RECIPE: Healthy Simple Clam/Chicken Chowder

My chicken chowder

This recipe was requested by one of my readers, Nikki Kincaid, she requested for a healthier version of nice chowder recipe. Here is a recipe for either chicken or clam chowder. The fun part of this is that you can use fish, mussels, prawn in place of chicken or clam. Lovely soup for cold weather.

Ingredients

• 1 slice bacon (optional, if you are using bacon, do watch your salt)
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 leek (finely chopped/optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• Salt for taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced (depending on your taste)
• 3 cans of chopped clams, not drained (I used chicken, couldn't find Clams)
• 1 to 2 cups diced peeled potato 
• 2 bottles clam juice (I used chicken stock)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 spring onion (chopped)
• Black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup fat-free milk or skimmed milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I left this out)

DIRECTION
NOTE: if you are using chicken make sure to cook it with spices of your choice and reserve the stock.

• Cook bacon in a large pan over medium heat until its crispy. Remove bacon from pan, Crumble it and set aside. In a clean pan, add oil over a low heat, allow to heat up a but and add onion, carrot, celery, leek, salt, thyme, and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until they are tender.
• Drain clams, reserving liquid (if you are using clams, if not get your chicken stock ready)
• In the same pan, add clam liquid (or chicken stock), potato, pepper, clam juice, and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until potato is tender and remove the bay leaf.
• Mix milk and flour until smooth. Add flour mixture to the pan; bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until its thick, stirring at interval. 
• Then add clams or chicken and spring onions, cook for more 3 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon and ready to serve