The creamy soup in this New England Clam Chowder dish is infused with flavorful bacon, succulent clams, basic spices, and perfectly cooked potatoes. You’ll believe that this is restaurant quality!

• Ingredients:
• ▢ 6 strips thick-cut bacon
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion
• ▢ 2 ribs celery
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1/3 cup flour
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 3 cups Half and Half
• ▢ 8 oz. clam juice
• ▢ 1 chicken bouillon cube
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 ¼ lbs. potatoes, see notes
• ▢ 3 (6.5 oz. cans) chopped clams, juices reserved
• ▢ Fresh parsley & Freshly cracked pepper, for serving
• ▢ ½ teaspoon each: dried oregano, dried parsley
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon each: dried thyme, salt
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon each: smoked paprika, pepper

• Directions:
• 1. Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. While the bacon cooks, measure out the remaining ingredients. Once the bacon is cooked, set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Chop once cooled and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
• 2. Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as many bacon remnants as possible, adding flavor to the soup.
• 3. Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and celery. Toss to coat and soften for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
• 4. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously, until the raw flour smell is gone.
• 5. Add the chicken broth, stirring continuously, and add the half and half in the same manner.
• 6. Stir in the chicken bouillon- and add the bay leaf. Add the juice from the canned clams to the soup, but don’t add the clams yet. Stir in the additional clam juice.
• 7. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce it to a simmer, so that it’s just gently bubbling. Simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
• 8. Peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the soup. Bring back to a very gentle bubble and let the potatoes cook through for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender. Reduce heat to low.
• 9. Stir in the clams and let them heat through for about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
• 10. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with roughly chopped parsley, fresh pepper, and chopped bacon.

Enjoy!