Creamy Seafood and Shrimp Chili (Printable)
A luxurious chili with shrimp and seafood in a rich, creamy sauce with subtle heat.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 lb mixed seafood (scallops, calamari rings, or firm white fish), cut into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
09 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
10 - 1 cup corn kernels
→ Creamy Base & Beans
11 - 1 (15 oz) can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 cup seafood or chicken broth
13 - 1 cup heavy cream
14 - 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
15 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Spices & Seasoning
16 - 2 tsp chili powder
17 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
18 - 1 tsp ground cumin
19 - ½ tsp dried oregano
20 - ½ tsp salt
21 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Garnishes
22 - Chopped fresh cilantro
23 - Sliced green onions
24 - Lime wedges
# How-To:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add red and green bell peppers, jalapeño, and minced garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and slightly softened.
03 - Stir in diced tomatoes, corn, tomato paste, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes to bloom the spices.
04 - Add drained beans and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld together.
05 - Lower heat and stir in cubed cream cheese until fully melted and smoothly incorporated into the chili base.
06 - Pour in heavy cream, mixing well. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without boiling to thicken the sauce.
07 - Add shrimp and mixed seafood. Simmer for 6–8 minutes until seafood is opaque and just cooked through, being careful not to overcook.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot garnished with fresh cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of tender shrimp and creamy sauce creates this luxurious texture that feels like a splurge dinner
- Its forgiving enough to adapt to whatever seafood looks fresh at the market
02 -
- Never let the dairy come to a rolling boil after adding the cream and cream cheese, it will separate and ruin the silky texture
- Seafood overcooks faster than you expect, remove the pot from heat the moment it turns opaque throughout
03 -
- Pat the seafood completely dry before adding it, excess water thins the creamy sauce
- Cut your seafood into uniformly sized pieces so everything finishes cooking at the same time