Ingredients

• 2 (6.6 oz) cans minced or whole clams, undrained
• cooking spray
• 1 c chopped onion
• 2 slices bacon, chopped, plus more cooked bacon for garnish
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 c chopped and peeled red potato (about 1.5 lbs total)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 16 oz bottled clam juice
• 3 Tbl Better Batter All-Purpose Flour
• 2 1/2 c 2% milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

You will also need a blender for this recipe. Using an immersion blender may also work, but the texture may be different. The directions below call for about half of the potato mixture to be blended. Prep clams. Drain clams, reserving liquid. Make the soup. Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Coat the pot with cooking spray and add onion, bacon, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until onion turns translucent. Add reserved clam liquid, potato, dried thyme, and clam juice and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Blend. Carefully place 2 cups of the potato mixture (bacon included) in the blender and process until smooth. Add the potato puree back into the Dutch oven and stir well to combine. In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together flour and milk until blended. Add milk mixture to chowder mixture and whisk until well combined. Cook over medium heat until thickened and warmed through, about 10 minutes, whisking constantly. Stir in clams and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of cooked bacon. Makes 6+ cups. Adapted from Cooking Light