Got leftover salsa? Make soup!! This seriously simple chicken Salsa Chowder recipe is chock full of flavor and makes great use of refrigerator "odds and ends".
If anyone knows where last week went, could you email me? Because I honestly I have no clue - none whatsoever.
Although last week was MIA, the meals were not. But they definitely were on the simpler side - mostly roasted or grilled meat or fish, an easy vegetable and rice/grain/pasta. In short, nothing worth sharing here at the Table.
But then there was this creamy, spicy, bursting with flavor Salsa Chowder.
I was so happy with it that I thought it deserved a spot. Like my Chocolate and Dulce de Leche Semifreddo, this soup resulted from my bi weekly refrigerator clean out which yielded a couple of potatoes and ½ container of fresh salsa. I'd been in the mood for soup and looking at the odds and ends from the fridge I definitely had the makings for a good pot.
Soup is one of my "go to" dishes when I need a relatively quick meal -especially on nights when I haven't planned in advance!!! With a few basics in the pantry and freezer/fridge it's not hard to come up with something good and it's a great way to use up those vegetable odds and ends which I always seem to have in my house. I know that may seem weird - when you think of soup, you generally think of a pot slowly simmering on the stove. While there are lots of soups that do require a longer prep/simmer time, many soups, like this Salsa Chowder, don't and in fact, wouldn't taste nearly as good if they were simmered too long so they are perfect for quick meals.
Although I've included the recipe, it really is more of a guide and as I made this Salsa Chowder, I thought of all kinds of things I could have added or substituted so there is a lot of room for improvisation and adaptation.
Other soup recipes you might enjoy:
- Vegetable and White Bean Soup
- Thai Hot and Sour Soup
- Sweet and Salty African Peanut Soup
- Creamy Chickpea Soup with Roasted Red Peppers
- Cock a Leekie Soup
So do you have any favorite "refrigerator soups"? If so, I'd love to hear about them!!
Salsa Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. canola oil
- 1 large onion peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. chile powder
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 2 - 4 small potatoes - scrubbed and cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 - 1 ½ cups fresh salsa
- ¼ cup diced green chiles
- 6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 Tbsp. white wine worcestershire
- ½ tsp. hot sauce optional
- ½ cup half and half or ¼ cup cream
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh tomatoes for garnish
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the 2 Tbsp. of canola oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until the onions become soft and translucent - about 5 - 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and chile powder and cook for another 1 - 2 minutes. Add the corn and cook for another 5 minutes, until the corn is slightly caramelized. Add the potatoes, salsa, green chiles, white wine and chicken/vegetable stock and white wine worcestershire. Bring soup to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes (covered) or until potatoes are soft but still firm to bite. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh tomatoes and cilantro.
Recipe Notes
- To increase the protein in this soup, you could easily add a can of rinsed and drained black beans or some roasted, shredded chicken.
- I used a relatively mild salsa but you could also use a hotter salsa if you like a spicier soup.
- I found this soup hearty enough that it only needed a salad. I served one with chopped romaine, slivered red onion and orange sections with a citrus dressing and it went really well with the soup, and of course fresh corn tortillas are always good with it too!
Judy says
Sometimes cleaning out the fridge makes the best meals. This looks and sounds really tasty!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
Perfect way to use those odds and ends that accumulate over the week in the fridge, Nancy! And what a lovely combination of flavors - the salsa, corn, chiles and cilantro are all particular favorites here. I'll certainly have this recipe in mind on my next clean-out-the-fridge day.
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
Gorgeous chowder!
And it was fabulous seeing you today! Love bumping into long lost friends 🙂
Allison [Girl's Guide to Social Media] says
Salsa chowder is new to me. I am very intrigued! I specially love that there is cumin and hot sauce in the recipe. Mmm!
Marla says
Nancy, I am so excited about the idea of this soup as salsa is one of my all time favorite foods. Not sure where the time is going over here either 😉
Brooke @ Food Woolf says
Wow. What a vivid photo and incredible recipe! I love chowdah! (I'm from MA).
Deliciously Organic says
This soup looks absolutely delicious! Beautiful photos!
the urban baker says
What a hearty looking soup! I, too, love soup and usually make some sort of soup once a week. Especially love it the next day for lunch!
Kristina Vanni says
This chowder looks great. Such a great array of ingredients and flavors! Can't wait to give this a try!
Amanda says
This looks amazing. 🙂
Nicole says
This is the best soup I've made this year - absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Nancy says
Hi Nicole!
I am so glad that you enjoyed it!!!
Lisa says
This is such a great idea, Nancy! It looks so hearty and filling. I alreday eat good salsa's with a spoon, so this is sort of like the new icing on the cake I need to try 🙂
Leah says
When are you supposed to add the cream?
Nancy says
Hi Leah!!
Oops!!! Sorry about that! I add the cream about 5 minutes before I am ready to serve the soup - just long enough to let the soup heat back up!
Kristina says
Omg. This was amazing
I had leftover homemade salsa
Added carrots
Nancy says
I am so happy you enjoyed it and I LOVE the addition of carrots!!! Going to have to add that as a variation!!