Chicken and Mushroom Chowder

The first time I made this chowder I followed the recipe exactly. The second time I made it, I made some changes which I think really improved the final results. I eliminated the water. I didn't see the need for it. I also eliminated the oregano. I think that was my biggest complaint with the recipe as is - for me the taste was overpowering. To add some flavor, I added chicken bullion, white pepper, parsley and onion powder. Lastly, I waited until the final step to add the chicken. Made as is – the chicken cooks too long – the end result is dried out or rubbery chicken. A tip for new cooks: Before transferring the flour/vegetable mix to the rice mixture stir about ¼ to ½ cup of chicken broth into the flour/veg mixture. This helps to eliminate lumps in your final product.

I made this last night and my hubby & I loved it! I used 2 cans of broth and brown rice, left out the water, added butter to the olive oil when cooking the veggies (used portobellas and put in extra because I love them)and then deglazed the pan with a little red wine and added that to the pot. I also used half & half and another 2/3 cup of 1% milk plus a little nutmeg at the end. I did add salt & pepper to taste as I was cooking. I almost always add more spices to any recipe I make but I think the recipe as it stands is a great one. I will definatley make this again and again!

I absolutely love this recipe. I've made it several times and always get rave reviews. It's definitely great comfort food. If I want to thicken it up, I add a can of Cream of Mushroom and it's wonderful. I find it easiest to put a couple chicken breasts in a slow cook all day with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. When I come home, I shred up the chicken (it's like butter by then) and use it for my soup. If I have too much chickent left over, I use it the next for soft chicken tacos or a BBQ chicken sandwich. Thanks so much for sharing!

I made this as is yesterday for the first time. I loved it. It was nice, thick, and hearty. My wife wants me to add green vegetables the next time I make it, but she took the leftovers to work today so she must have loved it too. To anyone I suggest following the recipe for your first batch, then tweek it if you want, but the original recipe is great.

This was delicious- like a chicken stew. Seemed really thin at first but then the rice puffed up and the whole thing thickened. Added some leftover peas- could add anything you like! Might try some different/more seasoning next time. And there will be a next time!

My husband and I thought this was too bland also. I will try one more time with this recipe before tossing. Would add more pepper and a bouillion cube and 3/4 cup of frozen peas with the milk.

I WASN'T EVEN LOOKING FOR THIS, BUT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO HAVE FOR DINNER AND I MADE THIS IN UNDER AN HOUR. IT WAS FABULOUS!! IT HAS TO BE EASY FOR ME NOT TO MESS IT UP!!! A NEW FAVORITE OF MINE

I actually would give this 4 1/2 stars but since they don't have that option I will go with 4. My husband loved this recipe I made mine a bit larger by adding more broth and rice and since I had a can of evaporated milk on hand that was opened I used that instead of the milk.

I made it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey instead of chicken, and I could not stop eating it.

Made this recipe tonight for supper, it was wonderful, changed nothing.... will make many times again... Thanks

This was certainly a good and acceptable chowder but it just didn't have that distinction that makes it outstanding, even after some tinkering which I know only made it better. I didn't use any water and wondered why the recipe would call for it. The oregano not only seemed excessive, but I felt would make for a one-dimensional tasting soup, so I substituted a good Tuscan seasoning blend instead. To add even more flavor, color and texture I added chopped celery and chopped red bell pepper to the vegetables. While I acknowledge this is a chowder, which implies it will be thick, it still was TOO thick and needed additional chicken broth. I'm thinking the flour was unnecessary in the first place! Also, since the chicken is already cooked I added it at the end rather than cook it any further. It was an okay soup/chowder, but even with additional seasoning including salt and pepper, extra garlic, no water and a wider variety of vegetables it still seemed to lack depth and complexity. I'm thinking that even a bit of dry white wine or sherry might make a big difference, though I also believe the chowder should stand on its own without it.

I made this recipe as written, and we thought it was delicious! My 20 month old son LOVED it, he's not a vegetable eater, but he ate this right up, veggies and all. We didn't think this was bland at all, I'm not sure why people thought that. If you add the amount of oregano and pepper to the chicken that it called for then it tasted great. Thanks for posting this recipe, Joanie!

Just made this and am having a warm bowl right now...it is delish! Made the following changes based on previous reviews: Cooked chicken breasts in slow cooker with 1/2c water, seasoning salt and pepper on low for 4 hours then could still cube the meat as opposed to it shredding. Used all chicken broth, no water. Cut oregano to 1/2tsp. Sauteed veggies in butter and olive oil. Threw in a handful of frozen corn at the end as I like my chowders with corn for that little sweetness. Could still use a little salt, but that is easily added at the table. Very easy to make, great creamy consistency and so good! Will definitely make again.

This is a good, filling soup. I made no changes except to add one can of cream of mushroom soup to make this a little thicker. It was delicious.

This recipe is amazing! I took it to my sister's house for lunch, and 6 people ate a double batch. I doubled the recipe almost exactly, and I added a can of cream of mush. soup. To cook the chicken, I put 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts in a crock pot with 1/2 c. water,1/2 tsp. garlic salt, & 1/2 tsp. pepper. I cooked the chicken over night (about 8 hours) on low. The chicken was extremely moist and just fell apart.

The only thing I added to this was some salt. Other than that, I made it exactly the way it stated. I don't know why people found this bland. There's nothing bland about it (unless you're into really spicey foods). I made this for a dinner at work (I'm a shift worker). I made it the night before for the next night's work. I teased myself with a taste of it. I wanted more but had to hold back! lol The recipe is great just the way it is.

My family loved this. Thick and filling. The oregano is a bit strong though. Next time I'll omit that, add more salt and DOUBLE THE RECIPE, as we all wanted MORE.

this is the first thing i can say that i dont like. its bland, and definately not making this agian

I used left over rice and canned mushrooms and it still turned out great. Wonderful taste.

Made this the first time exactly as directed & really liked it, but thought suggestions from some others sounded good, so I cut back on the oregano to 1/2 t. and added cream of chicken soup. It was to die for. I'm making it tomorrow & will double the recipe.

This was an excellent chowder!!! I used fresh portabella mushrooms and a bit more garlic.. YUMMY!! An instant favorite in this house!!! I would use less rice just because it soaks up the yummy broth! KUDOS!

Very good chowder. I know a couple who was sick and made this for them, and some for home too- a triple batch! Needs some salt. Otherwise it is great and I will make it again-thanks!

I thought it was a little bland. I had to add some spices to give it flavor. I also added some corn. I dont know if I will make this again.

Very Good!I didn't have mushrooms, so I added some frozen spinach and string beans. I also added some season all salt to add to taste. Very creamy! YUM!

This is really delicious. It's not a very "seasoned" soup, and the chicken and mushrooms are definitely the stars of the show. I cubed the raw chicken and added it to the soup so it would cook in the broth. The texture of the soup was *perfect.* I thought there was way too much garlic and next time I'll only use one clove. I topped my bowl of soup with parmesan cheese and it was lovely lovely lovely.

Very good and fairly easy. I didn't use the full amount of oregano. With the "healthy" chicken broth I used, a little salt could be added. We added peas too. I was in a hurry, so I sauteed my chicken with the garlic, onion, and mushrooms; then added the broth, etc. Worked fine. Very filling. I've put this one in my recipe box!

The whole family really likes this chowder. It all disappeared (no leftovers).

my husband and i are big fans of chowder and this recipe hit the spot. it's not too rich/heavy like other recipes but has all the taste and flavor you need. the only modification i made was adding corn but that's just my personal preference. thanks!

My husband and I loved this recipe! The only thing I need to change in my own preparation is that I need to add a bit more salt... I used homemade chicken browth, and I'm sure that canned browth has plenty of salt already. My husband can be hard to please, and this one is definitely a keeper!

I absolutely LOVED this recipe! Preparation of the vegetables does take a little time, but a food processor helps with that. I used prepared broth (Campbells), so I don't need to add any additional salt. While I prepare the veggies, I cook the chicken breasts in the microwave, and cook the small amount of rice on the stove. By the time they're ready, I'm finished with the veggies - all in all, it was ready to eat in under an hour. I think next time I'll try it with Portabello mushrooms and a whole head of roasted garlic. YUMMY!

I made the recipe as listed. I even used skim milk and it came out great. I was a little worried about the milk after reading the other reviews, but it came out nice and thick.

Great chowder. Made no changes, but next time will double the recipe as it always better the second day. And, like to freeze a couple bowls to have on hand for a quick meal. Thanks Joanie.

Both my husband and I really liked this recipe. I did make some changes: turkey instead of chicken, 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth instead of 3, a half bag of frozen veggies, and added a can of campbell's chedder cheese soup. This tasted like a homemade pot pie without the crust, but could used as the filling for a pot pie.

This was very bland. Not crazy about the oregano. I doctored it up, but won't make again.

This was a pretty average tasting soup. I needed about double the chicken broth even though I cooked the soup covered. After adding 1 tsp. oregano, I tasted the soup and felt that was plenty of oregano...maybe too much. I added a little basil, rosemary, and parsley to get a better blend of flavors, but never got it exactly right. I altered the preparation directions: after adding the flour to the vegetables, I stirred in 2 T. Sherry and the 1 c. milk, stirred until the mixture was thick and bubbly, then added it to the broth/rice mixture. I added the cooked chicken near the end to avoid overcooking...there is no need to add it in step 1 before the rice even cooks.

I made this meal tonight and followed it to the "T" as far as seasonings go. I didn't add carrots but added corn instead. I can see why some people thought this was a little bland because the broth/liquid didn't have much flavor. I tasted the oregano and that was nice but I felt it just needed a little more "umph" to it. I did have to add salt. I would possibly make this again but with my own twist to make a little richer flavor. I bought a pre-roasted chicken at the store and pulled the meat off that to add in, just as a time-saver. I added it during the last 15 minutes of cooking because chicken tends to shred when cooked too long in a broth like this. Overall, not bad. It's worth making again with a few added touches of my own. :)

This was really good. I didn't give it a five because it wasn't to die for, and needed some extra spice to it. I doubled the amount of rice, and used less dried oregano as suggested. Next time I will omit the carrots, and add some corn. With the remaining leftovers, i warmed it up with a can of chicken broth and made chicken mushroom chowder soup. Very good. Thanks for sharing.

This was really bland. We didn't enjoy it at all.

not sure what, but this recipe was missing something. possibly could have benefitted from making a white sauce with butter as the base, definitely needs some salt also! this one won't be going into the books!

Kind of bland. I added frozen peas with the milk for a bit of color; would have been way too boring without. Might try again with more varieties of mushrooms and more black pepper.

This dish is so comforting. I omit the carrots, the oregano, and water, and I also add the chicken in at the end. First I boil water with powdered chicken broth. Then I start the veggies just as the recipe says but without carrots. After putting the flour in, I add some of the boiling broth, about 1/2 a cup to the veggie mix to make sure there are no clumps. Then I add the veggies, seasoned chicken, and rice into the boiling broth. When it starts to boil again, I add the milk and any additional seasonings. Usually when making this dish, I serve it along with baked chicken. While baking the chicken I reserve about a 1/2 cup of the chicken juices for the chowder. After adding the milk, add the juices. I makes such a difference! Also, if I'm in the mood, I take a hot pepper, poke tiny holes in it, and I put in the chowder to boil . At the end I remove it, and the final dish is so yummy! My family absolutely loves it, and its perfect for a cold winter night! Tip: if you find the chowder is thickening to much at the end and too quickly, just keep adding in small amounts of milk until the rice is fully cooked. Season with black pepper and salt if needed.

This recipe needs serious salt and pepper to give it any taste at all.

I agree with other reviewers who think that the oregano is overpowering. If I make this again I will leave it out completley.

I made this w/leftover turkey, barley and added a few stalks of celery. Omitted rice, water, and used 1/2 the amt of oregano. Came out great!

Very good! I had to add about an extra cup of liquid, and I still thought it was pretty thick. Good, but I was just expecting something a little more soup-like. I don't know why, the title clearly says "chowder"! Anyway, it was delicious and I'll certainly make this again. Thanks for the recipe!

Very good! Pretty much followed to a "t" except left out 1/2 C water and went lighter on oregano like other reviewers. Put in slow cooker like one reviewer did (with whole, frozen chicken breast).. Put mushrooms and milk in 1hr before serving and the mushroom had softened slightly but gave it an added texture that was nice (instead of super soft like in an overcooked soup). Husband loved it, and he's very hard to please. He even said he'd love to have this again, which is a very rare occurrence indeed.

This recipe turned out sort of bland and doesn't have enough colour. Needs stuff added to it, but I wasn't sure what.

This was a quick, easy and very tasty dish. Didn't change a thing and my whole family loved it. Perfect comfort food for a cold winter night!

Very good recipe. Make sure you like garlic before adding this amount. You may wish to cut down a bit. I used leftover Popeye's spicy chicken and put it over mashed potatoes and then over rice. Good both ways, but better over rice. I was given the spicy by mistake and my wife doesn't like that much spice. This was a great way to tone the spice down. I did put in some of the skin to keep some of the spice and it was very good. I also went with more mushrooms, 16 oz. Just my personal taste. Thanks Joanie!

Good/not great. The only thing I changed was I used half the oregano. 1.5 tsp for a small-ish amount of soup sounded a bit potent. I liked it with that amount....probably would have found the amount called for too overpowering. This was too thick for me....just heavy, not chowderish

This was pretty good. I used barley instead of rice and added some green beans I had laying around. It didn't make us stand up and cheer but it was good and filling.

Um ... this soup did not have the richness that is inherent to a true chowder. It was also kind of bland and visually unappealing. I found the flavors to be only so-so. Unfortunately, I won't be making this dish again.

Possible one of the best soups ever! I used 1 cup of rice instead of 1/2, and made it in my rice cooker. I added it just before serving, so it didn't get mushy. Thanks so much for the recipe!

YUM! This was very tasty! I added celery too. I will for sure make again.

The is a nice and easy meal, although I found it rather bland. I added a red pepper, celery, a splash of white wine, more salt and pepper and a little seasoning blend, and it still was missing something--maybe Cayenne? My husband liked it though and he usually goes for big flavor, and it definitely looked yummy to serve, so I gave it four stars instead of three.

Absolutely delicious. I made it as written although I used all broth no water. LOVE IT. Will definitely make it again

I loved this soup. I've never tried rice in soup before but I loved that when i spooned up the soup that there wasn't just liquid there.

Excellent recipe. First time, I made it as the recipe said. Second time, I used button portabellas, added lemon pepper at the end, added extra carrots and onions to broth. It was just as good as the first time I made it. Thanks, Joanie.

Good concept, needs a little extra spice!

I highly recommend adding crumbled cooked bacon to this, which is more like a casserole than a chowder, in my opinion.

This soup tasted pretty good. I decreased the oregano to 1 tsp. and tripled the garlic. I increased the rice to 3/4 cup and ended up having to put more water in the soup because it was too thick.

I agree with the previous review. This was very bland - definitely needed salt or something.

This was just OK for me. I cut down on the oregano because it sounded like too much and I don't love it. It tastes like chicken pot pie middle and is pretty good. It could use more rice to make it heartier.

Great comfort food. I make some minor adjustments. I substitute the water with more chicken broth and only use 1 teaspoons of oregano. I also throw in whatever I have handy: garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, parsely flakes, etc. And since the chicken is already cooked, I don't put it in until the very end. Awesome on a cold evening.

This is like a wonderful risotto with mushrooms and chicken-Perfect meal .

Very good recipe.Just changed a couple of things. For all of the liquids used all chicken broth.Used white rice instead of long grain rice.Both ways are good.Added a cup of frozen vegetables to it.And when its done we have put it over Biscuits or mash potatoes. Works for us. Thanks.

A great dish that can be seasoned many ways to your taste. It's great if you have left over chicken and rice which I did,much quicker to make.I also sauted celery with the onions,carrots,garlic and mushrooms.Did extra mushrooms,we love them.Did not use the water. My husband and I love curry ,it was great.Next time I think i will try cumin.Thanks for a great recipe that can be seasoned many ways.

yummy!! perfect comfort food.. will definately make again..

I think we would have given this 2.5 stars, but since it was SO bland, we rounded down. We took the advice of some of the others and didn't add any water (why would you?) and added some butter with the oil. Add four good-sized ribs of celery to the carrots and onions and 1.5 teaspoons each of thyme and sage. Add more salt/pepper to taste. Using cream of chicken (or mushroom) may be better than using milk - we'll know next time.

In my hazy sick state I added double the oregano, WOW way to powerful. But I fixed it by adding cream of celery soup and another cup of milk. My husband was shocked at how good my mistake turned out!!!

Excellent recipe. Didn't change a thing, just doubled it. Great flavors, very nice comfort food. Thanks for this one!

This was fantastic! So thick and delicious. Very filling! I thought it needed a good dose of salt, but that is just personal preference.

This was really good. I didn't give it a five because it wasn't to die for, and needed some extra spice to it. I doubled the amount of rice, and used less dried oregano as suggested. Next time I will omit the carrots, and add some corn. With the remaining leftovers, i warmed it up with a can of chicken broth and made chicken mushroom chowder soup. Very good. Thanks for sharing.

This was a great recipe! Love those one pot meals. Very creamy, & filling. This should go on everyone's list of "comfort foods"!

I followed the recipe and I just didn't like the results. I

I made this recipe tonight! I pretty much alway change things based on what I have on hand. I skipped the carrots (didn't have any) and added more mushrooms, but chopped vs. sliced. I added 1 c. beef broth because I already had one open. Seemed like most found the original bland, so I added about 3 chicken and 1 beef bouillon cubs. It really made the broth more flavorful. I also didn't have any rice, so I added egg noodles instead. We really love mushrooms, so thanks for sharing!

This was pretty awesome. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly, using skim milk and maybe a little extra pepper. Turned out great! My honey claims to hate oregano and he loved this. Yes, it is pretty simple, but that's what comfort food should be. It was great, but not 5-stars - it could definitely use something extra to give it that boost, but I haven't figured out what that "extra" should be yet. Great recipe, though - thanks!

Delicious! I just got done eating and eating and eating and eating this soup. It is sooo good. It is delicious and healthy as the recipe is listed, but add a dollop of sour cream on top and a few shakes of tabasco and it is sinfully good. Next time I make this I may use wild rice or barley. I also added 1Tbls of cornstarch with a little milk at the end to thicken it up. A very simple, super fast recipe with an all day simmer taste.

My family really enjoyed this meal, and I am already looking forward to making it again. The only changes I made were reducing the mushrooms to half pound, increasing the rice to 2 cups, adding half a bag of frozen peas and substituting almond milk for regular milk. It was creamy and delicious and reminded me of chicken pot pie without the crust!! The only change I would make next time would be to increase the carrots to 2 or 3. 1 just didn't seem like enough.

Very good. I did have to increase the chicken broth and the milk. I didn't add the milk until the end because I tend to walk away while things are simmering. I also adjusted the salt and pepper to our tastes. I will make again. Totally comfort food.

I'm not sure why but I decided to take a reviewer's suggestion and slow cook the chicken. I didn't like the meat shredded. Also, I would have preferred the carrots sliced rather than chopped. The sauteed fresh mushrooms MAKE this dish. The flavor was wonderful, and I used fat-free broth and 1% milk. Make again? Maybe.

Because everyone suggested more spices, I added some, but added too much white pepper which overpowered the taste. Other than that mistake, I think it is a great, quick tasty chowder and plan to make it again.

This was a great recipe - quick, easy and delicious. I realized at the last minute that my fresh mushrooms had been in the frig way too long so I used fresh broccoli instead. I will certainly make this one again and again.

Followed the recipe exactly. We loved it.

Made this last night after reading all the reviews. My husband called it "hot icecream"! Was absolutely delicious! Followed reviewers suggestions by replacing the oregano w/tarragon. Also used half & half & heavy cream in place of milk. Also used all broth instead of water, and ended up adding about one cup more. Used more salt & pepper than recipe called for but did it all by taste - that's pretty much how I cook! WE LOVED THIS!!

I made tonight. Was really good. I am counting calories so just wondering what is considered 1 serving.

Ah, easy and pretty good! I only added 1/2 of the Oregano and half the milk, believe me its ENOUGH! AND for some reason it took forever to thicken up with flour! ~Might~ make again, thanks.

I made this today and changed it up a bit. Left out the carrots, added spinach. Used chicken stock and half & half and then added about a 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar at the end. The pepper and oregano were wonderful with this chowder!

Very good. I omitted the carrots because I do not like them and used celery instead. I also used wild rice instead of white and brown rice flour instead of white. I had to add about 2 more cups of water but it was very good. Will make again.

I prepared this recipe as written and it ended up pasty and bland. I added parsley, garlic salt, white pepper, at least double the original black pepper, frozen corn and a significant amount of extra milk (hoping to help out with the pastiness). With all of the extra seasonings I added it was still quite bland. As a starter I may use this again, but as a finished chowder I will not.

i would cut back on the oregano i felt that was a bit strong and almost didnt belong

This is a good soup, but needs a bit of spicing up as it is a bit bland.

This is truly a thick and delicious chowder. I did use the flour, as I consider this the reliable way to thicken chowders. And, as per other reviewers, be sure to stir about 1/2 cup of the stock (I always use stock, never broth) into the vegetable/flour mixture BEFORE returning it all into the stock. This will insure no lumps in your finished product. One other tip: you do not need cooked chicken to start with; simply cut up raw chicken breasts into bite-size chunks and cook them in the simmering broth for 20 minutes, prior to starting the recipe. Then you will proceed as directed.

I've made this recipe twice, and my husband and I enjoyed it. I added potatoes, and I think that added a little more variety.

I didn't have mushrooms, so I omitted them. It tasted a little bland, so at the end of the cooking time, I stirred in about 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and it gave it a good flavor.

It was a good recipe but as written it lacked spice...I used low sodium broth and that may have been the problem but based on what other reviewers said, I added 1 Tbsp sour cream, parsley and 1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned salt and found it still was a little bland.

My girlfriend and I made this last night and have added it to our regular menu of dishes we cook. I agreed a little with the user that mentioned there was too much oregano... might drop it down next time to about 3/4tsp. We also added a few extra spices to kick it up a notch (some Greek Seasoning, couple small dashes of Curry, etc.). We also did 3/4 cup of rice instead of 1/2 to make it a little less of a soup and more of a casserole. Glad we did. It was perfect. I can definitely see how Peas would work really well in this, but it is far from needed. Enjoy!

LOVED this chowder, but made a few minor changes. I used 3 1/2 cups chicken stock, no water. Added a bit of celery with the carrots, just because I happened to have it around. When it was done it seemed a bit thick to me, so I added some more stock and milk. Maybe 1/4 cup each. Delicious, and a definite keeper!

This was so good!! The only change I made was that I added an extra carrot. I will probably use 3 carrots the next time I make it. The carrots give it color and a little extra flavor. This is great served with salad and biscuits.