New England Clam Chowder

This authentic New England Clam Chowder recipe was recreated after a trip to Boston. Serve it in a bread bowl to make it extra comforting and hearty!

I remember it was fall in 2015, but it’s still almost 90 degrees every day in Florida. This time of the year three years ago, Han and I went back to my hometown Shanghai, China for a bit, where we definitely felt the season of fall.

Maybe it’s because I was a little homesick; maybe it’s because I missed four seasons a bit, we started discussing where to go after the China trip. It was time to move to a new city that suits us. Looking back, staying in Jacksonville, Florida for nearly one year after spending two years in San Francisco, California made me consider my first three years of living in the States pretty dramatic.

After debating between Austin and Boulder, we ended up picking Austin after a trip there in December 2015. Han liked the tech scene there and I loved the food, energy, and vibes. So we packed our bags and bought a one-way ticket to Austin, TX in March 2016. Little did we know that we’d end it up in Hong Kong exactly after two years. Now, I consider our lives crazy!

Wherever we are, I am going to ignore the fact that there’s basically no real fall or winter in all those places we lived in. It’s almost the end of October now and it’s 80°F in Hong Kong. I am going to pretend the tree leaves are turning yellow and they will be falling down onto the streets soon.

You know I have a habit of recreating recipes from the places that I visit, such as this corn on the cob, this jambalaya, and this mushroom recipe, etc, The inspiration of this New England Clam Chowder recipe comes from our trip to New York and Boston a while back. What’s famous in New England area? Clam chowdaaaaaaar!

If you are not a big fan of canned condensed cream soup like me, then you will like this clam chowder recipe even more because we are going to make our own cream of celery soup for it. Don’t worry. It’s not complicated at all. In fact, it’s pretty simple. Once you learn the method, you can make healthy cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom soup at home.

Wondering how this clam chowder taste like?

It’s got a lot of flavor from bacon, simmered cream of celery soup, and clam juice.
It has the perfect thickness to be comforting and satisfying. Take your time to enjoy this New England Clam Chowder, one spoon at a time. The combination of whole clams, bacon, and fork tender potatoes with the creamy and tasty soup base is just as hearty as it gets.

To make it even better, serve the chowder in bread bowls. The best part comes when you reach the bottom of the bread bowl and scrape off the inner side of the bread that’s been soaked in the chowder…Oh boy…YUM!

If you get a chance to make this recipe, leave a comment and let me know how you like it. I would love to hear from you. Happy cooking! 🙂

New England Clam Chowder

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Sharon Chen
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Soup, Main
• Method: Stove
• Cuisine: American

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Description

This authentic New England Clam Chowder recipe was recreated after a trip to Boston. Serve it in a bread bowl to make it extra comforting and hearty!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 6–7 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 pound red or yellow potatoes
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 (10-oz) can whole baby clam
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk, divided
• 1 cup chicken bone broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Stir occasionally (about 10 minutes).
2. While the bacon is cooking, make cream of celery soup. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and sauté until fragrant (3-5 minutes).
3. Add celery into the skillet; stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with flour and sauté with onion and celery for a minute or two.
5. Whisk in 1/2 cup whole milk and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes until it’s thickened.
6. While the cream of celery soup is simmering, the bacon should be ready. Stir in the rest of the onion into the saucepan and cook until translucent.
7. Add the juice from the clam and 1/2 cup chicken broth, followed by potatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat until potatoes are fork tender (about 15-20 minutes). Stir occasionally.
8. While potatoes are cooking, check and complete the cream of celery soup.
9. Once the potatoes are done, add clams, cream of celery soup, 1/2 cup milk, heavy cream and dill weed. Stir everything together consistently and cook the chowder over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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Notes

• I use Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth for this recipe for some extra nutrients. You can use homemade chicken bone broth or regular chicken broth.
• I would recommend serving this clam chowder in bread bowls. I used sourdough bread. To prepare, cut the top of the bread with a serrated knife, leaving as much of the bread behind. Tear away the inner bread with your fingers. Be sure never to break through the outside crust.
• Don’t waste the top and the inner bread. Dip in the chowder and you will be licking your fingers. 🙂
• Bread nutrition is not included in the nutrition facts.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 700
• Sugar: 8.5g
• Sodium: 396.3mg
• Fat: 47.9g
• Saturated Fat: 24.9g
• Trans Fat: 0.8g
• Carbohydrates: 53.3g
• Fiber: 6.9g
• Protein: 17.4g
• Cholesterol: 120.3mg

About the Author

Sharon Chen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.