Creamy Seafood Chowder with White Fish and Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) butter
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried dill
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups (500 mL) fish stock
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) all-purpose flour
• 3 cups (750 mL) whole milk, divided
• 1 cup (250 mL) raw skinless firm white fish, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup (250 mL) raw peeled and deveined medium shrimp, tails removed
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) chopped fresh dill, for serving

Detailed directions for Creamy Seafood Chowder

1. Prepare the ingredients — Keep the white fish and shrimp refrigerated while you work. Peel the Yukon Gold potatoes and cut them into even 1/2-inch cubes. Finely chop the celery and onion. Cut the fish into 1-inch pieces; peel and devein the shrimp and remove their tails. Keep the raw seafood separate from vegetables and ready-to-eat ingredients, then wash your hands, knife and board after handling it.

   

2. Soften the vegetables — Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not browned. Stir in the bay leaf and dried dill for about 30 seconds.

   

3. Cook the potatoes — Add the salt, black pepper, diced potatoes and fish stock. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then partially cover the pot. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a small knife slides easily into the centre of a potato cube.

   

4. Make a smooth thickener — Pour 1 cup of the cold cream into a medium bowl. Add the flour gradually while whisking until the mixture is completely smooth with no dry pockets or lumps.

   

5. Thicken the chowder — Slowly stir the flour-and-cream mixture into the simmering potato broth, then add the remaining 2 cups cream. Keep the heat at medium-low and stir often for 5 to 8 minutes, until the chowder gently steams and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil hard.

   

6. Cook the fish and shrimp gently — Add the white fish and shrimp to the thickened chowder. Maintain a bare simmer for 4 to 6 minutes and stir gently once or twice so the fish does not break apart. The fish is done when it is opaque and flakes in moist pieces; the shrimp are done when they are opaque and loosely C-shaped.

   

7. Finish and serve — Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls, finish with chopped fresh dill and serve promptly. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 2 days; reheat gently without boiling.

   

Published July 15, 2026 · Updated July 27, 2026