I could eat soup all year long even though it is highly consumed during the fall and winter seasons. I love clam chowder and was inspired to try and make my own after having some at the cheesecake factory. This isn't a "cheesecake factory copy cat" but this soup does not lack in flavor and is super easy to make. My personal favorite is New England Clam Chowder over Manhattan Clam Chowder. If you do not know the difference, New England is a cream based soup and Manhattan is a tomato based broth. Give me the CREAM! If you love New England Clam Chowder you will love this recipe. It came out delicious on the first try.
New England Clam Chowder Ingredients
How to make New England Clam Chowder
Cook chopped bacon in a pot until crispy and fat is rendered. Drain bacon on paper towel and set aside.
You can use all the remaining bacon fat or remove some if it's too much. I left about 2 tbsp. Add the butter to the pot and melt to mix with the bacon fat. Once the butter is melted, add in the onion. Cook until onion is tender for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add chicken broth, clam juice, potatoes, pepper, salt, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Stir to mix it all together. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.
Mix the flour into 1 cup of the half & half until smooth. This will help when adding it to the broth and prevent lumps inside. Add the half & half and flour mixture to the broth. Mix together and cook for 2 minutes until soup thickens.
Pour in remaining cup of half and half and add in the chopped clams. After mixing and heating through for 2 minutes add in most of the chopped bacon. Give a final stir and the chowder is now ready to serve.
Garnish with chopped chives and extra bacon and enjoy!
Things to top clam chowder with
- Bacon
- Chives/ Parsley
- Oyster Crackers
- Croutons
- Piece of Bread
If you love soups be sure to check out my Broccoli and Cheese Soup , Butternut Squash Soup , and French Onion Soup recipes as well.
Easy New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 3 6.5 oz cans chopped clams drained
- 8 oz clam juice
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups half & half
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 6 strips bacon diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp flour
- Chives garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot cook the bacon until crispy and fat is rendered. Remove and set aside on paper towel to drain. Reserve 2 tbsp or all of the bacon fat in the pot.
- Melt butter in the pot. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add broth, clam juice, potatoes, pepper, salt, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Mix flour into 1 cup of half & half until smooth. Add the half & half mixture to the broth and stir cooking for 2 minutes until soup thickens.
- Add remaining half & half and chopped clams and stir cooking for two minutes.
- Add most of the bacon to the pot and give one final stir.
- Serve with a garnish of chives and remaining bacon.
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