Description
A classic creamy New England-style clam chowder recipe featuring tender clams, crispy bacon, and a rich, comforting broth with potatoes and aromatic vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 6 slices bacon diced
- 2 – 3 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped or minced clams drained
Vegetables
- 1 cup yellow onion diced (about 1 medium onion)
- 1 cup celery diced (about 2 stalks)
- 1 cup leeks sliced thinly (about 1 large leek)
- 3 cups red potatoes diced (about 1 lb.)
- sliced green onions for garnish, optional
Liquids
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or stock
- 3/4 cup clam juice (bottled is fine)
- 4 cups half and half
Seasonings and Others
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 – 3/4 Tbsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
- Prepare pot: You’ll need a large pot to make this soup, preferably a 7 quart dutch oven or similar.
- Crisp the bacon: Heat a large pot over medium-low heat, then add diced bacon and cook until crispy. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon drippings in the pot.
- Soften vegetables: Increase heat to medium, add diced onion, celery, and sliced leeks to the pot with bacon drippings. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes until vegetables are soft. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat the vegetables evenly. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Add liquids and potatoes: Add the diced potatoes, chicken broth, clam juice, dried thyme, kosher salt, black pepper, bay leaves, and Tabasco sauce. Stir well to combine, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer potatoes: Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add dairy and clams: Stir in the drained canned clams and pour in the half and half, mixing well to combine everything.
- Heat through and thicken: Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the chowder is heated through and reaches your desired thickness.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the chowder and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve the chowder topped with the crispy cooked bacon, optional oyster crackers, and sliced green onions. Enjoy your hearty New England clam chowder!
Notes
- To make clam chowder thicker: simmer longer, mash some potatoes with a potato masher, or stir in a slurry of 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water and simmer until thickened.
- To make clam chowder thinner: add extra half and half or additional chicken broth/clam juice to reach your preferred consistency.
- To use fresh clams: steam 2 lbs fresh littleneck or cherrystone clams in 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and 6 crushed garlic cloves until they open (about 6-7 minutes). Discard unopened clams, chop the meat, and use about 3/4 – 1 cup in place of canned clams in this recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
