One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder Recipe is creamy and full of clam flavor. It’s comfort food that doesn’t disappoint on cold winter days. Ditch the canned soup and make this delicious homemade soup instead.
There’s was a time I’d never try to make New England Clam Chowder. I really thought you had to go to Boston to get the real deal. Then I tinkered with a recipe I found and came up with this delicious, thick One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder all by myself!
It’s a creamy soup you’ll love eating on a cold, snowy day with some OTC crackers. It’s thick, creamy consistency makes it the perfect winter comfort food. And sometimes you need a little comfort food to curb your winter blues. Right?
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One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder
Also known as Boston Clam Chowder, it is a traditional New England soup. It tastes really incredible with fresh clams but, fear not. You can make a great Boston Clam Chowder using canned clams. Why eat soup from a can? Canned soup is full of sodium and preservatives you don’t need and it just doesn’t have the flavor of homemade soup. Nope…not even close!
When I was much younger, I thought people who made homemade soup were performing nothing short of a miracle. I thought making a soup base had to be difficult. I understood adding in some vegetables but, how did a soup actually start? Then, I found out that it’s so much easier than I ever imagined.
Making a big pot of soup for your family is a great home cooked meal they can have for lunch or dinner. Serve it with crusty bread and they won’t need to eat much else. This New England Clam Chowder is so filling. It’s just about as delicious and filling as One Pot Corn and Crab Chowder! I suppose it just depends if you’re in the mood for crab or clams.
How to Make One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder Recipe
*The printable recipe is at the bottom of this post.
First, in a large non-stick pot on medium heat, add chopped bacon. Cook for a few min and remove bacon pieces to drain on a paper towel. Leave grease in pot. Add 2 tbsp of butter, chopped celery and onions and seasonings. Cook for 5-7 min.
Next, alternately sift some flour and clam juice while always stirring until all of the flour and clam juice has been combined. It will be pasty and thick. Slowly add about one cup of chicken stock at at time while stirring.
Then, add, potatoes and stir. Continue cooking for 15 min or so until potatoes are tender.
Last, add half and half, clams with clam juice and stir while cooking on low heat for another 10 min stirring often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
Now, I know you want to eat the bacon right?
Optional: Top with cooked bacon pieces or stir into soup.
This chowder is not difficult to make. It’s so thick, creamy and of course filling. You’ll love it! Because who likes a runny clam chowder? O.k. maybe some people but, not YOU!
Choosing what to make on a cold winter day is easy when you have a tasty, homemade soup recipe such as this One Pot Thick Creamy New England Chowder. Without a lot of prep, you can make a yummy soup for your family. The clam flavor really comes through this creamy white clam chowder. It is the ultimate comfort food to curb the winter blues!
So don’t pack up your family and drive or fly to Boston just to get yourself a flavorful, thick New England Clam Chowder because you can make it yourself in no time!
I took this recipe to Weekend Potluck.
One Pot Thick New England Clam Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 2- 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams with juice
- 8 oz clam juice
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 strips of bacon chopped
- 3 celery ribs chopped
- 2 med potatoes chopped
- 1 med onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 cups of chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large non-stick pot on medium heat, add chopped bacon. Cook for a few min and remove bacon pieces to drain on a paper towel. Leave grease in pot. Add 2 tbsp of butter, celery and onions and seasonings. Cook for 5-7 min.
- Alternately sift some flour and clam juice while always stirring until all of the flour and clam juice has been combined. It will be pasty and thick. Slowly add chicken stock one cup at a time while stirring.
- Add, potatoes and stir. Continue cooking for 15 min or so until potatoes are tender.
- Add half and half, clams with clam juice and stir while cooking on low heat for another 10 min stirring often so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Optional: Top with cooked bacon pieces or stir into soup.
If you leave out the clam juice, it will not be as flavorful. If you decide to leave it out, add an extra cup of chicken broth. It should still be good but not the same as with clam juice. Good luck!
Can I leave out the clam juice as I have none?
Hi Jen.
You can leave out the clams and clam juice but, I’d double the quantity the recipes says for potatoes and add one more cup of chicken broth to this recipe. I’m sure it’ll be thick and creamy but without the clam flavor. Please come back and let us know who it turns out.
Can you leave out the clams and the clam juice for a creamy potato soup?
Thanks Diana. Glad you liked it. I’m going to make it soon too.
I made this a month ago and I want to make it again. So perfect for a cold day!
Thanks Denise. You can just put the cooked bacon into the soup or just put some on top as pictured. You can also omit it. Whichever you prefer is fine.
Hi the recipe came out delicious but I am you didn’t say what to do with the bacon how to cut up the garlic so I just put the bacon back and I don’t know thank you
I’m glad you like it so much Kathi! Happy New Year!
I really love this recipe. However, I made this soup without using any clams – just 3 bottles of clam juice. I don’t like the texture of clams but I love clam chowder. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It came out fantastlly delicious.
Ok great! Thanks so much!!
Hi Laurie, yes, definitely double the recipe! Hope it turns out great.
This looks fantastic!! We all LOVE clam chowder. I would need to feed more than 4. Would I just double the recipe? Thanks in advance!! Can’t wait to make this!
Thanks for stopping by Susan. I love Meal Plan Monday.
Being on the west coast, Ivar’s in Seattle is setting the bar here! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe…I’ll be making it since I don’t live in Seattle and can’t just pop over all the time to Ivar’s! Popped over here from Southern Plate – thanks for participating in Meal Plan Monday!
I’m so glad you liked it Kathi. I had to chuckle when you said you threw out the clams!
This soup is fantastic!!! I needed to make one adjustment – and that was I tossed the clams – I can not stand the texture of clams – but I love the taste of them in this soup – so I just used 2 bottles of clam juice and this soup came out fantastic. Thanks so much for posting it.
Thanks Diana. I’m so glad you liked it. I hope you’ll try some more of my recipes and please come back and comment.
I just made this and it came awesome. I didn’t even put Bacon in it because I didn’t have any on hand and it still did not disappoint. Thank you for this one pot recipe!! Definitely a keeper for my house.
Thanks Annie. I’m sure yours will taste great! I too had some amazing seafood in Maine.
Ooohhhhh this looks AMAZING. This is on my bucket list to make, but so many trips to Portland, Maine have made me afraid to try, because I’m not sure my own will live up to the yummy bowls I’ve had – but holy wow – this looks fantastic!!
This looks amazing Joanne ! 🙂