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New England Clam Chowder in a terracotta bowl garnished with bacon and green onions and a spoon in the bowl. There are bowls containing green onions, oyster crackers, and bacon bits in the background.

Easy New Hampshire Inspired New England Clam Chowder Using Canned Clams

Grace Stewart
Enjoy a taste of New England with this delicious clam chowder using canned clams!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 259 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot with a cover, or Dutch oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 ribs celery chopped
  • 2 large Russet potatoes peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 6.5oz chopped clams
  • 1.5 cup chicken broth can also use chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ ts salt plus additional to taste
  • ½ ts pepper plus additional to taste
  • 1 ts chicken bouillon seasoning I used Maggi

Garnishes

  • 4 slices bacon cut into bite sized pieces (select fatty pieces of bacon)
  • 2 ea green onions sliced for garnish; other great garnishes include fresh parsley or fresh thyme

Optional

  • corn starch optional to thicken if desired
  • oyster crackers optional to thicken (crush them and mix in) and also to garnish!

Instructions
 

  • Cut bacon into bite sized pieces and brown in a large pot or Dutch oven. Drain cooked bacon on paper towels
    A Dutch oven containing bacon fat and bacon bits.
  • Cook the onion and garlic in the bacon fat on medium heat for 3 minutes stirring occasionally
    A Dutch oven containing minced garlic and minced onion in bacon fat.
  • Add the celery and cook another 2 minutes
    A Dutch oven containing minced onion and garlic in bacon fat. There is a person holding a small bowl with chopped celery above the Dutch oven.
  • Add potatoes, bay leaf, 1.5 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon granules, salt, and pepper and bring to the boil on medium-high heat.
    A Dutch oven containing cut up potatoes, bay leaf, minced onion and chopped celery, and seasonings. There is a person holding a small bowl with chicken broth above the Dutch oven.
  • Turn down heat to med low, cover and simmer for around 15 minutes (until potatoes are tender) 
    A Dutch oven with cut up potatoes, celery, and minced onion in broth. There is a bay leaf on top of these ingredients.
  • Add 1 cup of heavy cream and all the clams (with all their juices) and stir to combine
    Minced clams and potatoes in broth in a Dutch oven. There is a person holding a small bowl with cream above the Dutch oven.
  • If at this point the chowder is too thin for your liking, add some cornstarch slurry (follow directions on your corn starch container as to how to add the corn starch).  You could also mix in some crushed up oyster crackers to thicken if desired.
  • Season with additional salt and pepper to taste if desired.  (Go easy on the salt as the chowder will likely be salty due to the bacon and other ingredients)
  • Garnish with bacon bits and chopped green onions, and enjoy!

Notes

Please note that the nutrition facts are generated by a online program and should only be used as a guide.
If at this point the chowder is too thin for your liking, add some cornstarch slurry (follow directions on your corn starch container as to how to add the corn starch).  You could also mix in some crushed up oyster crackers to thicken if desired.
Scoop your chowder into some bowls, add bacon bits, green onions, and oyster crackers on top, and enjoy this taste of New England!!
If you want to go really fancy, enjoy your chowder in a bread bowl!

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 281mgPotassium: 666mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 651IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg
Keyword canned clams, clam chowder, new england clam chowder
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