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Lightened up clam chowder in a white ceramic bowl on marble

Clam Chowder Lightened Up

A creamy New England-style clam chowder that uses half-and-half and pureed potato instead of heavy cream for all the flavor with less fat.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams juice reserved
  • 1 bottle (8 oz) clam juice
  • 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 slices center-cut bacon diced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • fresh chives and oyster crackers for serving

Method
 

  1. Cook diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving drippings in the pot.
  2. Saute onion and celery in bacon drippings for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste.
  3. Pour in reserved clam juice from cans, bottled clam juice, and chicken broth. Add potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
  4. Remove bay leaf. Lightly mash about a quarter of the potatoes in the pot with a wooden spoon or potato masher to thicken the chowder naturally.
  5. Reduce heat to low. Stir in half-and-half and drained clams. Heat gently for 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through. Do not boil.
  6. Season with salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. Serve topped with reserved bacon, fresh chives, and oyster crackers.

Notes

Never boil the chowder after adding the half-and-half or it will curdle. Add the canned clams last and only warm them through. Mashing some potatoes in the pot is the key technique for thickening without heavy cream.