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Clam Chowder Recipe

Clam Chowder Recipe

This Clam Chowder recipe features a creamy broth packed with clams, bacon, and potatoes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 9 cups
Calories 281 kcal

Equipment

  • 4.5-quart soup pot

Ingredients
  

Bacon and Aromatics

  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon can sub salt pork
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced

Liquids and Seasonings

  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce or ½ teaspoon tabasco sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 cups Half and Half
  • 8 oz. clam juice
  • 1 cube chicken bouillon
  • 1 leaf bay leaf

Main Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ lbs. potatoes see notes
  • 3 (6.5 oz.) cans chopped clams juices reserved

Seasonings

  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

Prep Work

  • Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate and chop once cooled, reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
  • Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can.

Make the Soup

  • Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat, add diced onions and celery, and soften for 5-6 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
  • Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously, followed by the half and half.
  • Stir in the chicken bouillon and add the bay leaf, and juice from the canned clams, then add the additional clam juice.
  • Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Peel and dice the potatoes, add them to the soup, and cook for 20-25 minutes until fork tender.
  • Stir in the clams and heat through for about 5 minutes, then remove the bay leaf.
  • Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with parsley, cracked pepper, and chopped bacon.

Notes

For freshness, use Bar Harbor Chopped Clams and Clam Juice. You can also substitute with fresh clams and adjust clam juice accordingly. Yukon Gold potatoes are recommended for their creamy consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 281kcal
Keyword clam chowder, Clam Chowder Recipe, comfort food, easy soup, New England chowder, soup recipe
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