Easy Clam Chowder Recipe (with a Spicy Green Chile Twist!)
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This easy clam chowder is about to become your new favorite soup! If you love the creamy, comforting taste of homemade clam chowder but want something a little different, you’re in for a treat.
This creamy clam chowder recipe has tender potatoes, sweet carrots, and juicy clams swimming in a rich, velvety broth—but here’s the twist: we’re adding roasted green chilies for a fun kick of flavor! Don’t worry, it’s not super spicy, just enough to wake up your taste buds.
Ever since a friend of mine shared her recipe with me, I’ve been making it at least twice a year. It makes enough for us to have leftovers in the freezer. That’s like money in the bank on a chilly day or when you’re craving comfort food that tastes like you’ve been cooking all day. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something special without all the fuss!
Ingredient Notes & Tips
Red Potatoes: Small red potatoes are perfect for this easy clam chowder because they stay nice and firm when you cook them. Slice them into coins about ¼-inch thick so everything cooks at the same time.
Clam Juice: Don’t skip this! Clam juice gives your soup that wonderful ocean flavor. You’ll find bottles of it near the canned tuna at the grocery store. It’s what makes homemade clam chowder taste so much better than the canned soup.
Green Chilies: This is what makes our soup special! Fresh roasted Hatch chilies are amazing, but you can find them pre-roasted in a jar at your grocery store now.
Canned Clams: Make sure to rinse and drain them really well. Chopping them into smaller pieces helps spread that yummy clam flavor throughout the whole soup.
Half-and-Half: This is the secret to that creamy texture everyone loves. Don’t use regular milk—it won’t give you that rich, velvety soup you’re looking for.
Butter & Flour: These two ingredients work together to make your soup nice and thick, just like a good chowder should be. Mix them well so you don’t get any lumps!
Herbs: The dried basil, thyme, and oregano add so much flavor. If you have fresh herbs, you can use those instead—just triple the amount.
How to Make Easy Clam Chowder
Making this creamy clam chowder recipe is super simple! Here’s how to do it:
Saute veggies- Add clam juice and herbs
Cook the Veggies: Put your sliced potatoes, diced carrots, celery, and half of your onions in a Dutch oven (that’s just a big heavy pot). Pour in the clam juice and chicken broth. Sprinkle in your dried basil, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then turn the heat down so it’s just bubbling gently. Let it cook without a lid for about 15 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you can easily poke a fork through the carrots.
- Smooth Cream mixture
- Add to clam juice mixture
Make the Creamy Base: While those veggies are cooking, grab a different pan and melt your butter over medium heat. Toss in the rest of your diced onions and cook them for about 5 minutes until they’re soft and see-through. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the flour. Keep whisking until everything is smooth. Now slowly pour in the half-and-half, whisking the whole time so you don’t get lumps.
Thicken It Up: Put your cream mixture back on medium heat. Keep stirring it as it warms up and gets thick and creamy—this takes about 5-7 minutes. You’re making what cooks call a “cream sauce,” and it’s going to make your soup amazing!
Put It All Together: Pour your creamy sauce into the big pot with your vegetables. Add your rinsed clams and those delicious green chilies. Stir everything together and let it cook without a lid on medium heat for another 15 minutes. Give it a stir every few minutes. This is when all those wonderful flavors get to know each other!
Pro Tip: Once you add the cream, don’t let your soup boil hard—keep it at a gentle simmer so it stays nice and smooth.
Another Tip: Taste your soup before serving and add more salt if it needs it. The clams and clam juice are a bit salty, but you might want a little more!
Variations
Extra Spicy Version: Add a diced jalapeño pepper with the onions or stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for more heat.
Bacon Clam Chowder: Cook 4-6 slices of bacon until crispy, crumble it up, and sprinkle on top of each bowl. You can even use some of the bacon grease instead of butter for extra smoky flavor!
Corn and Clam Chowder: Stir in 1 cup of sweet corn (fresh, frozen, or drained canned corn) along with the clams. The sweetness of the corn is really good with the green chilies!
Make It Thicker: Want an even thicker soup? Let it simmer longer, or mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir this into your simmering soup and it’ll thicken right up.
Make It Lighter: Use milk instead of half-and-half and cut the butter down to ¼ cup. It won’t be quite as rich, but it’ll still taste great!
Seafood Chowder: Add some cooked shrimp, crab meat, or chunks of white fish (like cod) along with the clams for a super fancy seafood soup.
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No Green Chilies Version: If you don’t like spice or can’t find green chilies, just leave them out! You’ll have a classic creamy clam chowder recipe that’s still delicious.
How to Store Clam Chowder
In the Fridge: Let your easy clam chowder cool down completely first. Then put it in a container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator. It’ll stay good for 3-4 days. Here’s a fun fact: it actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to mix together!
Freezing: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Cream-based soups sometimes look a little separated when you thaw them out. However, it should blend back together when you reheat it.
Reheating: Warm up your chowder on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir it often while it heats up. If it seems too thick, just add a splash of half-and-half or milk to thin it out. If you’re using the microwave, heat it at 50% power and stop to stir it every minute. This keeps the cream from getting weird and lumpy.
How to Serve Easy Clam Chowder
This homemade clam chowder is filling enough to be dinner all by itself! With 6-8 servings, you’ll have plenty to feed the whole family or save some for tomorrow’s lunch. Here are some yummy ways to serve it:
In Bread Bowls: Want to make this extra special? Serve your clam chowder bread bowl style! I have an easy recipe for homemade bread bowls that are perfect for this soup. The crusty bread soaks up all the creamy goodness, and the best part? You get to eat your bowl when you’re done! It’s a real crowd-pleaser and makes cleanup super easy. Since it’s filling, it will stretch your servings too!
With Crusty Bread: If you don’t want to make bread bowls, just serve your chowder with thick slices of Sourdough bread, French bread, or some homemade Cheese bread on the side for dipping and sopping up every last drop.
Add a Salad: A simple green salad is slightly sweet with a poppyseed dressing. It’s perfect alongside this rich, creamy soup. The fresh, crisp lettuce is a nice contrast to the warm chowder.
Crackers: Keep it classic by putting a handful of oyster crackers or saltine crackers on top of each bowl. Did you know you can make your own homemade crackers? Kids especially love doing this!
Yummy Toppings: Make it fancy by letting everyone add their own toppings! Try fresh chopped parsley, crumbled bacon, a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, or sliced green onions.
Related Recipes You’ll Love
If you loved this easy clam chowder, you’ll want to try these other cozy soup recipes:
- Bread Bowl Recipe – Make the perfect edible bowl for your chowder!
- Cheesy Potato Soup – Another creamy, comfort food favorite
- Chicken Tortellini Soup – More southwest flavors you’ll love. (Coming soon)
- Creamy Tomato Florentine Soup – Perfect for pairing with grilled cheese sandwiches
- Broccoli Cheese Soup – Rich, creamy, and so satisfying
- Hamburger Vegetable Soup – Another easy soup the whole family will enjoy
Ready to Make This Delicious Soup?
This easy clam chowder is comfort food that actually lives up to its name—it really IS easy! You don’t need any fancy cooking skills or hard-to-find ingredients. Just follow the simple steps and in less than an hour, you’ll have a pot of creamy, dreamy homemade clam chowder that tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant. The green chilies add that fun, unexpected twist that makes this soup special and keeps people coming back for more. Serve it in a clam chowder bread bowl and you’ve got a meal everyone will remember!
Have you made this recipe? I’d absolutely love to hear how it turned out! Did you serve it in bread bowls? Did you make it extra spicy? What toppings did you use? Drop a comment below and tell me all about it! And if you loved this recipe, please give it a 5-star rating—it really helps other home cooks find these yummy recipes. Thanks for cooking with me, and enjoy every delicious spoonful!
Easy Clam Chowder with Green Chilies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 small red potatoes sliced into coins
- 1 cup carrots diced
- ½ cup onions finely diced, divided
- ½ cup celery finely diced
- 32 oz clam juice
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup green chilies we used 3 Hatch chilies
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 18 oz canned clams rinsed, drained, and minced
Instructions
- Combine the potatoes, carrots, celery, and half of the onions with the clam juice in a Dutch oven. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the carrots are tender, approximately 15 minutes.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan or skillet. Add the remaining onion and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy.
- Heat the cream mixture on medium heat until thick and creamy.
- Add the cream mixture and the claims to the potato mixture in the Dutch oven. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for approximately 15 minutes or until heated through.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
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Thank you foR sharing !Will Definitely prepare this soup…Happen to have all the ingredients !.
It is so good, Marlyse! I hope you’ll stop back and let me know what you think.