Crockpot Clam chowder is hearty and comforting. The slow cooking process lets the flavors blend, resulting in an incredibly rich, creamy broth that’s loaded with soft, bite-sized chunks of potatoes and tender clams.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time4 hourshrs
Cooking the White Sauce on the Stove15 minutesmins
26.5-ounce cans minced clamsdrained, but save the liquid
1 10-ounce can of whole baby clams drained, but save the liquid
2cupspotato: Russet, Yukon Gold or red potatoespeeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
¾cuponiondiced
1cupcelerychopped
2teaspoons chicken bouillon I recommend using Better Than Bouillon
¼cupbutter
¼cupflour
1quarthalf and half
2teaspoonssaltor to taste
1teaspoonpepperor to taste
Optional Garnish, per serving
1 teaspoondried parsley
¼cup crushed saltines or oyster crackers
1tablespooncooked bacon, diced or crumbled
1tablespoon green onion, diced
Instructions
Prepare Vegetables and Clams
Rinse and peel the potatoes. Rinse and chop one cup of fresh celery, dice enough onion to equal ¾ cup. Place the vegetables in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the chicken bouillon.
Drain the canned minced and whole clams and save the juice in a 2-cup glass measuring cup. You may need to add a few tablespoons of enough water to equal 2 cups of liquid. Add the clam juice to the slow cooker with the vegetables and bouillon. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 - 6 hours.
Place the drained clams in a sealed container, and refrigerate until the final step in the cooking process.
Prepare the White Sauce
When the vegetables and clam juice are done cooking, place ¼ cup butter in a medium-sized saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Once the butter melts and starts to sizzle, sprinkle ¼ cup flour over the butter and whisk the ingredients together.
Cook for about a minute, and continue whisking. Be careful not to burn butter and flour, turn to heat to low if it appears to get too dark.
Add the half and half and continue whisking over medium heat until the mixture thickens and becomes very creamy.
Combine Ingredients and Serve
Remove the lid from the slow cooker and stir the ingredients. Add the white sauce and the reserved clams. Switch the slow cooker to warm and stir the ingredients to combine. Serve after 10 minutes or so, long enough for the clams to get heated through.
Notes
Nutritional information was calculated using Russet potatoes, not including optional garnish ingredients. Cooking time was calculated by having the Crockpot cook the broth ingredients for 4 hours. Your cooking time may vary. If you enjoy thicker clam chowder, increase the butter and flour in the white sauce portion of the recipe to ½ cup each and blend as directed using one quart of half and half. This will make a very thick chowder. Serve with Four Ingredient Basic Biscuits for a wonderful meal! After dinner, serve Easy Homemade Apple Cake or whip up Homemade Brownie Mix for a delicious dessert. For another delicious seafood recipe, enjoy Old Fashioned Salmon Patties.