Keto Shrimp Chowder with Chipotle (Creamy, Spicy, No Potatoes)

I’ve been making this one forever, since before I owned my own gourmet deli, and it sold like crazy there. Keto shrimp chowder with chipotle balances a creamy broth, sweet shrimp, and real smoky heat, no potatoes anywhere in sight.

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The whole trick is balance. Too much chipotle and the smoky heat overwhelms the sweet shrimp, too little and there is no point adding it at all. This soup develops flavor slowly, the same as most good chowders.

I use tiny wild-caught salad shrimp most often, since they’re just the right size for a spoon and genuinely sweet.

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Chef Jenn’s Take on Shrimp Chowder with Chipotle

Layering flavor matters here the same way it does in any good chowder. Sautee the bacon with the onion, celery, and carrot first, then add the broth, chipotle, and herbs and let it simmer before the shrimp and cream go in at the very end, just long enough to heat through. Adding everything all at once skips the step where most of the real flavor actually develops.

Chipotle in adobo sauce is milder than the chilies themselves, so start with a teaspoon and taste before adding more. It gets hot fast. I personally use closer to a full tablespoon and mine runs properly spicy, so treat the amount as a starting point rather than a fixed rule.

If you’re doing strict keto, skip the carrots entirely, it saves about a carb per serving without changing much else. A heavy-bottomed pot matters too, a thin one scorches easily once this starts to thicken, and there is nothing worse than a burnt flavor working its way through a whole pot of soup.

This is genuinely flexible on protein. Chicken works in place of shrimp, or add crawfish, bay scallops, or whatever seafood you have on hand.

What You’ll Love About Shrimp Chowder with Chipotle

• Flexible enough to swap in whatever seafood you happen to have on hand.
• Thick, creamy, and properly spicy, with the heat level entirely up to you.
• No potatoes anywhere, so the carb count stays low without feeling like a compromise.

Ingredients

• Bacon – Chopped, this builds the flavor base along with the vegetables.
• Carrots, onion, and celery – Diced. Skip the carrots for strict keto, it saves about a carb per serving.
• Garlic – Fresh, finely chopped.
• Chipotle in adobo sauce – Start with a teaspoon and adjust up to taste, it’s milder than the chilies themselves but still builds heat fast.
• Chicken broth – Low sodium, so you control the seasoning.
• Dried thyme and bay leaf – Standard pantry staples.
• Red bell pepper – Diced.
• Shrimp – Tiny salad shrimp are my pick, though any size works. Cut larger shrimp into smaller pieces if you want them easier to eat with a spoon.
• Heavy cream – Full fat. Unsweetened almond milk works as a dairy-free substitute, though the flavor shifts slightly.
• Xanthan gum – Optional, for a thicker chowder.

How to Make Shrimp Chowder with Chipotle

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Chop the bacon and sautee it with the diced onion, celery, and carrots over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the chicken broth, chipotle, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover and bring to a simmer, then let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the red bell pepper and bring back to a simmer.

Add the shrimp and cream. If the shrimp is already cooked, bring the soup to a boil, then season and serve. If using raw shrimp, simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until cooked through.

For a thicker chowder, whisk in a small amount of xanthan gum before serving.

Make It A Meal

If you want my full rant about building soup flavor properly, it’s all in my Smoked Sausage Chowder post. On the side, Grilled Veggies rounds this out nicely.

For a meatier pairing, Sausage Parmigiana is always a solid choice alongside a bowl of this.

Storage

Chill fully in the fridge, then package in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Refrigerated leftovers keep for several days as well.

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4.86 from 7 votes

Shrimp Chowder with Chipotle

Creamy, spicy, and loaded with shrimp, this Shrimp Chowder with Chipotle is a truly tasty keto chowder!

Course Soups & Stews

Cuisine American

Keyword keto chowder no potatoes, keto seafood soup, keto shrimp chowder, low-carb chipotle chowder, spicy keto soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 112kcal

Author Chef Jenn

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon chopped
• 1 cup carrots diced
• 1 cup onions diced
• 1 cup celery diced
• 2 teaspoons garlic finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce finely chopped
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 cup red bell pepper diced
• 1 pound shrimp
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

• Chop the bacon into small pieces and sautee the bacon with the diced onion, celery, and carrots over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
• Add the chicken broth, chipotle, bay leaf and thyme. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add the red bell pepper and bring back to a simmer.
• Add the shrimp and cream. If the shrimp are pre-cooked, just heat the soup to a boil, then season with salt and pepper and serve. Simmer the soup for an additional 2-3 minutes if the shrimp is uncooked.

Video

Notes

Recipe Card Tips

• Start with a teaspoon of chipotle in adobo and taste before adding more. It builds heat fast, and it’s easier to add than to take away.
• Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A thin one scorches easily once the chowder starts to thicken.
• Add the shrimp and cream at the very end, just long enough to heat through. Overcooking either one at this stage toughens the shrimp and can break the cream.
• Adjust the chipotle to suit your palate.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2506IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.5mg | Net Carbohydrates: 4g

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

Want more fabulous keto Soups & Chowders? Never fear, I’ve got plenty more to try like this Chinese take-out classic soup. And, if you’d prefer something to go with this dish, check out these tasty grilled vegetables. If you’ve a hankering for something meatier, this sausage Parmigiana dish is always a winner, and so is this keto king ranch chicken casserole.