THE BEST SHRIMP AND BLUE CRAB CHOWDER

The Best Shrimp and Blue Crab Chowder image

This is a rich, creamy, extremely flavorful, chowder house-quality seafood chowder! Once your guests have tasted it, they won't be able to stop eating. It's even great re-heated for leftovers. Best results if the chowder is allowed to sit in the fridge overnight and then heated in a slow cooker the next day! Absolutely delicious!

Provided by Basil

Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Chowders

Time 55m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken broth
3 red potatoes, peeled and diced, or more to taste
1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®)
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 (13 ounce) cans shrimp bisque
3 ¼ cups half-and-half
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ pound fresh blue crabmeat

Steps:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic until tender, about 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in broth. Add potatoes, clam juice, wine, seafood seasoning, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring chowder occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Mix shrimp bisque with an equal amount of half-and-half and pour into the chowder. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp and crabmeat. Simmer until shrimp just turns pink, about 5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 491 calories, Carbohydrate 23.6 g, Cholesterol 214.2 mg, Fat 25.3 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 34 g, SaturatedFat 12 g, Sodium 1590.6 mg, Sugar 2.6 g