The BEST Seafood Chowder Recipe

Want the best seafood chowder recipe? This is hands down my favorite! It’s super creamy, hearty, and delicious.

Every year, my husband and I host Christmas dinner at our house.

While we always make a different main course each year, there are a few favorites that return each Christmas. This includes the best seafood chowder recipe ever.

What makes this the best seafood chowder recipe

This delicious seafood chowder sits simmering on our stove while we prepare the side dishes and desserts. What makes it the best, in my humble chowder-loving opinion?

• It’s packed with yummy, healthy veggies.
• You can make this as creamy as you like by pureeing it in a blender.
• If you’re dairy-free like me, you can easily substitute dairy-free alternatives for the cream.
• This seafood corn chowder is hearty and satisfying, topped with crispy, salty, mouthwatering bacon.

Seafood Bacon Chowder Video

I was so honored to share my recipe with Kroger as part of their holiday recipes video series. This series featured nine bloggers from different parts of the country, including yours truly representing the Pacific Northwest!

Here’s the video sharing what the holidays mean to me. I also share a little more about what makes this particular chowder recipe so special.

Cooking Tips for Making Seafood Chowder

• If you’re using frozen corn kernels, thaw them to room temperature beforehand.
• Cut the potatoes as uniformly as possible, in cubes of similar size, to ensure they cook evenly.
• If you don’t have clam juice, you can use more chicken broth instead.
• I use ready-to-eat crab meat from my grocery store deli for this recipe. However, I have also used fresh lobster, shrimp, and salmon in lieu of crab and it is just as delicious!
• If you want the chowder to be creamier, increase the amount of soup you puree in the blender by anywhere from half a cup to a full cup more. It’s really up to you how creamy or chunky you want this chowder to be!

Can you freeze seafood chowder?

Unfortunately, cream-based chowders do not freeze well. You can keep this chowder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. However, I do not recommend freezing this soup.

More Dinner Recipes

• Best Instant Pot Chili Recipe
• Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken: Make Once, Eat Twice Recipe
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Loaded Nachos
• Instant Pot BBQ Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce
• Honey Bourbon Wings
• Slow Cooker Honey Bourbon Meatballs

Best Seafood Chowder Recipe

Seafood Bacon Chowder

5 from 5 votes

A seafood chowder with bacon and corn, so creamy and delicious!

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Ingredients

• 8 strips of bacon chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots finely chopped
• 3/4 cup celery finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme OR 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 7 cups yellow corn
• 2 cups bottled clam juice
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 2.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 14.5 oz chicken stock
• 3 medium baking potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 pound of ready-to-eat crab meat
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced basil optional

Instructions

• Cook the bacon in a large (6 or 8 quart) pot over medium heat. Stir bacon occasionally and cook until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the bacon for garnish, leaving the remainder in the pot.
• Add butter, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf, to the pot. Cover and cook for about 6-8 minutes, until the onions are soft and lightly golden. Be sure to stir occasionally.
• Add the corn, clam juice, milk, heavy cream, chicken stock and potatoes to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
• While ingredients are simmering, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add crab meat. Sauté for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
• Check the large pot of ingredients simmering and when potatoes are tender, discard the bay leaf.
• Transfer about 4 cups of the soup to a blender and puree.
• Pour the puree back into the chowder and stir to blend and thicken.
• Garnish each serving with bacon, a generous spoonful of crab meat, and chopped basil (optional).

Notes

If using frozen corn kernels, thaw to room temperature before using.

DAIRY-FREE OPTION
Substitute 2 cups of 1% milk with 2 cups of almond milk.
Substitute heavy cream with 2 cups full-fat coconut milk or, for a creamier chowder, 1 cup coconut milk plus 1 cup coconut cream.

Tried this recipe?Mention @UrbanBlissLife or tag #UrbanBlissLife!

Thanks so much to Kroger for sharing my recipe and holiday story. I was compensated for the video and recipe development, but as always, all opinions and recipes are my own.