This Gal Cooks

Lightened Up Clam Chowder

Creamy Clam Chowder gets a makeover with this healthier Lightened Up Clam Chowder. Half and Half and milk are used in place of heavy cream to cut back on fat and calories!

Lightened Up Clam Chowder - This Gal Cooks #soup #chowder #seafood

Last week while in the checkout line of the grocery store I was checking out the magazines. Do you ever do that? Browse the covers of the magazines, searching for anything good? I’ll admit, I even scour the cover of the tabloid magazines; they either make me laugh or make me grunt in disgust. But for the most part, I browse the cooking and fitness magazines. I happened to come across a Taste of Home Heartwarming Soups magazine and I decided to buy it. I couldn’t pass it up. It boasted that there were 238 soup recipes and tips!

I found quite a few recipes that I will be trying one day. The first one I decided to try was for a makeover clam chowder.

What is so different about this clam chowder? It’s a lightened up version (it uses milk and half and half rather than cream) and it has curry powder in it. Yep, curry powder. Which actually compliments the dish very well. You can find the original recipe here. I hope you enjoy my version of the recipe!

Lightened Up Clam Chowder - This Gal Cooks #soup #chowder #seafood

Lightened Up Clam Chowder

Lightened Up Clam Chowder

Lightened Up Clam Chowder

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 10 oz cans of baby clams, drained and chopped
  • 1 8 oz jar clam juice
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 C butter
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon
  • 1/2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp curry powder
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2/3 C all purpose flour
  • 1 C half & half
  • 2 C milk
  • 3/4 C carrot, chopped
  • 3/4 C celery, chopped
  • 3/4 C onion, chopped
  • Salt to taste (I didn't need to add salt to my recipe)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, saute the carrot, onion and celery in the butter until tender.
  2. Stir in the chicken broth, clam juice, bouillon, curry powder, bay leaf, parsley and potato. Bring to a boil and then reduce head and simmer 20 minutes.
  3. Combine the flour and 1 C milk. Whisk together and stir into the soup. Bring to a boil for about 2 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
  4. Reduce heat to low and stir in the clams, remaining milk and half & half. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove the bayleaf once done cooking.
  5. Add salt to taste.

Notes

Adapted from Taste of Home

Lightened Up Clam Chowder - This Gal Cooks #soup #chowder #seafood

A couple other soup recipes for you to enjoy:

Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Stew

Moroccan Chickpea & Lentil Stew

 

Copycat Wendy’s Chili

copy cat wendy's chili33

 

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17 comments on “Lightened Up Clam Chowder”

  1. This sounds delicious, and your photos are gorgeous as always!

  2. Hi Julie, this sounds like a great, new take on Clam Chowder! You wouldn’t believe my magazine stash, especially the old ones from family that go back to the 40’s! :) Thanks for sharing the recipe, Happy Easter and have an awesome day!

  3. This sounds wonderful Julie! I love clam chowder, and I love that this is lower in fat.

  4. Yummy! Looks so creamy and delish! I love making clam chowder! When my boys were younger, I’d call it potato soup. But then they’d ask what the pieces of meat were…I said, chicken! Now, that they’re older and KNOW that it really is clam chowder…they (still) love it! The things we do to manipulate our family to eat what we make! I love the spin on this recipe! Can’t wait to try it!

  5. These soups look and sound amazing!

    xx
    Kelly
    Sparkles and Shoes  

  6. Low fat chowder??!! Yes, please! Looks really good :)

  7. I’m quite fascinated with that tiny soup bowl.

  8. At The Wetherford Hotel in Flagstaff, Az. They make the best clam chowder and I think I detect a touch of sage.

  9. Pingback: Wednesday Whatsits (55) - White Lights on Wednesday

  10. in the what you need list left out bay leaf

  11. going to try copycat clam chowder thanks

  12. I’ve always wanted to trucks chowder and never ha e but I ertainlh am going to pick up the ingredients and make this! My mouth is watering already. I make every kind of soup you can think of and love clam chowder so we will love this. Your picture makes me want it now!! Thanks so much!!

  13. Sorry for the errors….My tablet was acting up. I meant try clam chowder!!! Grrrrrr

  14. How do I print the recipe?

  15. I love your version of Clam Chowder!!!!! I did notice though, that you neglected to include the Half & Half as well as 1 cup of the milk in the recipe. I take it that I would add this before you thicken the chowder?

    Rating: 5
    • Hello Cheryl,

      I am not sure what you mean? The directions for the milk and half and half are in steps 3 and 4 of the recipe instructions.