I love this spicy crab chowder! It’s filled with sweet crab meat, the perfect punch of heat and spices and a creamy bisque-like broth.
I love it with some rustic bread because I am a dipper when it comes to soups, stews and chowders, I always have been and always will be.
This chowder gets it’s heat from a few different sources, the chilies, the cayenne pepper and the old bay seasoning. The heat can always be adjusted to mild or hot by adding less or more chilies and spices, this chowder is traditionally medium heat.
This spicy crab chowder is thickened with a cornstarch slurry; as opposed to a flour roux. So it is gluten free. If you prefer a flour roux you can use flour in place of the cornstarch and add it at the beginning with the olive oil and butter.
What you need to make this spicy crab and chowder: (Printable recipe is below)
Serves 4
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup celery – diced
- 1 small onion – yellow or white
- 2 chili peppers – Anaheim chilies, serrano’s or jalapenos – depending on heat preference, seeds removed, diced
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch of sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
- 2 dashes cayenne pepper – more for spicier chowder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoons fresh parsley – minced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups lump crab meat or crab claw meat
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a medium to large pot, add olive oil, butter, celery, onions and chili peppers then sauté over medium heat until the onions start to brown.
- Add chicken stock, milk, cream, salt, sugar, old bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, chili powder, parsley and garlic powder then stir into the chowder while bringing mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the mixture for roughly 8 minutes; until the celery and onions are cooked through then blend the mixture with an immersion blender for a smooth soup or you can keep it chunky if preferred.
- Add the crab meat and stir into chowder.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water then stir mixture into simmering chowder, simmer until the chowder thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Here are a few other recipes you may love:
Instant Pot Southwest Corn Chowder
Clam Chowder
Smokey Creamy Vegetable Chowder
Spicy Crab Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup celery – diced
- 1 small onion – yellow or white
- 2 chili peppers Anaheim chilies, serrano's or jalapenos – depending on heat preference, seeds removed, diced
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch of sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
- 2 dashes cayenne pepper – more for spicier chowder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoons fresh parsley – minced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups lump crab meat or crab claw meat
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a medium to large pot add olive oil, butter, celery, onion and peppers then sauté over medium heat until the onions start to brown.
- Add chicken stock, milk, cream, salt, sugar, old bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, chili powder, parsley and garlic powder and stir into the chowder while bringing mixture to a boil.
- Simmer for ~8 minutes or until the celery and onions are cooked through then blend the mixture with an immersion blender for a smooth soup or you can keep it chunky if preferred.
- Add the crab meat and stir into chowder.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water then stir mixture into simmering chowder, simmer until the chowder thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and serve.