How to Make Prize-Winning Seafood Chowder

I had my fill of seafood chowder during our trip to Nova Scotia, enjoying bowl after bowl of rich creamy broth full of lobster, scallops and haddock. I couldn't wait to get home and make my own West Coast chowder.

Today I'm sharing my basic guide for how to make prize-winning seafood chowder using seafood that is available where you live.

This New England-style seafood chowder recipe is one that I've made for years. I change it according to the type of fish or seafood I happen to have on hand. While I vary the seafood, some things I never change.

Since posting this fish chowder recipe, I've adapted it to make a delicious seafood pot pie. If you'd like your seafood tucked in a creamy pot pie with a puff pastry lid, you'll love this recipe for Seafood Pot Pie with Puff Pastry.

You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. Here are a few notes about what and what not to add to your chowder.

• I use smoked salmon instead of bacon for flavour so that my pescetarian friends can eat it.
• I never add clams. If I use canned clams, there's a risk they'll become rubbery, and using fresh clams requires another step to this recipe. I like to keep it easy by simmering it all in one pot, with no extra steps.
• I don't over-season it. Chowder should be fairly mild, allowing the natural flavour of the seafood to shine.
• I load it up with seafood so that, along with a salad, it makes a complete meal. I like to use a mix of fish and shellfish and usually add smoked salmon, salmon, wild white fish like cod, halibut or haddock, and shrimp or prawns. Sometimes I add scallops or crab, too.

🔪 How to make prize-winning seafood chowder in four steps

Here's a quick overview of what you'll do. You'll find complete directions in the recipe card below.

1. Sauté onions and celery.
2. Make a roux, then add the clam nectar and broth in which to cook the potatoes and carrots.
3. Add the seafood and seasonings, and cook just until tender, watching carefully to avoid overcooking.
4. Stir in the cream, heat gently, garnish and serve.

👍🏼 Helpful Tips

This is an easy New England-style chowder packed full of healthy seafood!

1. I always begin by sautéing onions and celery and make the base with a roux, then add clam juice and either chicken or vegetable broth, (depending if I'm serving pescetarians or not.)
2. I cook the potatoes and optional carrots in this slightly thickened broth until tender, then add the seafood, remembering that small cubes of fish and fresh shrimp and scallops take very little time to cook. It's very easy to overcook seafood. There is no option for "well done" when cooking fish, shrimp, or scallops!
3. While some New England style chowder recipes advise cooking the seafood in milk, I like to cook the vegetables and fish in broth, then add the cream just at the end to produce a creamy smooth chowder. Adding it just before serving prevents the cream from curdling and keeps the texture velvety.

⏰ Can I make this ahead of time?

While it's best to cook the seafood just before serving, you can prepare much of this recipe the day before you plan to serve it. For example, you can:

1. Sauté the onions and celery, make a roux and add the clam nectar and broth. Add the potatoes, carrots, thyme, bay leaf and paprika and cook until the potatoes are fork tener. Cool and refrigerate.
2. If using frozen seafood, thaw, cut into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate.
3. Shell and devein the shrimp or prawns, (see my complete guide to cooking shrimp and prawns for how to prepare shrimp) then cover and refrigerate.

Then, when ready to cook, gently heat the broth you've prepared. Add the seafood and seasonings and proceed with the rest of the recipe.