New England Clam Chowder

5 from 13 votes

Rich and creamy clam chowder

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 204kcal

In a large soup pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside.
4 slices bacon
Keep the bacon fat in the pot and add onions and celery. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
1 cup onion, white or yellow, ½ cup celery
Stir in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.
¼ cup flour
Slowly whisk in chicken broth. Add clam juice, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper.
1 cup chicken broth, 2 cups clam juice, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ - ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Add chopped potatoes. Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes until potatoes are soft. Stir often to avoid scorching.
4 red potatoes, about 1½ pounds
Once the potatoes are tender, remove about 1 cup of potatoes from the pot. Mash them with a fork or potato masher, then return them to the chowder and stir well to combine. This helps thicken the broth before adding the clams and cream.
Stir in clams, milk, and half-n-half. Heat to a simmer. Do not bring to a boil.
2 6.5 ounce cans clams, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup half-n-half
Remove bay leaf.
Stir the bacon back into the soup and serve hot with freshly chopped parsley.
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Cook the bacon slowly.
Let the bacon render over medium to medium-low heat so you get plenty of flavorful fat to cook the vegetables.
Don’t brown the onions.
Cook them just until soft and translucent. Browning changes the flavor and color of the chowder.
Cut the potatoes evenly.
Keeping the pieces the same size helps them cook at the same rate and gives the chowder a better texture.
Add clams at the end.
Clams only need a few minutes to heat through. Overcooking can make them tough.
Heat gently after adding cream.
Keep the chowder at a low simmer and avoid boiling, which can cause the dairy to separate.