AmericanMedium · Hot
Clam and Cod Chowder with Potato and Thyme
A warming Atlantic chowder with tender clams and flaked cod over soft potato, finished with butter and fresh thyme.
Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Total
55 min
Method
Prepare the Aromatics
1
Dice the yellow onion, mince the garlic, and chop the carrot and celery into small pieces.
Build the Chowder Base
2
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
3
Add the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add Broth and Potatoes
5
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
6
Peel and cube the potatoes, then add them to the pot.
8
Season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.
Add the Seafood
9
Rinse the clams under cold water and pick through them, discarding any that are cracked or do not close when tapped.
10
Cut the cod into bite-sized chunks.
11
Add the clams to the simmering chowder first. Cook for 3 minutes.
12
Add the clams to the simmering chowder first. Cook for 5-7 minutes until all clams have fully opened.
Finish the Chowder
13
Pour in the whole milk and stir gently to combine.
15
Let the chowder simmer for 2 more minutes to heat through without boiling.
16
Let the chowder gently heat through without boiling. Boiling can cause the milk to curdle.
A
Nutri-Score
Excellent balance
A–E · lower is better · score -1
Calories
464
per serving
High in protein · 39gLow sugar · 8g
Protein
39g
Carbs
32g
Fat
20g
Sat. fat
9g
Fiber
5g
Sugar
8g
Sodium
1508mg
Gluten FreePescatarianHeart HealthyLow Red MeatHigh ProteinBalanced Macro
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
Grade pending
Environmental impact
Estimated footprint
Grade pending · 63% ingredient coverage
kg CO2e
≥0.5
per serving
Whole Milk drives 44% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
7
Umami
4
Sweet
5
Salty
2
Sour
2
Bitter
3
Spicy
Textures
TenderCreamySilkySaucy
Aromas
SeafoodHerbalSavoryButtery
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
Dutch OvenCounter FootprintMedium
Safety & Storage
Cooking Temperature
Cook chowder until clams have fully opened and cod flakes easily with gentle pressure. Internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C) for seafood safety. Avoid boiling after adding milk to prevent curdling.
High Risk Population
This chowder contains fish and mollusks. Individuals with shellfish allergies may react to clams. Young children, pregnant individuals, elderly, and immunocompromised persons should only consume this dish if seafood is fully cooked through.
Cross Contamination
Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw seafood and vegetables. Rinse clams thoroughly under cold running water and discard any that are cracked or fail to close when tapped. Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw fish and clams.
Storage
Cool chowder to room temperature within 2 hours of cooking, then refrigerate in airtight containers. Consume refrigerated leftovers within 2-3 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C) throughout before serving.
Handling
Clams should feel heavy for their size, indicating they are alive and fresh. Tap shells gently - live clams will close. Discard any that remain open before cooking or do not close when tapped. Check clams at 3 minutes and remove opened ones to prevent overcooking while others finish.
Equipment Safety
When using a Dutch oven for this recipe, ensure it is stable on the stovetop. Use oven mitts when handling the hot pot, especially when adding boiling broth or when the handle has been on the burner.
Pro Tips
Technique
When the clams go in, don't walk away—three minutes is all they need. Any longer and they turn rubbery and the broth loses that sweet brininess you're after. The cod comes after, and it takes just four minutes to flake apart and drink in the chowder.
Dice your onion, carrot, and celery small and uniform—they'll melt into the broth as it simmers and you won't even know they're there, but you'd miss them if they weren't.
Flavor Boost
A good glug of excellent olive oil at the table isn't optional, it's the finishing touch that ties everything together. My grandmother always said the oil carries the flavor to your mouth.
Substitution
If you can't find cod, monkfish works beautifully, or even a firm white salmon. Just keep it in big chunks so it doesn't break apart too quickly in the simmering broth.
Equipment
Use a proper Dutch oven or heavy pot—thin-bottomed pans cook unevenly and you risk scorching the base before the potatoes are tender.
From the chef
This chowder is the sea in a pot, the way my grandmother would have recognized it. We grow up on these rías with fog rolling off the Atlantic and fat grey clouds that hang low over the hills, and when the wind cuts sharp, you want something that warms from the inside out—tender clams that taste of salt air, cod that flakes apart like it belongs there, and potatoes soft enough to catch the broth. A drizzle of good olive oil at the end, a few thyme sprigs from the garden, and you've got a dish that doesn't need to prove anything to anyone. It's just honest, generous, and exactly what the sea gave us.
TagsOne PotSeafoodComfort FoodWarmingDairyChowder
AllergensFishMollusksMilkCelery
Source: generated · June 10, 2026