This Cajun Shrimp Chowder is Louisiana comfort food at it's finest! With big juicy blackened shrimp in a smokey corn and potato chowder, it's the perfect choice for a quick hearty weeknight meal.
Growing up in southern Louisiana, I developed a love for seafood early on. My father and his friend would often go "shrimp'n" along the coast and they always came home with coolers FULL of sweet, delicious shrimp.
One of the recipes we loved to make when it started to get a little cold outside was Cajun Shrimp Chowder.
You'll love how hearty and comforting this chowder is.
How to make Cajun Shrimp Chowder
This chowder is incredibly easy to put together.
- Start by peeling and dicing medium potatoes into small cubes and then placing them in a stockpot with chicken stock and ham seasoning. Let it simmer while you prepare the vegetables.
- In a heavy sauce pan, saute the diced bell pepper and onion in olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Once the veggies become soft, add the corn, minced garlic and roasted red pepper and cook until they are heated through.
- Add the seasonings to the corn mixture while it is in the saucepan so that the heat can help develop each of their unique flavors.
- Combine the corn mixture with the potatoes in the stockpot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To thicken the chowder, puree about one and a half cups of it in a blender, add it back to the pot and stir. The chowder should be nice and thick.
You could stop here and just call it corn and potato chowder because it is actually good enough to eat on its own.
However, I think the addition of blackened shrimp really put this dish over the top. It gives the chowder that rich seafood flavor that you expect when eating a Cajun dish.
Peel and de-vein the shrimp and coat both sides with blackened seasoning.
Pan fry them for about a minute and a half on each side, making sure they are fully cooked.
Spoon some chowder into a bowl and top with the blackened shrimp and a little fresh thyme.
Of course I have to put some good ole' Louisiana hot sauce in my chowder because I love the kick it offers from the vinegar and heat.
C'est si bon! (It is so good!)
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat on the stovetop.
Other recipes you may like:
Cajun Shrimp Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 medium potatoes peeled and diced into small pieces
- 4 cups chicken stock or water
- 2 packets of Goya Ham Flavored Concentrate
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ cup onion diced
- ½ cup bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 cans sweet corn drained
- 1 roasted red pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons ancho chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 lb. shrimp peeled and de-veined
- 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
- Place the diced potatoes, chicken stock and ham seasoning in a medium stockpot and simmer on medium heat while preparing the vegetables.
- In a heavy saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper until they start to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, corn, roasted red pepper, ancho chili sauce, paprika, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper and ground thyme to the saucepan and cook another 5-10 minutes.
- Pour the corn mixture into the stockpot with the potatoes and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Puree 1 and ½ cups of the chowder in a blender and then pour back into the stockpot and stir.
- Sprinkle both sides of the shrimp with blackened seasoning. Heat a non stick pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat and cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, making sure they are fully cooked.
- Spoon the chowder into a bowl, place the blackened shrimp on top and garnish with fresh thyme.
Notes
- To Store: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: Heat on stovetop or in the microwave.
Sara says
This looks so amazing! As a newbie to the south, I am loving southern cuisine. I can't wait to try this!
Amy says
Hi Sara! It's relatively healthy too which makes it even better 🙂
Anna says
This sounds absolutely mouthwatering! Definitely pinning this for dinner next week 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I have never made a shrimp chowder before.. this looks SO delicious, definitely a recipe I need to try!