---
title: "New England Clam Chowder (Creamy and Thick)"
url: https://save.cooking/@american_classic/new-england-clam-chowder-creamy-and-thick
author: Save.Cooking American Classics
author_profile: https://save.cooking/@american_classic
description: "A classic New England clam chowder with tender clams, hearty potatoes, and a creamy, thickened broth built on bacon, aromatics, and clam liquor. This version uses a light flour roux for dependable body and a gentle finish with dairy so it stays silky—not grainy."
prep_time: 15 minutes
cook_time: 30 minutes
total_time: 45 minutes
servings: 6
tags: ["Main Dish", "Make Ahead", "American", "Stovetop", "Dinner", "Lunch", "Fish"]
published: 2026-01-06
updated: 2026-01-14
---

# New England Clam Chowder (Creamy and Thick)

*Recipe by [@american_classic](https://save.cooking/@american_classic)*

A classic New England clam chowder with tender clams, hearty potatoes, and a creamy, thickened broth built on bacon, aromatics, and clam liquor. This version uses a light flour roux for dependable body and a gentle finish with dairy so it stays silky—not grainy.

New England clam chowder is a cornerstone of American coastal cooking, and its signature is a pale, creamy broth with real clam flavor. The “thick” texture isn’t about heaviness—it’s about technique: render bacon, sweat aromatics, build a roux, then simmer potatoes in clam juice until naturally starchy. Finish with dairy off the boil to keep the chowder smooth and restaurant-worthy.

**Total Time:** 45 minutes | **Prep:** 15 minutes | **Cook:** 30 minutes | **Servings:** 6

## Ingredients

### Clams & Broth

- 4 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, with juice (or 3 cans chopped clams + 1 can whole clams), undrained
- 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice (or 1 cup additional clam juice if needed)

### Base

- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

### Potatoes & Seasoning

- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Pinch of cayenne (optional)

### Creamy Finish

- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1/2 cup heavy cream

### To Serve (Optional)

- Oyster crackers
- Chopped fresh parsley or chives

## Instructions

1. Drain the canned clams, reserving all clam juice. Set clams aside; keep the reserved juices handy.

2. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp and the fat is rendered, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate (leave the fat in the pot).

3. Add onion and celery to the pot and cook in the bacon fat until softened but not browned, 5–6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.

4. Add butter. Once melted, sprinkle in flour and stir constantly to form a roux. Cook 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste (it should look like a pale paste).

5. Slowly whisk in the reserved clam juice from the cans plus the bottled clam juice, scraping up any browned bits. Add bay leaf, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne (if using).

6. Add diced potatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered at a steady simmer (not a hard boil) until potatoes are tender, 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

7. For extra thickness, use a spoon to lightly mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot, then stir to combine.

8. Reduce heat to low. Stir in half-and-half and heavy cream. Warm gently for 3–5 minutes—do not boil.

9. Stir in the reserved clams and the cooked bacon (save a little bacon for garnish if you like). Cook just until clams are warmed through, about 1–2 minutes.

10. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Let the chowder stand 5 minutes to slightly thicken before serving.

11. Serve hot with oyster crackers and a sprinkle of parsley or chives, if desired.

## Tags

`Main Dish`, `Make Ahead`, `American`, `Stovetop`, `Dinner`, `Lunch`, `Fish`

---

*This recipe is hosted on [Save.Cooking](https://save.cooking), a recipe organization platform.*
*View this recipe: [https://save.cooking/@american_classic/new-england-clam-chowder-creamy-and-thick](https://save.cooking/@american_classic/new-england-clam-chowder-creamy-and-thick)*