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Home / Recipes / Creamy New England Fish Chowder Recipe

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Creamy New England Fish Chowder Recipe

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Stop fishing for the perfect fish chowder recipe. It’s this.

This creamy New England fish chowder recipe tastes surprisingly light, and is full of chunky fresh fish and potatoes, with a delicate, satisfying flavor. Best of all? This Maine haddock chowder is super easy to make.

bowls of new england fish chowder

This creamy New England fish chowder recipe tastes surprisingly light, and is full of chunky fresh fish, potatoes, and a delicate, satisfying flavor. This is the haddock chowder recipe I’ve enjoyed during Maine summers since childhood.

Easy to make (bonus!), this fish chowder recipe will take your taste buds straight to Bar Harbor or Cape Cod.

You’ll also like: Coconut Fish Chowder With Greens

ingredients like haddock potatoes onion milk on wood table

What’s the Difference: New England vs. Manhattan-Style Fish Chowder

Maine- or New England-style chowders — clam chowder, fish chowder, lobster stew — have a milk or cream base. Manhattan chowders, on the other hand, contain no cream. Instead, these soups use a tomato broth, and usually have vegetables like carrots and celery.

When Was Fish Chowder Invented?

The generally-accepted wisdom is that creamy New England chowders became popular in the early 1800s, when it was served at Boston’s (still-famous) Union Oyster House, the oldest continually-operated restaurant in America. The style of soup, already well known regionally, spread throughout New England from there.

Meanwhile, down the coast, Rhode Island’s Portuguese immigrant fishing communities traveled back and forth from New York City’s Fulton Fish Market in the mid-1800s, bringing with them their Mediterranean-style tomato and vegetable fish soup. Allegedly. This history of the exact fish chowder recipe is less clear.

pot of cooking New England fish chowder with haddock and milk

What thickens this fish chowder?

This fish chowder recipe does not use any thickeners like flour or cornstarch. Traditionally, Maine-style fish chowder is not thick and gloopy, but rather more milky and broth like. The chowder will thicken slightly, however, thanks to the starch in the potatoes.

What Type of Fish Is Best for This New England Fish Chowder Recipe?

The most important thing here is to use very fresh, meaty white fish in fish chowder. Haddock would be the top choice for this fish chowder recipe. Cod also works very well. Make sure the bones and skin have been completely removed. You want a meaty, lean white fish.

Oily, strong-tasting fish like salmon, swordfish, tuna, and the like are bad fish choices for fish chowder. Delicate white fish like sole or flounder is not substantial enough.

What Should I Serve With This Chowdah?

Oyster crackers make the most authentic accompaniment to this New England fish chowder recipe. But warm buttermilk biscuits straight from the oven are often served with chowder as well, and taste even better.

bowls of fish chowder with buttermilk biscuits on white tablecloth

If you loved this creamy fish soup recipe, you’ll also enjoy:

  • Senate Ham + Bean Soup
  • New England Crab Rolls
  • Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
  • Dining Guide: Midcoast Maine
fish chowder in bowls
Print Recipe

Creamy New England Fish Chowder

An authentic, easy creamy New England fish chowder recipe adapted from Maine's most famous diner. Made with milk, potatoes, and good, fresh fish.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keywords:: chowder, cod, easy chowder recipe, fish, fish chowder recipe, maine, new england, New England fish chowder, soup
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut to a medium dice
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pound fresh haddock or cod fillets, picked over for bones
  • 1 12-ounce can of evaporated milk
  • ½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
  • cold water
  • fresh minced chives and oyster crackers, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Dice the potatoes and onions.
    PRO TIP: Keep cut potatoes from discoloring by covering them in cold water until ready for use.
  • In a soup pot, melt half the butter over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and bay leaf and cook, stirring, over medium heat until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Add the diced potatoes and add enough water to the pot to cover the potatoes and onions. Cover and gently boil until the potatoes are just fork tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Lay the whole fish fillets on top of the potatoes and onion. Add the evaporated milk and the half-and-half or cream. Do not stir. Cover and cook at a simmer, without stirring, for about 15 minutes. Check the pot once or twice to make sure the liquid does not boil.
  • Check to make sure that the potatoes have fully softened, and the fish is cooked and flakes apart easily. Add the rest of the butter, the salt, and a good dose of fresh black pepper. Stir gently to combine and break the fish apart a bit. Taste for seasoning.
  • Top with fresh minced chives and serve with oyster crackers or hot biscuits.

Notes

This is a traditional New England fish chowder recipe, so the texture will be more brothy with chunks of potato and fish, as opposed to a very thick soup.
Serve this chowder fresh and hot, preferably with some oyster crackers or a buttermilk biscuit. 

Filed Under: Dinner, Easy, Recipes, Soup, Salad, Snacks Tagged With: chowder, cream, fish, fish chowder, fish chowder recipe, fish soup recipe, haddock, maine, new england, new england fish chowder, seafood, soup

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Toni says

    August 5, 2020 at 8:09 am

    5 stars
    This tasted just like we eat in Cape Cod. I like that this is so good without having to cook any bacon.

    Reply
  2. Anne V. says

    August 5, 2020 at 8:10 am

    5 stars
    full of fish and potatoes. delicious and easy to make.

    Reply
  3. Vivienne R. says

    August 5, 2020 at 8:12 am

    5 stars
    Loved this.

    Reply
  4. Amy says

    August 9, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and even better the next day!
    My new favorite chowder recipe
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Rhonda says

      August 27, 2021 at 11:06 am

      All I have is trout would that work?

      Reply
      • Unpeeled says

        August 28, 2021 at 3:20 am

        Trout has a stronger flavor and different texture, but I don’t see why you shouldn’t try it out! I’d love to hear the result if you do.

  5. Hannah Graff says

    November 22, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    5 stars
    Simply perfect.

    Reply
  6. Irene says

    November 22, 2020 at 4:47 pm

    5 stars
    I loved that this was uncomplicated to make and very straightforward. Not a lot of bells and whistles. Just the right ingredients with lots of chunky potatoes and fish. Very good recipe!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      August 13, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      That’s what I love about it, too. Good, honest chowder!

      Reply
  7. Marc says

    November 22, 2020 at 4:47 pm

    5 stars
    Honest New England chowder, just like I remember.

    Reply
  8. Vicki Dillon says

    August 13, 2021 at 12:16 pm

    5 stars
    My husband & I are on the Keto diet so I just left out the potatoes. This recipe is so easy and delicious. Have made it several times already.

    Reply
  9. Poornima says

    August 13, 2021 at 11:02 pm

    Where I live I don’t get cod or haddock. What can I substitute with? Recipe sounds awesome

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      August 16, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      Hello and my apologies for the vacation delay! Any thick, flaky white fish will work fine. I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
    • Brian says

      February 28, 2023 at 7:31 am

      Pollack

      Reply
  10. Leslie Wachter says

    October 25, 2021 at 11:58 am

    5 stars
    Fresh and uncomplicated. This was just lovely and tasted excellent. I will make this again. Served with buttered baguette.

    Reply
  11. June says

    October 27, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    5 stars
    Love the simplicity and good flavor.

    Reply
  12. Linda says

    January 7, 2022 at 5:00 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious!
    I was very impressed with the ease of preparation.
    This recipe is a keeper.
    I would actually serve to guests.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      January 8, 2022 at 10:59 am

      So glad you enjoyed it! One of my favorite soups. You wouldn’t think it would be so good by how easy it is, but it really is that tasty!

      Reply
  13. Louise Samson says

    January 13, 2022 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    As always with your recipes, absolutely delicious.
    Although a bit decadent (mm mm m ——— all that butter and cream!).
    LOVED it.
    Thank you ever so much.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      January 15, 2022 at 2:15 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the kind comment! Enjoy the weekend–and the chowder 🙂

      Reply
  14. Jeanne Vichosky says

    January 17, 2022 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    Made the fish chowder tonight for dinner and used a combination of haddock and cod was absolutely delicious. Your recipe was so easy and will be making this again. So yummy!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      January 18, 2022 at 9:56 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the kind comment. I find that the ease of the recipe is one of the best parts 🙂

      Reply
  15. Tess says

    March 1, 2022 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    Such a great recipe! Simple, comes together in no time. (Which is saying a lot for me 😉 Came out so perfectly the first time I made it, I’ve been dreaming of it ever since! It’s back on my list this week! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      March 9, 2022 at 5:26 pm

      Thank you so much for this note! I am so glad you enjoyed it as much as we do 🙂

      Reply
  16. Ela says

    April 5, 2022 at 7:34 pm

    2 stars
    The recipe was bland and possibly too much water? I prefer it creamier. Would you suggest adding fish juice to salvage it?

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      April 11, 2022 at 2:55 pm

      Hi, Ela. Sorry you found it bland and a bit thin! Maine-style chowder is generally a milkier soup with a thinner broth, and not too thick. If you like it thicker, You can reduce the amount of liquid, or even incorporate a cornstarch slurry as a thickener. Thanks for the helpful feedback.

      Reply
  17. Linda says

    April 25, 2022 at 11:49 am

    5 stars
    Delicious!!!
    Easy to prepare.
    I would feel very confident serving this to guests.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      April 25, 2022 at 10:01 pm

      Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed it. The ease is one of my favorite parts of the recipe.

      Reply
  18. Brad (Bradley) W. Chenoweth says

    June 12, 2022 at 10:36 pm

    Great base with tasty fresh PNW ling cod….so tasty! A bit of a modification….I start with a light roux base butter and oil with 1/3 cup flour…add some finely chopped garlic, jalapeño, onion and thinly slice fennel…..oh and a good dose of Old Bay….it is timeless and has all the right spices…the rest stayed true to recipe…oh except I did use a can of fish stock and a splash of Thai fish sauce just the right amount of umami ? thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Tom says

      October 30, 2022 at 5:59 pm

      That really isn’t close to the original but sounds like a nice alternative!

      Reply
  19. Stephanie says

    June 24, 2022 at 11:04 pm

    Looks delicious! I am not a big fan of potatoes though- any suggestions on what I could use to substitute?

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      June 25, 2022 at 4:34 pm

      Hi, Stephanie! Hmm…something starchy and simple would be the way to go. Cauliflower florets could work well here. Otherwise, I would just make the soup without the potatoes and then serve it with some good crusty bread or fresh biscuits. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  20. andi says

    July 7, 2022 at 9:41 pm

    Can you kindly suggest a salad to serve with this chowder? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      July 8, 2022 at 10:37 am

      Hi! Any simple salad with vinaigrette would be great with this. I’d avoid something like a Caesar because of the competing and strong flavors, but other than that, something simple and flavorful. Some ideas would be this Strawberry Bibb Salad or this Peach Arugula Salad, with either the balsamic syrup or your own simple vinaigrette.

      Reply
  21. Becca says

    September 29, 2022 at 11:14 am

    4 stars
    I asked my mom (family know-it-all cook and prior Maine Restaurant owner) how to make Fish Chowder because I was given 2 bags filled about half way with some frozen white fish and I just don’t cook fish often enough to have a recipe off the top of my head. My mom, true to form, came back with her reply of: “Sauté onions. Add diced potatoes. Cover with water. When taters done, add fish. When fish done, add can milk or creamer.” Geee! THANKS MOM!!! So I went looking for a more detailed recipe… You know… something that had measurements / amounts for ingredients. I decided to check yours out and it sounds like what my grandma AND MOM used to do when I was a kid (minus the Bay leaf)… So I am making it tonight. Not sure one son, or grandson will like it… but everyone else will love the change from junk food and pasta!!! Just need to go get some potatoes and onions. I have everything else! Sa-weet! Thank you for the recipe!!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      October 3, 2022 at 8:59 pm

      Hahaha…that is so “mom”! I hope you enjoyed the recipe and that it is what you were looking for.

      Reply
    • Noniblue6 says

      November 7, 2022 at 6:51 pm

      How many will this recipe serve?

      Reply
      • Unpeeled says

        November 10, 2022 at 2:33 pm

        Hi there! This recipe will serve about 4 to 6 people.

  22. Oishinbow says

    November 2, 2022 at 9:24 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is so simple ingredients and to make, however it was one of the best fish chowder I ever had or made!!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      November 2, 2022 at 1:42 pm

      Fabulous! I love when a recipe is simple AND delicious, and this is definitely one of those. So glad you liked it as well.

      Reply
  23. Sharon Rhoades says

    November 19, 2022 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    I doubled the recipe and used 1 quart of organic chicken stock in place of water, I added one can of organic corn kernels, drained, dried thyme, and at least one cup of finely minced celery. I also added a couple cloves of roasted garlic. I used one whole stick of butter to sauté the onion and celery in. I added a large handful of chopped Italian parsley. I used 2 pounds of Kirkland frozen cod filets. They are very thick and beautiful. This turned out to be the tastiest fish chowder I have ever made. Thanks for your recipe.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      November 20, 2022 at 8:55 am

      What fantastic adaptations! So glad you enjoyed it. That butter…yummmm.

      Reply
  24. Dee says

    January 19, 2023 at 1:06 pm

    I thought it was very flavorful but I would like it a little thicker. Next time I will try a corn starch slurry.. Just not sure exactly when to do it. Before adding the water to cook the potatoes?

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      January 20, 2023 at 2:13 pm

      Yes, this is a milkier thickness for sure! Add the cornstarch slurry at the very end, just before serving.

      Reply
  25. Virginia says

    January 27, 2023 at 3:32 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve been looking for a fish chowder recipe that didn’t have clam juice. Im allergic. Just made this one. It’s perfect!!!! I also added 1 minced garlic, thyme and corn and made some cheddar biscuits as well. DELISH!!!!.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      January 31, 2023 at 6:06 pm

      Wonderful! And what nice additions. I am so glad that you liked it.

      Reply
  26. Nancy says

    January 29, 2023 at 6:58 pm

    I’m a native New Englander and Chowda Snob. Made this today, using salt pork and added shrimp and bay scallops to my cod. It is by far the best recipe for real flavorful chowder with simple ingredients. No bottled stock or fancy seasoning here. OMG Awesome!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      January 31, 2023 at 6:06 pm

      So glad you liked it! What great adaptations. I want to try your shrimp version next time I make it–yum.

      Reply
  27. Deb says

    February 1, 2023 at 12:59 am

    5 stars
    In the interest of full disclosure, I did tweak this recipe, but it is an absolutely amazing base to stat with! I did add 3/4 cup small diced celery, the onions & a scant cup of thawed “Butter & Sugar” corn I had from this summer. Sautéed it all with the bay leaf. Then added the potatoes & covered with chicken broth. After 10 minutes added the fish, evaporated milk, half & half and a decent shake of Old Bay Blackening Seasoning. Let it simmer for 10+ minutes. Seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper & about 1 teaspoon of Seasoning Salt.
    It was absolutely amazing and I’m a born & breed New Engländer, this is spot on!, even better the next day!
    Thank you for a easy, delicious recipe,, although I did alter it., It’s now my go to “‘Fish Chowda” recipe!! It’s truly “Wicked Good” & a must try!!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      February 1, 2023 at 3:35 pm

      Wicked good–high compliment indeed! Thanks so much, Deb!

      Reply
  28. Kt says

    February 16, 2023 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    Simple and comforting. I like clam chowder but not a fan of the thickness of it so I loved the brothiness of this fish chowder. Thank you

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      February 16, 2023 at 3:31 pm

      So glad you liked it! Thanks for the great note.

      Reply
  29. Sunny Murphy says

    February 24, 2023 at 8:41 am

    I like the recipe however my original recipe calls for 1 large onion diced small and 2 stalks of celery diced small with Old Bay Seasoning to taste.

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      February 24, 2023 at 8:48 am

      Celery is a great addition, and you can never go wrong with Old Bay! Thanks for the note!

      Reply
      • Sunny Murphy says

        February 24, 2023 at 10:46 am

        You are most welcome.

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