20 minutes in a covered medium saucepan, until vegetables are soft. (This took way longer than 20 minutes when I did it... just go until the veggies are soft).

Heat milk in microwave for 2 minutes. In a separate large-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until the mixture starts to thicken slightly, being careful not to let the it boil. In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp cornstarch with a little bit of water to create a slurry. Add to the pot and allow to thicken slightly. 

Remove the bay leaves from the chicken broth and add the chicken broth and vegetables into the milk mixture.

Stir in corn, bacon, salmon, and cream cheese. Cook on medium, stirring frequently until heated through and cheese has completely melted. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

This makes a TON of chowder, so I went ahead and froze half of it. I thawed it in the fridge for a couple days and then reheated it on the stove, and it was still quite yummy!