Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder for a Soup-er #SundaySupper

2/24/13

I love #SundaySupper every week, but this week, it’s especially Soup-er…

And I love soup, but this Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder is also especially soup-er. You know why? Once again, Mr. I Don’t Like Soup, also known as Mr. Soup is Not Dinner, loved this soup. He loved it so much that he was excited when I made it for the second time in two weeks, because I needed to tweak it a bit to deem it “blog-worthy”. The raves it got the first time convinced me to try it again to make sure it was just right to share with you. Believe it or not, this soup started with a recipe for Potato Kielbasa Chowder with Gouda and Dill that I found at The Runaway Spoon, and somehow morphed into a soup with some Southwestern flair.

I have to be honest – even now, I still am not sure the technique for this soup is perfected. But The Hubby insisted that I HAVE to share this recipe. The flavor is amazing, but the cheese needs a little time to melt down and incorporate, and yet, despite my adjustments, still tends to coat the sausage a bit. Then when the Greek yogurt is added, that too doesn’t incorporate as evenly as I would like, and I see some little bits on the sausage. But the creamy cheesiness, the kick of heat, the meaty bites, and the little bit of sweet from the sweet potatoes make this a must-keep-trying recipe. So if you have any suggestions for me on how to make it absolutely perfect, I’d love to hear them. In the meantime, it may not be pretty, and you may get a little glob of cheese here or there, but is that really a bad thing? Seriously, you must try this soup!! If it is Hubby-approved, you know it’s a winner.

For dinner, I try to focus on “real” foods and stay away from the convenience, packaged stuff. But one thing I do rely on when I am short on time, or just want a quick, easy hit of protein and flavor is pre-cooked, flavored chicken and turkey sausages. The Hubby has tummy troubles with too much pork, and I prefer to keep it a little on the healthier side, which is why I stick with the poultry-based varieties. And there are so many brands with so many different flavors that you can make so many different types of meals. In this recipe, I used Johnsonville Chipotle Monterey Jack Cheese Chicken Sausage, but I am sure there are other brands that offer a similar flavor variety if you can’t find these.

Another tip – I like to use light cheeses (Cabot makes some that work really well in most recipes), but for this recipe, DON’T. It just never seems to fully incorporate.

And you wanna hear something cool to do with the leftovers of this Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder? Spoon out some of the sausage and potatoes, and stuff it into a quesadilla. The Bug liked the soup, but he was totally digging those!

If you need something warm and comforting, you won’t want to miss our  #SundaySupper conversation on twitter. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. This week we will be sharing out special soup recipes. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hash tag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Don’t forget to check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Join us Around the Family Table this Sunday at 7pm Eastern Time and share your favorite soup, stew, chowder or bisque recipes with us! Don’t forget top check out the other awesome soup recipes linked at the bottom of this post! And grab a spoon…

How do you like your soup – creamy, brothy, cheesy, meaty, veggie?

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder

Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder is a creamy soup filled with meaty bits, chunks of sweet potato, and the kick of pepper jack cheese and chipotles.

Course: Soup

Servings: 6 -8

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 3-4 c chicken broth
• 1 lb sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 in. cubes
• 1 t olive oil
• 1 medium or 1/2 of a large yellow or sweet onion
• salt & pepper
• 1 red pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 chipotles in adobo minced, plus 1 t of the adobo sauce
• One 12 oz. package of Johnsonville Chipotle Monterey Jack Chicken Sausage or a similar variety from another brand, quartered lengthwise, and cut into approx. 1/2 in. chunks
• 2 c 8 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese (light or reduced fat NOT recommended)
• 1/2 c plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 T chopped cilantro
• Optional garnish: Greek yogurt or sour cream cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado, juice of a lime

Instructions

• In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil, add the sweet potatoes, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.
• While the potatoes are cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.
• Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute until the onions are soft, 3-5 minutes.
• Add the red pepper, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the garlic, chipotle, and adobo sauce, and cook for another minute or two.
• Add the sausage, and cook until starting to brown, another 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
• Once the potatoes are tender, add the cheese in small handfuls, stirring gently to avoid causing the potatoes to disintegrate, adding more as it melts. Allow to simmer for several minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted, stirring frequently.
• Stir in the sausage and vegetable mixture from the pan.
• Stir in the Greek yogurt and cilantro. It may start to look slightly curdled, but continue to stir and heat gently until fully incorporated.
• Serve with any of the optional garnishes, as desired.

Enjoy!

The #SundaySupper family will be digging out their stock pots and slow cookers to serve up these amazing soups:

Do The Chicken Dance (chicken {or other poultry} soups)

•  Chicken Tortellini & White Bean Soup at Flour On My Face
• Chicken Gnocchi at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Chicken Cheese Soup by There and Back Again
• Chicken Tortellini Soup by Country Girl In The Village
• Chicken Soup with Leeks, Onions and Fennel by Shockingly Delicious
• Family Style Tablescape featuring Chicken Tortilla Soup by An Appealing Plan
• Yucatan Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima) by The Weekend Gourmet
• Chicken Meatball, Spinach and Orzo Soup from  Gourmet Drizzles
• Ground Turkey and Vegetable Soup at The Messy Baker
• Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Chick-Fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup by Family Foodie
• Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup at Cupcakes and Pearls
• Healthy Bean and Sausage Soup by Momma’s Meals

Where’s The Beef (Beef Soups)

•  Chili with Black Beans by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegetable and Beef Soup by Supper For a Steal
• Swabian Beef Spaetzle +1 Soup (Gaisburger Marsch) at Galactosemia in PDX
• Bacon Cheeseburger Soup by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Beef Pho Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Frijol con Carne by MarocMama
• Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup)  by Neighborfood

Pass The Pork. Please (Pork or Sausage Soups)

•  Smoked Sausage and Wild Rice Soup at Mama, Mommy, Mom
• Louisiana Caldo by Catholic Foodie
• Sweet potato and Spanish chorizo soup at My Cute Bride
• Soft Tofu Soup (Soondubu Jjigae) by Hip Foodie Mom

Under The Sea (Seafood Soups)

•  Shrimp Miso Noodle Soup at Pescetarian Journal
• Szechuan Fish Soup by The Urban Mrs.
• New England Clam Chowder at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Hearty Okra Shrimp Gumbo Laced with Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Bacon and Shrimp Bisque at Big Bear’s Wife
• Lobster Bisque by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Chinese Fish Maw Soup by My Trials in The Kitchen
• Thai Curry Coconut Mussel Soup by Noshing With The Nolands

Eat Your Veggies (Chock Full o’ Vegetables Soups)

• Not-So-Mini-Strone at The Foodie Army Wife
• French Onion Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Spicy Sweet Potato and Corn Soup at Magnolia Days
• Creamy Cheddar Potato Soup at Daily Dish Recipes
• Rather French Onion Soup by What Smells So Good?
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Cream of Ancho Chile Soup from La Cocina de Leslie
• Pasta e Fagoli Soup at Cravings of a Lunatic
• Miso Soup by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Vegetable Consommé with Semolina Dumplings – Grießknödel at Masala Herb
• Vegetable Medley Soup with Broccoli and Leeks at Chattering Kitchen
• Smoky Kale and Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Coconut Corn Chowder at Mangoes and Chutney
• Make Your Own (Gluten Free) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup at The Meltaways
• Ital Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup at The Lovely Pantry
• Chunky Vegetable and Barley Soup at Curious Cuisiniere
• Corn Soup with Crispy Tortilla Strips at Ninja Baking
• Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup by The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Wild Mushroom Soup at Food Lust People Love
• Creamy Carrot Soup at Cookistry
• Vermicelli Soup by Damn Delicious
• Country Split Pea Soup with Bacon and Potatoes at girlichef

Some Don’t Like It Hot (Chilled Soups)

• Chilled Strawberry Soup at Juanita’s Cocina
• Bread and Tomato Soup – Gazpacho Style at Vintage Kitchen Notes

This recipe was shared with: Thursday’s Treasures