Chicken & Corn Chowder

 

This recipe I am showing you today is an old, old recipe which I have been making for my family for years and years. Back in Canada, there aways used to be small cookery bookets for sale kept in racks right next to the cash register, mostly put out by companies such as Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Bisquick, Kraft, etc.This recipe comes from one of those, entitled, "Back to Homemade, by Betty Crocker. 

 

It was published in )ctober, 1991 and as you can see it is very well used.  This book has travelled with me across Canada and back again and then across the Atlantic Ocean to England. It is filled with lovely recipes and the unusual thing about it is that most of the recipes didn't require the use of convenience mixes.  There are good basic recipes in this for everything from soup to nuts and everything in-between.  Good sound recipes, recipes that you could make your own, like this Chicken & Corn Chowder I am sharing with you today!

 

I wish I could tell you how many times I have made this delicious chowder.  It is countless.  This was always one of my family's favourite dishes that I made for them.  Its hearty, and filling, and very VERY tasty!

 

It uses simple ingredients like cut up chicken pieces water onions, celery and carrot . . .  and the secret ingredient of a can of creamed corn.  My family always loved creamed corn.

 

I made it mine by adding some herbs . . . thyme, salt, pepper and sometimes summer savoury (but you could use marjoram) when I had it. Oh, but it is some good.  My children always loved the rivels . . . small tiny dumplings which were made simply by rubbing together an egg, flour and salt.  This makes crumbs and you drop these crumbs into the hot soup.  They are done in literally minutes and cook up like little noodles.  Children love them. 

 

Todd has fallen in love with it as well.  I do have to say one thing however, and that is you really want to make and eat it all on the same day if you are using the rivels.  They tend to swell up and make it a bit stodgy to leave overnight.  If there are only a few of you, take out the amount that you want to save for another day and only add some rivels to what's left in the pot.  You won't need them all.  This is also a great way to freeze portions for another time.

 

Just add as many rivels as you want and they are so easy to make and use such simple ingredients, it doesn't really matter if you don't use them all, and they are quite simple to make fresh each time you go to use them.  I use a large free range egg, but you could cut the ingredients in half and use a very small egg if you wanted to make less.  In any case I just know you will love this as much as we do!

 

*Chicken and Corn Chowder*

Serves 8

Printable Recipe 

 

This is a great crowd pleaser and perfect for these colder days we are having.  An old old recipe that never fails to please. My children always loved this.  Rivels are tiny dumpling which are easily made and added just a few minutes prior to serving. 

1 (1/3 kg/3lb) cut up chicken

1 1/2 litre of water (6 cups)

1 medium brown onion, peeled and sliced

3 medium stalks celery with leaves, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

2 tsp salt

Black pepper

1 sprig thyme

1 (418g/17oz) tin of creamed corn

2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped 

For the rivels:

140g plain flour (1 cup)

1/4 tsp salt

1 large free range egg

 

Put the chicken into a large saucepan with the water, onion, celery, carrot, salt, pepper and thyme.  Bring to the boil.  Skim any foam off the top and discard.  Reduce to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. The chicken should be tender.


Remove the chicken  from the broth. Cool for about 10 minutes or just until you can handle it. Remove the chicken from the bones,discarding any skin and bones Cut the chicken into bite sized bits. Skim any fat from the broth and discard.  Return the chicken to the pot  Stir in the corn and eggs.  Taste and adjust seasoning as required.   Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer.  


Make the rivels by combining all of the rivel ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.  Drop into the simmering soup and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.  Serve hot. 

 

I served ours with some Irish Soda Bread. (My Todd really likes bread with his soup!)  You can find that recipe here.

 

Make somebody happy today and do make this delicious soup.  You won't regret it and it is bound to become a family favourite in your home as well,  or I'll eat my hat!  You can't beat these old fashioned recipes for simple old fashioned goodness. Bon Appetit!

Note - I have never put the chopped hard cooked egg in ours. It was not something that my family enjoyed. Its perfectly delicious without it anyways!

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